Ron Harper Jr.’s back-to-back 3-pointers put the Rutters ahead by 16.
With 15:38 left and scratching in the wrong direction in Wednesday’s game at Scottstein Center, the Ohio State Conference felt the risk of losing another Big Ten game in a row to start the game. Then came three-pointers in two minutes from Duane and Washington Washington Jr., a pair of buckets from Seth Towns and EJ Liddell getting almost everything he wanted low.
|
Team |
. |
2 |
The final |
|---|---|---|---|
|
# 11 Routers |
38 |
30 |
68 |
| # 23 State of Ohio | 28 | 52 | 80 |
By the time the eight-minute target was reached, Ohio State had reduced the deficit to four points, with the Washington Floater 4: 54 remaining and tied at 611 points. Dealing with the frontcourt that was moved due to injury and mishap, Rutgers had few answers for the inside bookies who won by -0-6868.
Ohio State ended the game 25-6 to go 7-1 in the season and 1-1 in the Big Ten game. The Rutgers went down 5-1 after losing their first game this year.
The key to victory was a career-high 21 points from Lidley hitting eight-of-14 shots from the floor. He also grabbed six boards. With him and Kyle Young – career-high 17 points and 12 rebounds – from the inside, Ohio State mitigated a good portion of his losses. W Washington Washington’s three second-half 3, however, stretched down to pay dividends. The junior guard managed a career-high 22 points, hitting four 3s and going 6-for-7 from the foul line.
Ohio State outscored Rutgers 52-30 in the second half.
Harper, who finished second in the Big Ten with 24 points per game, led the Scarlet Knights with 20 points. His team shot 41 percent off the field, compared to 47 percent in Ohio State.
Shortly after the tip-off, Buckeyes took a 5-0 lead from Washington with a lapup through triple and Young’s contact. However, it was Ohio State’s biggest lead in the opening half.
With just over four minutes left in the game, Scarlett Knights pulled forward. And with a 10-minute mark, they took a double-digit lead. Liddell and Young’s frontcourt kept Ohio State at an attractive distance with a combined 16 points from their team’s 28 points, but the inequality behind the arc was too much for the home team. Ron Harper Jr. and Geo Baker each paired the first half 3-pointers, with the Rutgers joining to go 7-of-13 from the outside in the opening 20 minutes. The Buckeyes, meanwhile, went only 1-for-10 in 3 first-half attempts.
They went back in 38-28 and had a 3-point inequality in all other respects.
Next: Ohio State heads west on December 26 to make a one-way trip. The game will begin at 2 p.m. on Fox Sports 1.
Other notes
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Chris Holtman made his typical start with five: CJ VJ Karr, Duane v Washington Washington Jr., Justice Swing, EJ Liddell and Kyle Young.
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Ibrahima Dialo (excitement) and Michi Johnson (mid-year entry) did not play for the bookies. Diallo’s return date is uncertain, but he went through some biased warfare attempts. Johnson is expected to make his debut at some point in January after arriving on campus a few weeks ago.
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Ohio State plans to celebrate the holidays together, Holtman said Tuesday. The Buccaneers have a game the day after Christmas, but the players can’t go to their families ‘homes for the holidays, Holtman’s wife and the players’ mother have put something for them.
