Ohio State built an 18-point halftime lead, nearly gave it all back, and still walked out of the Schottenstein Center with an 84-74 win over Marshall on Monday night, November 9, according to Eleven Warriors. The victory moved the Buckeyes to 2-1 on the young season and gave them a winning record for the first time this year.
The Buckeyes did it with balance. Five Ohio State players scored in double figures, Eleven Warriors reported: John Mobley Jr. led the way with 19 points, Jimmie Williams added 16, and Andrija Jelavic, Anthony Thompson and Amare Bynum scored 11, 11 and 10. Marshall’s Noah Otshudi led all scorers with 27 points, and Bryce Slay added 15 for the Thundering Herd, according to Eleven Warriors.
The game turned early. After a back-and-forth start, Ohio State ripped off a 13-0 run that grew to 17-2, a stretch that included the first 3-pointer of five-star freshman Anthony Thompson’s college career, Eleven Warriors reported. Williams scored 12 of his points before halftime, and the Buckeyes carried a 45-27 lead into the break, The Columbus Dispatch reported.
Marshall answered right after halftime. The Thundering Herd opened the second half on a 16-3 run, cutting the margin to 48-43 with 15:13 to play behind three mid-range jumpers from Otshudi, a Slay 3-pointer and a Vasilije Kuridza layup, Eleven Warriors reported. Marshall outscored Ohio State 47-39 in the second half, but the early hole proved too deep.
“I think I’m (getting) more comfortable game-by-game,” Williams told Eleven Warriors. “I’ve got great teammates in the game, just trying to fit well with everybody and just trying to do whatever I need to do to win.” Williams, a Duquesne transfer, posted his best scoring game as a Buckeye, and Thompson’s 11 points were also his best yet, Eleven Warriors reported.
A pair of Bynum baskets pushed the lead back to double digits, and Ohio State held a six- to 12-point cushion the rest of the way, Eleven Warriors reported. The Buckeyes made their living at the foul line, going 25-for-35 to Marshall’s 11-for-15, and they finished with 36 points in the paint, according to the Eleven Warriors box score.
What happens next is the Buckeyes’ stiffest test yet: Ohio State travels to Storrs, Connecticut, on Friday, November 13, at 7:30 p.m. to face UConn, which The Columbus Dispatch noted is ranked No. 4 in the country. Eleven Warriors reported the game will air on TNT, truTV and HBO Max.
Photo: JonRidinger, CC BY-SA