All it took was seven minutes.
Seven minutes for Kent State to turn what could have been a blowout victory for Ohio State into a tie game. After trailing 40-26 with 17:16 remaining, the Golden Flashes went on a 25-8 run to even the score at 48 points apiece with 10:30 left in Monday night's game at St. John Arena.
| TEAM | 1 | 2 | F |
|---|---|---|---|
| #10 OHIO STATE | 35 | 36 | 71 |
| KENT STATE | 23 | 29 | 52 |
Luther Muhammad responded by hitting five free throws in a row, sparking a 17-0 run complete with a ridiculous alley-oop from Duane Washington Jr. to DJ Carton that ignited the crowd. By the time the Golden Flashes scored next, the 10th-ranked Buckeyes had the game under control, finishing it with a 71-52 win.
With the victory, Ohio State improved its record to 6-0. Kent State fell to 5-1.
Four Buckeyes players scored in double figures. Kaleb Wesson led the team with 17 points, hitting 5-of-9 shots and grabbing six rebounds. Washington tied his season-high by scoring 16 points, adding seven rebounds and three assists.
Ohio State hit 43.8 percent of its shots and drilled 7-of-19 3-pointers. It also continued its trend of holding every team it has played with a shooting percentage below 40. The Golden Flashes made 36.9 percent of their shots and went 6-for-25 from beyond the arc.
| OHIO STATE | STAT | KENT STATE |
|---|---|---|
| 71 | POINTS | 52 |
| 21-48 (43.8%) | FGM-FGA (PCT.) | 21-57 (36.8%) |
| 7-19 (36.8%) | 3PM-3PA (PCT.) | 6-25 (24.0%) |
| 22-30 (73.3%) | FTM-FTA (PCT.) | 4-7 (57.1%) |
| 15 | TURNOVERS | 13 |
| 41 | TOTAL REBOUNDS | 27 |
| 11 | OFFENSIVE REBOUNDS | 7 |
| 30 | DEFENSIVE REBOUNDS | 20 |
| 21 | BENCH POINTS | 6 |
| 1 | BLOCKS | 2 |
| 4 | STEALS | 5 |
| 11 | ASSISTS | 8 |
Both teams were involved in a scuffle with 5:38 remaining in the game. Emotions bubbled over, leading to Chris Holtmann running on the court to help break the teams up. Ohio State's Andre Wesson and Kent State's Anthony Roberts were assessed double technicals as a result of the fracas.
Ohio State's early lead that eventually got cut came when the team put together two 7-0 runs late in the first half as part of a 16-4 run over six minutes. During that span, the Buckeyes went from leading 17-15 to holding a 33-19 advantage with two minutes remaining in the first half.
Next up: Ohio State remains at home to take on Morgan State on Friday. The game will tip off at 9 p.m. at the Schottenstein Center and will be shown on Big Ten Network.
Other Notes
- Once again, Chris Holtmann used the same starting lineup he has employed since the second game of the regular season: CJ Walker, Luther Muhammad, Duane Washington Jr., Kyle Young, Kaleb Wesson.
- Former boxer and Columbus native Buster Douglas was in attendance for the game, sitting behind the home team's bench.
- Satch Sullinger, the father of former Buckeyes J.J. and Jared Sullinger, sat behind Kent State's bench. Satch's son and Jared's brother, Julian, is an assistant coach for the Golden Flashes.
- Former Ohio State point guard C.J. Jackson took in Monday's game from St. John Arena.
- Unlike last year, the program did not promote the game with retro graphics and play old-school tunes over the speakers during warmups. The Buckeyes did, however, wear their gray alternate jerseys.
