In a highly contested game that featured 18 lead changes, Ohio State overcame the UCLA physicality to pull out a 67-60 win in the CBS Sports Classic. The win gave Ohio State their 3rd win in 4 tries against UCLA in the classic and their 5th win in 9 games overall in the event. Overall, Ohio State moved to 9-2, while UCLA slipped to 5-4. Struggling to get offensive rhythm in the first 20 minutes, specifically from long range, Ohio State found offense from the dribble drive and mid range game to come away with a hard fought win in Atlanta. The Buckeyes finished the game shooting 45% from the floor, with their lone triple coming with under a minute to play, while holding UCLA to just 38%. Roddy Gayle led Ohio State with 19 points and 6 rebounds, while Jamison Battle added 14, including Ohio State’s lone three, a late dagger that gave Ohio State the separation they needed. Bruce Thornton added 13 points, 11 in the second half, and added 7 rebounds and Felix Okpara chipped in 10. UCLA was led by Sebastian Mack, who scored 14. 

 

The Buckeyes used their backcourt advantage to jump out to a quick lead. Roddy Gayle opened the scoring with a floater in the lane on Ohio State’s opening possession and after a defensive stop, Evan Mahaffey wrapped an interior pass to Felix Okpara for a dunk. After an offensive rebound created a second opportunity for the Bruins, they took advantage, hitting a short jumper to get on the board. Gayle answered, getting into the lane and scoring with a reverse lay up to put Ohio State up 6-2. A Bruin jumper trimmed the lead and at the first media timeout, Ohio State led 6-4. The Buckeyes extended their lead when Okpara caught the ball on the right block and patiently gathered and scored with a short jumper. After a stop each way, UCLA got a jumper to fall but offense was at a premium in the early going as both defenses were making half court offense difficult as Ohio State opened 4 of 11 and UCLA had made only 3 of their 11 attempts. A UCLA jumper tied the game at 8 with just over 11 minutes to play in the half. Gayle got the Buckeyes back on the board, driving from the left wing and getting to the right of the wing and banking in a short jumper and the Buckeyes added on when Gayle got to the rim off the bounce and scored again off the window. The Bruins cut into the lead with a short jumper and at the media timeout with 7:27 to play in the first half, Ohio State led 12-10. The Bruins tied it out of a timeout, banking in a short jumper, but Jamison Battle hit a 12 foot fade away along the left baseline to break the tie. The Bruins re-tied it on an out of bounds play under their bucket and a Bruin tip in put UCLA on top for the first time. Okpara tipped in a Battle miss to re-tie the score, but UCLA went back on top with a jumper on their next possession. UCLA split a pair of free throws to extend the lead and at the under 4 media timeout, UCLA led 19-16. The Buckeyes got back on the board when Battle hit a short fadeaway in transition off a UCLA miss and went back ahead when a Bruce Thornton lob was finished by a Mahaffey hoop and the Bruins called a timeout with Ohio State back in front 20-19. Two Bruin free throws put UCLA back on top, but Thornton hit two of three free throws swung the lead back in Ohio State’s favor with just over a minute to play in the half. A UCLA jumper flipped the lead again and that completed the first half scoring with UCLA holding a 23-22 halftime lead. The Buckeyes were held to a season low halftime scoring output by UCLA’s physical play, hitting on just 34% of their shot attempts including an uncharacteristic 0-10 from long range . The Buckeyes turned it over 10 times, and UCLA turned those turnovers into 8 points. The Bruins didn’t shoot it well either, hitting just 31% of their shot attempts, while Ohio State led the rebounding margin 22-18. Roddy Gayle led Ohio State with 8 first half points, while UCLA was led by Sebastian Mack’s 6. 

 

The Buckeyes went back in front on their first possession of the 2nd half when Battle hit a short fade away jumper but after an empty possession each way, the Bruins went back in front. Ohio State tilted the scoreboard back in their favor when Thornton knocked down his first field goal of the game, but UCLA scored the next 4 to go up 3. Battle completed an old-fashioned three point play to tie the game and stop the mini UCLA run. After a Bruin jumper fell, a foul on the other end stopped the clock sending the teams to their benches for the under 16 media timeout with UCLA leading a back and forth ball game, 31-29. After the timeout, Gayle got into the lane and scored with a scoop and after a Bruin turnover, Gayle knocked in a 15 foot jumper to put Ohio State back in the lead. UCLA scored the next 5, including the first made three of the game for either team to take a three point lead. Gayle buried a pair of free throws to get Ohio State to within a point, but a UCLA bucket answered. Dale Bonner scored quickly the other way to trim the deficit and with 10:46 to play and at the under 12 media timeout, UCLA was clinging to a 38-37 lead. An old-fashioned three point play coming out of the timeout put the Bruins up 4, their largest lead, but Thornton answered, completing an old-fashioned three point play of his own to cut the deficit back to 1. A Bonner steal and score put Ohio State back ahead but the lead was short lived as UCLA quickly scored the other way. A Battle jumper put the Buckeyes back in front again but back came UCLA answering the other way. The lead changed hands once again when Bonner hit a 15 foot pull up jumper along the right baseline. The back and forth continued as UCLA scored again in the lane, but a pull up 10 footer by Thornton put the Buckeyes back ahead and Chris Holtmann took a timeout with 7:53 to play and Ohio State leading 48-47. Thornton extended the Buckeye lead with a short pull up jumper to the right of the lane. After UCLA split a pair of free throws, Thornton buried two of his own to put the Buckeyes up 4. A UCLA jumper dropped to cut into the lead, but Key split a pair of free throws to extend the Buckeye lead back to 3 and at the final media timeout with 3:33 to play, Ohio State led 53-50. Coming out of the timeout, UCLA went to the stripe where they split the pair. Key went back to the stripe on the other end and knocked down the pair to put the Buckeyes up 4.  After a Bruin turnover, Okpara took a Thornton lob and flushed it and UCLA called a timeout with 2:41 to play and Ohio State enjoyed the largest lead of the game by either team, leading UCLA 57-51. A quick bucket going to the rim out of the timeout by UCLA trimmed the lead, but a tip in through contact by Okpara off a Gayle miss answered and kept the lead at 6. After Okpara missed the ensuing free throw, Felix fouled a Bruin on the dribble drive, ending Okpara’s night with his fifth and disqualifying foul. UCLA split the pair and the Buckeyes took a timeout with 1:34 remaining and holding a 59-54 lead. After Ohio State went empty on their possession, UCLA cut into the lead with a bucket near the rim, but Battle buried a three from the top, Ohio State’s first of the game from long range, to extend the lead to 6. A quick UCLA bucket the other way and the Bruins took a timeout with 37 seconds remaining and Ohio State leading 62-58.  A backcourt foul by UCLA sent Gayle to the line where he knocked down the pair. UCLA attacked the rim, drawing a foul and both dropped to cut the lead back to 4 with 22 seconds to play. Gayle split a pair of free throws to extend the lead to 5 and after a Gayle steal, he was fouled again sending him back to the stripe to ice it. Gayle drilled both and a final UCLA three point attempt clanged off target as the Buckeyes came away with the win. 

 

It was a big win for Ohio State who had a week to think about the tough loss at Penn State. On this day, Ohio State showed toughness and an ability to adapt when they were struggling from the outside. Coming into the game, the Buckeyes sat 9th in America in 3 point shooting but they could not find it on this day and because of that, they adjusted and took it at UCLA and found a way to put the ball in the basket from the mid range and off the dribble. One of the most prolific offenses in America was facing one of the most prolific defenses and Ohio State showed they could play a little defense as well, stifling UCLA in the half court and despite losing the rebounding battle 38-35, they outscored UCLA in the paint 34-28 and while UCLA struggled at the stripe, hitting just 11 of 18, Ohio State took advantage of their trips, knocking down 16 of their 21 attempts. This one wasn’t always pretty but Chris Holtmann deserves a lot of credit for the halftime adjustments as Ohio State was much more efficient in the half court in the second half, allowing them to come away with a solid resume building win. 

 

Ohio State returns home on Thursday evening, hosting New Orleans at the Schott for a 6 pm scheduled tip to be aired on BTN+.

 

 

-Jason Harris