The 5 game losing streak is no more. Ohio State came back from 10 down in the first half to defeat visiting Maryland 79-75 in double overtime. improving to 14-10, 4-9 and the Terps, who have now lost 3 straight slipped to 13-11, 5-8. After falling down midway through the first half, the Buckeyes roared back to take a 1 point lead into halftime and in a back and forth game that took an extra 10 minutes to decide a winner, the Buckeyes pulled out a hard fought victory and for the moment got a big monkey off their back. The Buckeyes hit 44% of their shot attempts and just 4 of 17 from long range, but of the 4 makes, there was none no bigger than Bruce Thornton’s near the end of regulation that tied the game and ultimately sent the game to overtime. Maryland shot just 39% and 7 of 17 from long range. The free throw line was a difference maker in this game as Ohio State made 17 of 20, while Maryland hit 20 of 30 and several key misses in both overtime periods. Ohio State was led by Bruce Thornton’s 24 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists, while Roddy Gayle, who made 8 free throws, to extend his streak to 38 straight without a miss, added 17. Maryland was led by a game high 26 from Jahmir Young and Donta Scott added 16, while Julian Reese chipped in 13.
Maryland got on the board first, grabbing an offensive rebound and converting at point blank range. The Buckeyes tied it with a pair of Roddy Gayle free throws before a 6-0 Terp run put Maryland in control early. Evan Mahaffey went hard to the right with a dribble drive and scored off the glass to end the run and after a Devin Royal foul stopped the clock, the first media timeout of the game was taken with Maryland leading Ohio State 8-4. A pair of Maryland free throws out of the timeout increased the lead and after a miss on the Buckeye end, a Maryland triple forced Chris Holtmann to take a 30 second timeout with Maryland now leading 13-4. The Buckeyes got back on the board when Devin Royal grabbed an offensive rebound and kicked to Bruce Thonrton on the right wing for three, but quickly the other way, Maryland dropped in a short floater mid-paint. Dale Bonner hit a short pull up jumper and then picked the pocket of a Terp at midcourt and went the other way where he was fouled attacking the rim. Bonner split the pair of free throws and after a defensive stop, Thornton hit a jumper from the left elbow. After another defensive stop, Roddy Gayle got to the baseline and lobbed for Felix Okpara who tipped it in and at the under 12 media break, Ohio State was on a 7-0 run and trailed 15-14. Maryland ended the Buckeye run, picking off a lazy Bonner pass and scoring in transition and after a foul and free throw completed the three point play, Maryland was up 4. Royal scored off the glass from the right block cutting the lead back to 2, but 3 free throws in 4 attempts on back to back possessions increased the Terp lead. Five more Terp points sandwiched around a Bonner pull up jumper had Maryland up 28-18 at the under 8 media timeout and on a 10-2 run. A pair of Gayle freebies out of the timeout cut into the lead, but Maryland answered with a half hook in the middle of the lane. Royal knocked down a pair of free throws, cutting back into the lead and with Ohio State back into a zone, a steal gave the ball back to Ohio State and Mahaffey scored with a runner in the middle of the lane. Another second chance opportunity for the Terps turned into a bucket, but a Thornton scoop near the rim was goal tended and at the under 4, Maryland was leading 32-26. A pair of Thornton free throws got the Buckeyes a little closer and after Mahaffey drilled a triple from the left corner, Maryland took a timeout with Ohio State trailing by just a 32-31 score and Ohio State was enjoying an 11-2 run. The Buckeyes forced a Maryland miss and with time running low, Thornton got to the rim off the bounce and scored off the window before a ¾ court Maryland heave clanged just off the rim and Ohio State, who finished the half on a 13-2 run, took a 33-32 lead to the locker room. The Buckeyes shot 42% from the floor in the first 20 minutes, hitting 2 of 8 from three point range and 9 of 10 from the stripe. Maryland made 40% of their shot attempts, including 2 of 7 from deep. Bruce Thornton led Ohio State with 11, while Evan Mahaffey added 7 to go along with 5 rebounds. Maryland was led by Donta Scott, who had a game high 12 at the break.
Maryland regained the lead, scoring first in the second half with a triple from the right wing and played add-on with a lob and score at the rim. Ohio State finally got back on the board when Thornton pump faked, and as his defender floated by, Thornton dropped in a 12 footer. The Buckeye defense got a stop and off the miss, got out in transition, where Bonner finished with a reverse lay-in. On the next possession, the Buckeyes knocked the ball loose and as Thornton was quickly advancing the ball across the timeline, he was fouled sending the teams to the benches for the under 16 media timeout with the game tied at 37. Ohio State broke the tie when Royal split a pair of free throws, but Maryland shifted back in front with a pair of their own. Ohio State regained the lead when Mahaffey rifled a pass deep in the post to Zed Key who laid it in. Maryland answered with a short jumper off the window and at the under 12, Maryland led 41-40. Coming out of the timeout, Gayle went to the line where he buried the pair putting the Buckeyes back on top, but a rebound and put back by Maryland put the Terps back in front. The ensuing free throw completed the old-fashioned three point play and had Maryland on top by a pair. Another Terp bucket in transition off a Buckeye miss extended the Maryland lead, but Gayle dropped in a three from the right point that clanked off the front of the rim and fell through. Two Maryland free throws put the Terps up 3 and after Ohio State missed a three, Maryland hit one to go up 6. Gayle stopped the Terp mini-run with a pair of free throws, but a bad foul call on the other end put Maryland on the stripe where one of two fell and Maryland led by 5. Jamison Battle quickly the other way got to the rim for a score cutting into the lead, but a Maryland triple answered and with 7:33 to play, the under 8 media timeout was called with Maryland leading 55-49. Gayle scored left of the rim off the bounce to trim the lead to 4 and in transition following a Terp miss, Thornton got to the rim and scored off the glass forcing Maryland to call a timeout with 5:24 to play and the Terps holding a 55-53 lead. Maryland came out of the timeout with a wide open 3 to extend their lead and on the other end, Battle hit a short runner left of the rim. Two free throws on the other end put Maryland back up 5. After Okpara split a pair of free throws, Chris Holtmann wanted to talk about it, calling a timeout with 4:12 to play and Maryland holding a 60-56 lead. Following a Maryland turnover, Thornton lobbed to Okpara for a dunk, executing a two man game, cutting the lead to just 2. With Ohio State having an opportunity to tie or take a lead, a Battle miss and a questionable foul call on Mahaffey going tor the rebound sent the teams walking the other way for two free throws. Maryland split the pair to go up 3 with 3 minutes to play. Ohio State got even when Thornton freed up on the left wing and Gayle found him where Thornton drilled a three with a minute to play and Maryland took a timeout with 54 seconds left and the score knotted at 61. A foul on Mahaffey, his fifth and disqualifying foul put Maryland on the line with 48 seconds to play in regulation and both opportunities were missed. Thornton missed a jumper attempting to put Ohio State on top and as time was running out, Maryland missed a jumper as time expired in regulation sending the game to overtime.
Ohio State struck first in overtime when Okpara bagged a pair of free throws, but the other way, Maryland tied the score with a lay-in. Gayle shifted Ohio State back in front, scoring with a reverse lay-in, but a Maryland triple answered putting the Terps in front. Battle’s jumper from just below the foul line put the Buckeyes back in front with under 3 to go. With 6 seconds left on the shot clock, a questionable foul call way out on the perimeter put the Terps on the stripe and both fell as the lead changed hands again. After a Buckeye miss, a foul put Maryland back on the line and both fell putting the Terps up 3 with just under 2 to go. A short Thornton jumper from the right block cut the deficit to 1 and Ohio State took a 30 second timeout with 1:32 left in overtime with Maryland leading 70-69. Another foul call out of the timeout put Maryland right back on the line where they split the pair and Ohio State quickly the other way tied it when Thornton got to the rim and scored off the window. Maryland called a timeout with 44.3 remaining and 13 on the shot clock with the game tied at 71. Out of the timeout, Okpara was whistled for his fifth and final foul, sending Maryland to the line with 38 seconds to play. Maryland missed both and Royal pulled down the rebound. Battle missed a three attempt that rattled in and out from the right wing and with time expiring, a Maryland runner fell off the mark sending the game into a second overtime.
Maryland scored first in the second overtime with a short jumper and after a Thornton missed runner at the rim, Royal knocked the ball loose from a Terp and Battle scored at the rim off the bounce and Ohio State took a timeout with 3:31 to play in the 2nd OT and the game tied at 73. A foul sent Maryland back to the line where both missed and Battle grabbed the rebound. Key missed at the rim and the Terps took advantage, shifting back in front with a short jumper. An offensive rebound and put back by Key re-tied the score with just under 2 to play. After a Maryland miss, Thornton got to the rim and scored with a scoop left of the rim and Maryland took a timeout with 1:04 left in the 2nd overtime and the Buckeyes leading 77-75. A Thornton steal out of the timeout gave the Buckeyes the ball but a Battle jumper from the baseline late in the shot clock clanged off target giving Maryland the ball and with 15 seconds to play, the Terps took a timeout with the Buckeyes still leading 77-75. The Terps attempt at the rim was blocked by Key and a breakout led to a Gayle dunk with 2 seconds to play putting an exclamation point on the Buckeye win.
The big exhale coming from Columbus you heard at approximately 6:40 PM EST was from the Ohio State men’s basketball program and all the Buckeye fans at the Schottenstein Center. The streak is over and now it’s time to start a positive one. The Buckeyes defense clamped down when it needed to, especially Roddy Gayle’s on ball defense late, and seemed to push the tempo at every opportunity leading to several easy buckets. They could have easily packed it in when they fell down 10 with under 8 minutes to and 8 with less than 4 to play in the first half, but to their credit, they finished the first half with a flurry and took a lead into the locker room. They fell behind again by as many as 6 in the closing minutes, but did not quit and some huge defensive stops and efficient offense, along with a little luck thanks to Maryland missing some free throws, the Buckeyes were able to force overtime. Both extra sessions were incredibly competitive as neither team could pull away and when Thornton took it upon himself to create offense with his strength and sheer will, the Buckeyes went ahead for good with a little over a minute to play and they finally were able to finish the deal. This group continues to give incredible effort and despite some clear deficiencies in some areas, they fight every time they step on the floor and today they were rewarded with a win. That is a clear reflection of a belief in each other and belief in their coaching staff and it’s a credit to the type of kids they have in this program. They will enjoy this one and get back to work for a tough week of basketball next week but hopefully now that they figured out how to win a close ballgame, they can carry that confidence over into the next one.
Ohio State hits the road for a Tuesday night tipoff in Madison, WI taking on the Badgers at 9PM airing on Peacock
-Jason Harris