Playing without junior wing Devin Royal, day-to-day with a hip injury, Ohio State dug an early 12-point hole before closing the first half on an 18–3 run to take a lead they would never relinquish, downing the visiting Mountaineers 75–53 to move to 3–0 on the young season. Trailing 22–10 with 8:12 remaining in the first half, the Buckeyes closed the half on that 18–3 surge and opened the second half on a 21–7 run. By the under-12-minute media timeout, Ohio State had outscored Appalachian State 41–10 over a 16-minute stretch, taking full control and cruising to the finish.
After a rough start, shooting just 28.6% in the first half, Ohio State bounced back to shoot 54% in the second, finishing 40.7% for the game. The Buckeyes made just seven of 27 threes but knocked down 24 of 32 free throws. Appalachian State was held to 35.7% overall, 8 of 25 from long range, and converted just five of eight free throws. Brandon Noel led Ohio State with a double-double, scoring 17 points and grabbing 11 rebounds, while John Mobley added 16 points despite shooting 3 of 11 from the field. Nation’s leading scorer Bruce Thornton contributed 13 points in the win. For the Mountaineers, Kasen Jennings was the only player in double figures, scoring 12 in the losing effort.
1st Half
The Buckeyes started ice cold, missing seven of their first eight shots and all five attempts from beyond the arc, as the Mountaineers took a 5–2 lead into the first media timeout. Ohio State’s lone early bucket came on an interior feed from Christoph Tilly to Brandon Noel, who finished off the glass. The shooting struggles continued as Appalachian State extended its lead to 10–2 before a pair of Bruce Thornton free throws ended a four-minute scoring drought and an 8–0 Mountaineer run. After two App State free throws, the Buckeyes finally connected from the field for the first time since the 17:25 mark, when Amare Bynum grabbed his own miss in traffic and threw down an authoritative dunk.
By the under-12 media timeout, Ohio State had missed 14 of its first 16 shots, including all eight from deep, and trailed 12–6. Out of the timeout, the Mountaineers added to their lead before Thornton lobbed to Bynum, who established position inside and scored off the glass. App State quickly answered with a three, but the Buckeyes trimmed the deficit when Tilly rose just above the block for a short jumper. However, the Mountaineers responded with five straight points, capped by a straight-on three, forcing Jake Diebler to call a timeout with 8:12 left in the half as Ohio State found itself in a surprising 22–10 hole.
A transition layup by Noel cut into the deficit, and after App State split a pair of free throws, Noel buried a three from the right corner to give the Buckeyes some life. The Mountaineers answered with a bucket to push the lead back to 10, prompting a timeout with 5:25 remaining in the first half and App State leading 25–15. Two free throws each from Tilly and Gabe Cupps brought the deficit down to six, and at the under-four media timeout, Ohio State trailed 25–19.
A pull-up 15-footer and four free throws by John Mobley brought the Buckeyes even at the 1:15 mark. Two more Mobley free throws moments later gave Ohio State its first lead of the game with just under 40 seconds left in the half. Then, just before the horn, Bruce Thornton buried a three from the left corner to cap a dominant closing stretch. The Buckeyes outscored Appalachian State 18–3 over the final 8:13 and held the Mountaineers scoreless for the last 5:29 to take a 30–25 lead into the locker room.
While the offense struggled mightily in the first 20 minutes—shooting just 26.8% from the field and 2-of-16 from three—the defense kept Ohio State in it, holding Appalachian State to 33.3% shooting and 4-of-15 from beyond the arc. The Buckeyes’ comeback was sparked by defensive intensity and efficient free-throw shooting, as they converted 12 of 13 attempts at the stripe and held a 22–16 edge on the glass. John Mobley led Ohio State with eight points, six coming from the line, while Brandon Noel added seven points and five rebounds. Kasen Jennings paced the Mountaineers with seven.
2nd Half
Christoph Tilly opened the second half by completing an old-fashioned three-point play, extending the Buckeyes’ run to 18–0 and pushing the lead to eight. An Appalachian State dunk finally ended the drought, and a floater trimmed the margin to four before John Mobley answered with a three to halt the mini Mountaineer surge. Tilly added a pair of free throws, and Bruce Thornton converted a runner through contact, giving Ohio State a 40–29 lead at the 16-minute media timeout. Thornton completed the three-point play with a made free throw, and after an App State triple, Gabe Cupps answered with one of his own in front of the Ohio State bench. The Buckeyes kept building as John Mobley buried a three from straight on, and following a defensive stop, Ivan Njegovan knocked down a short jumper to stretch the lead to 17. Moments later, Thornton found Amare Bynum in transition for a dunk, forcing Appalachian State to call a timeout with 12:15 left in the second half and Ohio State leading 51–32. A pair of Bruce Thornton free throws, followed by an offensive rebound and putback from Brandon Noel, pushed the lead to 23. John Mobley added two more from the line before Appalachian State finally stopped the surge with a three. The Mountaineers called a timeout at the 8:16 mark, with Ohio State firmly in control, leading 57–36. Taison Chatman fed Brandon Noel for a layup to extend the lead, and after a Mountaineer basket, Chatman found Noel again on a give-and-go for a dunk. Four straight App State points were answered by another Noel dunk off a driving Christoph Tilly feed, and following a defensive stop, Chatman buried a corner three to push the Buckeyes’ lead to 25. Chatman and Noel connected once more, with Chatman lobbing to Noel for another emphatic dunk. After App State hit a three, the final media timeout of the half was called, with Ohio State comfortably in front, 68–44. A Bruce Thornton three-pointer was answered immediately by a Mountaineer triple, but Ohio State continued to pull away with two free throws from Amare Bynum and a pair from Ivan Njegovan, extending the lead to 28. Appalachian State scored the final six points, but the Buckeyes cruised to the win.
Game Wrap
It’s almost hard to believe that Ohio State once trailed by 12 points midway through the first half. Despite an off shooting night early, the Buckeyes delivered one of their most complete defensive efforts of the season, showing toughness and togetherness to keep the game within reach until the offense found its footing. Facing the most deliberate defensive team they’ve seen so far, Ohio State had to grind early to establish rhythm, but once they did, momentum swung sharply. From there, the Buckeyes took control and cruised to a relatively comfortable victory.
Hitting on all cylinders for the final 28 minutes, the final score didn’t reflect the struggles of the opening eight minutes. Even with a slow offensive start, Ohio State excelled in ball security and rebounding—two areas of emphasis coming in—turning the ball over only four times while outrebounding the Mountaineers 39–31. The Buckeyes continued to share the basketball at an elite level, assisting on 15 of 22 made field goals, demonstrating how connected this team is despite much of the roster playing together for the first time. They also showed a high level of poise in heavy traffic against a defensively disciplined opponent.
While even more talented teams will challenge this group in the future, showing the ability to make adjustments and seize control mid-game bodes well for similar contests down the road. The absence of Devin Royal contributed to the early struggles, but the contributions of others—including Colin White, who started in his place, the offensive spark of freshman Amare Bynum, who finished with eight points, and the energy of Gabe Cupps on both ends off the bench—helped the Buckeyes turn the tide in what was a total team effort.
The competition ramps up next as former Penn State coach Micah Shrewsberry brings his Notre Dame team to town on Sunday for Jerry Lucas Day, where the GOAT of Ohio State basketball will have a statue unveiled Friday evening and honored on the floor on Sunday. Until then, Happy Veterans Day, and a heartfelt thank you to all who have served. Go Bucks. Go USA.
The Buckeyes will be back on the hardwood on Sunday afternoon, hosting Notre Dame for a scheduled 12:30 PM tip, airing on FS1.
-Jason Harris