Ohio State appeared to be in control early, using a 16-2 run before the second media timeout of the first half to create separation and eventually take an 18-point advantage into the locker room. However, the Thundering Herd came out of halftime with a completely different level of energy, knocking down seven of their first eight shots and out-scoring the Buckeyes 16-3 over the opening five minutes to cut the deficit to seven. Ohio State responded with a 10-2 run of its own to restore a comfortable double-digit advantage, but Marshall refused to go away, getting as close as six before the Buckeyes finally put things away to secure an 84-74 victory. The win moves Ohio State to 2-1 on the young season, while Marshall falls to 1-2.

The Buckeyes shot 44.1% from the floor, including just 7 of 25 from beyond the arc, while converting 25 of 35 attempts at the free-throw line. Marshall finished at 47.5% shooting after a much-improved second half but struggled from long range, connecting on just 5 of 22 three-point attempts and 11 of 15 free throws. The teams finished even on the glass with 34 rebounds apiece, while Ohio State forced 15 turnovers and committed 12, including eight after halftime. The Buckeyes received a significant contribution from their bench, scoring 24 bench points, and assisted on 13 of their 26 made field goals, however recorded just 4 dimes after halftime. Ohio State also held a 15-5 advantage in fast-break points, using its transition offense to help maintain control despite Marshall’s second-half push.

John Mobley Jr. led Ohio State with 19 points and four assists, while Jimmie Williams provided a spark off the bench with 16 points on 6-of-10 shooting and five rebounds. Andrija Jelavic added 11 points, while Anthony Thompson recorded an early career-high 11 points to go along with six rebounds. Amare Bynum chipped in 10 points and six rebounds in the victory.

Marshall was led by Noah Otshudi, who finished with a game-high 27 points on an impressive 12-of-18 shooting. Bryce Slay added 15 points in the losing effort.

1^st Half

Ohio State and Marshall traded baskets early, with Andrija Jelavic and Amare Bynum providing the offense for the Buckeyes before John Mobley Jr. connected from three-point range. Marshall answered each time, keeping things close as Ohio State held a narrow 10-8 lead at the under-16 media timeout.

Out of the timeout, Marshall briefly cut the deficit to one by splitting a pair of free throws, but Ohio State responded with an explosive stretch, scoring eight straight in just 54 seconds. Jimmie Williams sparked the run with a transition three before unselfish play in transition led to Williams lobbing to Bynum for a highlight-reel dunk. Mobley added three free throws, and the Buckeyes continued to build their advantage with baskets from Williams and free throws from Curtis Givens and Ivan Njegovan. After Marshall briefly stopped the bleeding with a jumper, Anthony Thompson knocked down a three from the left wing, capping a dominant 15-2 stretch that gave Ohio State a 25-11 lead at the under-12 media timeout.

Justin Pippen went to the stripe out of the break and split a pair of free throws to extend Ohio State’s advantage, but Marshall responded with a 5-0 run to trim the deficit to 10. After Thompson added two at the line, the Thundering Herd answered with a lob dunk to keep the game within reach, as the Buckeyes carried a 28-18 lead into the under-8 media timeout.

Thompson extended the Buckeyes’ lead with a three before Marshall answered with a transition basket. Ohio State then put together a six-point run, highlighted by Bynum’s offensive rebound and kick to Jelavic for a short jumper, followed by a 12-foot paint jumper and two free throws from Williams. Marshall managed the final three points before the under-four media timeout, but Ohio State remained firmly in control with a 37-23 advantage.

After Marshall briefly trimmed the deficit to 12, Thompson scored in transition and drew a foul, although he couldn’t convert the free throw. Marshall answered with a basket on the other end, but Jimmy Williams responded with an aggressive baseline drive, finishing through contact and completing the three-point play. Mobley followed with a step-back three off a crossover to push the Buckeyes’ advantage to 45-27. Ohio State then called timeout with 31 seconds remaining to set up its final possession of the half. The Buckeyes had a pair of opportunities prior to the final horn clang off target so the team’s adjourned to their respective locker rooms with Ohio State maintaining an 18-point advantage.

Ohio State shot 43.8% from the floor in the opening half, recording nine assists on 14 made field goals while connecting on 5 of 15 from three-point range and 12 of 18 at the free-throw line. Defensively, the Buckeyes limited Marshall to 41.4% shooting and just 1 of 8 from beyond the arc. Ohio State also held a 21-16 rebounding advantage and forced nine turnovers while committing just four of its own. The Buckeyes controlled the action throughout, holding the lead for all but 1:03 of the first half.

Jimmie Williams paced the Buckeyes with 12 first-half points on 4-of-7 shooting, including a perfect 3-of-3 at the free-throw line. Anthony Thompson added 10 points and four rebounds, while John Mobley Jr. chipped in nine points, knocking down a pair of threes and converting all three of his free throws. Marshall was led by Noah Otshudi who poured in 15 points on 7-of-12 shooting.

2^nd Half

Marshall opened the second half with a quick basket, but Mobley answered by driving into the lane and finding Jelavic for a finish and the ensuing free throw, completing the three-point play to push Ohio State’s lead to 19. However, the Thundering Herd responded with a 7-0 run to quickly cut the deficit to 12, prompting Jake Diebler to call a timeout less than two minutes into the half with the Buckeyes leading 48-36.

Marshall continued its surge coming out of the timeout, scoring seven more unanswered points to extend its run to 14-0 and cut further into the Buckeyes’ advantage. Two costly Ohio State turnovers helped fuel the rally, as the Buckeyes suddenly looked rattled and completely out of sync. With momentum firmly shifting to the Thundering Herd, Jake Diebler was forced to burn another timeout just five minutes into the second half to regroup his team and stop the bleeding.

Ohio State finally settled down after the timeout, with Bynum getting things going with a jump hook in the lane before Mobley found him on a lob for another basket and a foul. Bynum converted the free throw to complete the three-point play, and Williams added a short jumper in the paint to cap a 7-0 run and restore a 12-point Buckeye advantage. Marshall answered with a pair of free throws, but Mobley responded with a deep three to push the lead to 13. The Thundering Herd answered with four straight points to cut into the lead before Josh Ojianwuna drew a foul and converted both free throws to stop the run. Thompson then came up with a defensive play, forcing a turnover on the other end just before the under-12 media timeout, with Ohio State maintaining a 60-49 advantage.

Marshall continued to chip away at the Buckeyes’ advantage, but Mobley answered with a leaner in the paint before coming off a screen on the next possession, attacking the basket and converting a three-point play to push the lead to 12. The Thundering Herd responded with five straight points to close the gap, but Pippen countered with an aggressive drive to the rim, finishing through contact and converting the free throw to restore a 10-point advantage. Marshall continued to battle, adding another basket and drawing a foul just before the under-8 media timeout, with Ohio State holding a 68-60 lead.

Marshall came out of the timeout with a pair of free throws to pull within six, but Pippen answered by penetrating the lane and kicking out to Givens in the left corner, where he buried a three to halt the rally. The timely basket forced Marshall to call a timeout with just over five minutes remaining and Ohio State holding a 71-62 advantage.

Ohio State continued to build its advantage as Pippen secured a rebound in traffic and pushed the ball ahead to a streaking Williams for a transition dunk. Pippen then split a pair of free throws to extend the lead to 12 before Marshall answered with a corner three. Mobley responded, attacking off the dribble and finishing emphatically at the rim to keep the Buckeyes in control. Marshall drew a foul on the other end, sending the teams into the final media timeout with Ohio State holding a 76-65 lead.

Marshall continued to hang around, splitting a pair of free throws before capitalizing on an Ohio State turnover with a basket to trim the deficit to eight. Ojianwuna answered by splitting two at the line, but the Thundering Herd responded with a pair of free throws of their own and called a quick 30-second timeout with two minutes remaining and the Buckeyes clinging to a 77-70 lead.

Ohio State responded by scoring the next four points to regain control. Pippen attacked the lane and finished with a short bank shot before Jelavic added a pair of free throws to push the Buckeyes’ advantage back to 11. Marshall answered with a basket on the other end and called a timeout with 35.7 seconds remaining, trailing 81-72.

Ohio State added three more points at the free-throw line, with Pippen converting both of his attempts before Thompson split a pair. Marshall added a final basket with six seconds remaining, but it wasn’t enough to change the outcome as the Buckeyes closed out an 84-74 victory over the Thundering Herd.

Game Wrap

It’s still early in the season, and there is no reason to worry just yet, but Ohio State’s latest performance certainly raised some concerns. While the Buckeyes will gladly take an 84-74 victory, the way they got there was far from convincing. Ohio State looked solid in the first half, playing with energy, moving the ball and building a lead that reached 18 points. However, the second half was a different story as Marshall came out aggressively and exposed some of the Buckeyes’ ongoing weaknesses.

Defensively, Ohio State continues to struggle with consistency with their rotations and closeouts, allowing Marshall to shoot 53% after halftime while taking advantage of open perimeter looks, driving lanes and breakdowns in communication. Offensively, the Buckeyes became careless with the basketball, committing eight second-half turnovers, settling for difficult shots and struggling to maintain any rhythm. They were also outrebounded 18-13 after the break, allowing Marshall to gain momentum and make things uncomfortable down the stretch.

Perhaps the biggest concern is that this marks the second consecutive game in which Ohio State built a comfortable lead against an opponent it was expected to handle, only to let that team back into the contest. The Buckeyes have demonstrated their athleticism, talent and offensive potential, but putting everything together for 40 minutes remains a work in progress. That said, this is a relatively new group with considerable roster turnover, and some growing pains should be expected as players adjust to new roles and develop chemistry. There were certainly encouraging stretches, particularly in the first half, that showed why there is optimism surrounding this team including the first breakout performance by highly touted freshman Anthony Thompson.

Ultimately, a win is a win, and Ohio State made enough plays late to avoid a disappointing result. However, the final score shouldn’t overshadow the need for improvement in defensive communication, perimeter defense, ball security and offensive execution. There is plenty of work ahead, and the Buckeyes will need to clean up those issues quickly as the competition gets tougher. The timing couldn’t be more important, either, as Ohio State now faces a significant early-season measuring stick with a trip to Storrs on Friday to take on fourth-ranked UConn. The level of competition is about to increase considerably, and the Huskies will be much more capable of making the Buckeyes pay for the same mistakes that Marshall exploited. Turnovers, defensive breakdowns and stretches of stagnant offense are difficult enough to overcome against a mid-major opponent, but they can quickly turn into extended runs against an experienced, nationally ranked team. Ohio State will need to be considerably sharper, more physical and more connected on both ends of the floor to have a legitimate chance.

There is still plenty of reason to be optimistic about what this team can become as their offense still isn’t totally clicking but yet they still continue to score the ball at a high clip, but potential only goes so far. At some point, the Buckeyes have to start translating that potential into consistent execution. The talent is there, the pieces are there, and the opportunity to make an early statement is right in front of them. Now it’s about putting together a complete 40-minute performance. The schedule has been tough early, having already played in a tough road venue in what was essentially a home game for BYU and the test gets even more difficult on Friday for a game that will provide a much better indication of just how far this young group has come in the first couple weeks and how much work remains.

Box Score

* Official statistics provided courtesy of Sidearm Sports.

Ohio State will be back in action on Friday evening in Storrs, CT, visiting 4^th ranked UConn. Tip time is scheduled for 7:30 PM with TV coverage provided by TNT/truTV/HBO Max.

-Jason Harris