After an underwhelming performance in its lone exhibition of the season, Ohio State was much more impressive in its season-opener Sunday. A 17-0 run in the first half sparked the Buckeyes, as they routed visiting Mount St. Mary's at the Schottenstein Center, 76-54.
| 1 | 2 | F | |
|---|---|---|---|
| MOUNT ST. MARY'S | 21 | 33 | 54 |
| OHIO STATE | 42 | 34 | 76 |
Ohio State had five guys finish in double-figures as sophomore Jae'Sean Tate led the way with 21 points and nine rebounds. Marc Loving and Keita Bates-Diop each had double-doubles as Loving finished with 15 points and 11 boards while Bates-Diop scored 10 to go with 10 rebounds. JaQuan Lyle had 12 and Daniel Giddens had 11 for the unranked Buckeyes.
| OHIO STATE | STAT | MOUNT ST. MARY's |
|---|---|---|
| 76 | POINTS | 54 |
| 28-56 (50) | FGM-FGA (PCT.) | 21-63 (33) |
| 6-15 (40) | 3PM-3PA (PCT.) | 7-25 (28) |
| 14-17 (82) | FTM-FTA (PCT.) | 5-7 (71) |
| 18 | TURNOVERS | 8 |
| 50 | TOTAL REBOUNDS | 22 |
| 13 | OFFENSIVE REBOUNDS | 6 |
| 37 | DEFENSIVE REBOUNDS | 16 |
| 14 | BENCH POINTS | 14 |
| 4 | BLOCKS | 0 |
| 3 | STEALS | 3 |
| 10 | ASSISTS | 7 |
Ohio State shot 50 percent from the field and was 6-for-15 from behind the 3-point line. The Buckeyes held a decisive edge in the paint, outscoring the Mountaineers by 18. Ohio State did, however, commit 18 turnovers in the game.
The win was No. 300 at Ohio State for head coach Thad Matta.
Tate scored 11 of the Buckeyes’ 17 points in their 17-0 first-half run. The sophomore forward finished the opening 20 minutes of play with 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting including 2 for 2 from 3-point range. Lyle had 11 points four rebounds and three assists in the first half and Loving had seven points and seven rebounds.
Ohio State held a 28-8 advantage in points in the paint in the first half as the Buckeyes dominated inside. Ohio State also outrebounded the Mountaineers in the opening 20 minutes of play, 29-8, and shot 56 percent from the field in the first half.
The Buckeyes will next be in action Tuesday as they host Grambling State 7 p.m. at the Schottenstein Center.
