In their final non-conference test of the regular season, Ohio State slugged their way through a game that featured 51 combined fouls and 73 free throws, to pull away and down the visiting Indiana State Sycamores 103-83.  The Buckeyes used a 21-7 run sandwiched around halftime to create separation and eventually pulled away to cruise to the finish to win their third straight and finish the calendar year 9-4. The Sycamores had their 5 game winning streak stopped, falling to 8-5. The Buckeyes, who shot 55.7% for the game and 7 of 21 from three, forced 19 Indiana State turnovers and converted those into 19 points, taking the lead for good in the late minutes of the first half and pulled away to coast to the finish. Bruce Thornton scored a career high 33 for back to back 30 point games for the Buckeye junior to lead all scorers. Ques Glover added 15 points and 5 assists, while Aaron Bradshaw and Devin Royal chipped in 13 each. John Mobley, Jr also scored 11 in the winning effort. Indiana State was led by 25 from Jaden Daughtry, 19 from Samage Teel, 13 from Camp Wagner and 10 from K’mani Doughty in the loss. 

Indiana State jumped out to an early 5-1 lead with Ohio State’s loan point coming on a Sean Stewart free throw. The Buckeyes scored the next four when Bruce Thornton hit a three from straight on top and Evan Mahaffey split a pair of free throws. The Sycamores answered with three freebies to shift back ahead and after John Mobley, Jr. hit a runner along the right baseline, the first media timeout was called with Indiana State holding an 8-7 lead. Aaron Bradshaw split a pair of free throws to tie the game before a Sycamore bucket put Indiana State back in front. The Buckeyes re-tied the game when Devin Royal grabbed an offensive rebound and scored and after the Sycamores went back ahead with another two, Thornton went to the rim off the bounce and scored while being fouled and hit the ensuing freebie to complete the three point play, putting Ohio State in front. After ISU split a pair of freebies deadlocking the game again, Royal bagged a pair of free throws. Indiana State tied the game with a deuce on their end, but a Ques Glover three from the left point put the Buckeyes back on top. A Stewart bucket in the paint and a Mobley scoop and score led into the under 12 media timeout with the Buckeyes on a 7-0 run and leading 22-15. Out of the timeout, Thornton knifed through the defense and scored off the glass to extend the lead, but Indiana State stopped the 9-0 run with a three from the left wing. The Buckeyes got out in transition after a steal and Glover hit a pull up jumper just below the stripe, but a Sycamore three answered and cut the lead back to 5. Glover hit a pull up 12 footer from the left wing, but another Sycamore three went down and at the under 8, Ohio State led Indiana State 28-24. Out of the timeout, Bradshaw drilled a pair of free throws, but a three on the other end kept the Sycamores close. Mobley banged down a jab step three, but ISU answered with another three on their end. Glover got into the paint and scored, but another triple on the other end and a free throw completed a four point play and cut the lead to just 1. The Buckeyes upped the lead to 4 when Bradshaw completed an old-fashioned three point play and after a Sycamore turnover, Thornton isolated his defender on the left wing and hit a short fade. ISU grabbed an offensive rebound and scored, and after Glover split a pair of free throws, Ohio State led by 5. The lead extended when Mobley lobbed to Bradshaw for a flush, but another Sycamore triple answered and at the under 4 media timeout, Ohio State led 43-39. Out of the timeout, ISU went to the stripe and knocked down the pair, but a Thornton right corner three answered. 5 straight Sycamore points re-tied the score with just over a minute and half to play in the first half, but a pair of Royal free throws broke the tie and put Ohio State back ahead. After Indiana State split a pair of free throws, Thornton buried a three from the right wing and on the next possession, Thornton split a pair of free throws to end the first half scoring as the Buckeyes ended the half on a 6-1 run to take a 52-47 lead into the locker room. The Sycamores kept it a ballgame in the first half due to their hot three point shooting, drilling 9 of 20 from long range for 45% and shot 53.6% overall. The Buckeyes hit 51.5% and 5 of 14 from long range. The Buckeyes failed to take advantage of the foul prone Sycamores, hitting just 13 of 20 from the line, while forcing Indiana State into 10 first half turnovers. Bruce Thornton led all scorers with 17 first half points, while Ques Glover added 10 to go along with 5 assists. Indiana State was led by Jaden Daughtry’s 12  and Samage Teel added 11. 

Ohio State opened the second half on a 7-1 run, 6 from Stewart, a run that totaled 13-2 dating back to the closing minutes of the first half, forcing Indiana State to take a timeout less than three minutes in with the Buckeyes lead up to 59-49. Indiana State came out of the timeout scoring at the rim, but facing a zone defense, Royal drew a foul and buried both free throws. After a Sycamore miss, Royal grabbed an offensive rebound and flushed it through to extend the lead to 12. After ISU made 2 free throws, Royal scored off the glass and at the under 16 media timeout, Ohio State led 65-53. After ISU split a pair of free throws, Thornton completed an old-fashioned three point play. ISU completed a three point play of their own on the other end, but Glover got to the middle of the paint and hit a short jumper. Mahaffey drove the lane and scored off the window, but a lay-in on the other end answered for the Sycamores. Two free throws by Colin White and two for the Sycamores was followed by a Mobley runner as Ohio State led by 15 with just under 13 to play. Three Sycamore free throws kept ISU at arm’s length, but Bradshaw answered with a triple. A powerful ISU dunk off a hard dribble drive led to the under 12 media timeout with Ohio State leading 79-66. The Buckeyes extended the lead when White blocked a three point attempt on one end and Mobley lobbed to Bradshaw for a dunk on the other end. ISU got into the paint and dunked on their end, but a Thortnon runner answered. Five straight Sycamore points cut the lead to 10 before Mobley drained a pair of free throws and at the under 8, Ohio State led 85-73. Out of the timeout, Glover went to the stripe and buried one of two. After ISU split a pair of free throws, Thornton hit four free throws which included a pair due to an ISU technical foul and the Buckeyes led by 16 with 6 to play. A runner by Thornton added to the lead and after ISU split 2 free throws, Thornton hit another runner off the window and Indiana State took a timeout that turned into the final media timeout at the 4:27 mark with the Buckeyes leading 94-75. After four free throws by Indiana State on two trips, Glover scored in transition with a lay-in and Thornton bagged a three on the next possession triggering Jake Diebler to empty his bench. After a pair of Sycamore free throws, Ivan Njegovan backed in and scored off the window. After Braylen Nash knocked down a pair of free throws, ISU hit a jumper to finish the scoring in the Ohio State win. 

It was a good opponent for Ohio State coming out of the Christmas holiday and preparing for Big Ten play. Indiana State provided a good challenge and early the Sycamore three point shooting kept the game close, but to the Buckeyes credit, they adjusted in the second half and did a much better job closing out on the perimeter, holding Indiana State to just 1 of 8 in the second 20 minutes after hitting 9 of 20 in the opening half. Despite being out rebounded in the game 36-30, Ohio State was extremely efficient on the offensive end, assisting on 15 of 34 made buckets. The free throw shooting again continues to struggle a bit, knocking down just 28 of 41 for 68.3%, but all in all a solid win to finish a challenging non conference schedule. They continue to get contributions from several guys and now that they are inching back to full strength, the depth is showing again. Today they were without Micah Parrish who should be back for the next one and continue to be without Meechie Johnson, but the additions of Ques Glover and Aaron Bradshaw back on the floor make a huge difference to what this team can be. It was another solid performance by Sean Stewart, who finished with 9 points and 8 rebounds and continues to affect the game on both ends especially on the glass and the continuing steady influence of a veteran point guard in Bruce Thornton who can not only get his, but creates double teams which opens up things for his teammates is paramount for success in the conference season and beyond. This team has a high ceiling and still haven’t played their best basketball but they are in a good spot as the always difficult month of January awaits. 

Ohio State takes the floor again on Friday night hosting 18th ranked Michigan State in the Schott. Tip time is scheduled for 8PM airing on Fox. 

-Jason Harris

Photo Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images