Whatever mix of potions and emotions Jake Diebler has been giving his team at halftime the past week, the Buckeyes have played their second halves with unreal devotion.
After overcoming a 13-point halftime deficit at No. 11 Purdue to hand the Boilermakers their first home loss in 696 days on Tuesday, an 11-1 run early in the second half saw Ohio State take control of an otherwise tight game against Iowa on Monday.
The Buckeyes (12-8, 4-5 Big Ten) defeated the Hawkeyes (13-8, 4-6) 82-65 in Value City Arena, giving Ohio State back-to-back wins in conference play for the first time in the 2024-25 season.
| TEAM | 1 | 2 | FINAL |
|---|---|---|---|
| IOWA | 26 | 39 | 65 |
| OHIO STATE | 30 | 52 | 82 |
Ohio State's defense might be the top storyline of the contest. Iowa entered with the nation's No. 4 scoring offense, averaging 86.6 points per game, but were held to a season-low 65 points by the Buckeyes on just 39.3% shooting.
Four Ohio State players reached double figures in a collaborative offensive effort. Micah Parrish led the way with 18 points, Bruce Thornton followed with 15 and John Mobley Jr. and Devin Royal each grabbed 12. Mobley collected eight assists, a career high by three.
Guard Drew Thelwell led the way in defeat for Iowa with 20 points.
First Half
Some of Ohio State's best offense this season has come when Thornton plays an aggressive brand of basketball, and he came out with some controlled aggression against Iowa.
The junior point guard and three-time captain nailed a contested triple and converted a circus layup through a foul to spur the Buckeyes forward in the early going. The Hawkeyes had a counter in Freeman, however, who scored nine points in the first eight and a half minutes to provide Iowa a 14-12 lead.
Neither team scored for the next two minutes after that, a microcosm of a first 11 minutes that were a bit of a slog before some fireworks started. Aaron Bradshaw threw down a two-handed slam which Mobley and Parrish followed with jumpers as Ohio State grabbed a 21-16 advantage.
Iowa guard Seydou Traore answered with a midrange jumper but Ohio State went on a 7-0 run next, getting another couple buckets from Mobley and Parrish before Royal splashed a 3-pointer. Two triples by Thelwell cut into the Buckeyes' lead before halftime, but a blocked shot then a tip-in from Ivan Njegovan held a four-point lead for OSU entering the locker room.
Second Half
| IOWA | STAT | OHIO STATE |
|---|---|---|
| 65 | POINTS | 82 |
| 24-61 (39.3%) | FGM-FGA (PCT.) | 30-62 (48.4%) |
| 7-25 (28%) | 3PM-3PA (PCT.) | 8-27 (29.6%) |
| 10-17 (58.8%) | FTM-FTA (PCT.) | 14-19 (73.7%) |
| 7 | TURNOVERS | 11 |
| 31 | TOTAL REBOUNDS | 43 |
| 7 | OFFENSIVE REBOUNDS | 11 |
| 24 | DEFENSIVE REBOUNDS | 32 |
| 18 | BENCH POINTS | 19 |
| 2 | BLOCKS | 4 |
| 6 | STEALS | 4 |
| 13 | ASSISTS | 15 |
Ohio State's 11-1 bolt to take a 41-29 lead early in the second half was part of a larger 18-4 shelling that grounded a Hawkeye squad attempting to hover in the game.
Royal collected seven of those 18 points, keeping up a wonderful day finishing around the rim. Thornton knocked down a 3-pointer before forward Sean Stewart snagged a steal and took it all the way home for a two-handed slam to punctuate the run.
A few scores later, an Evan Mahaffey and-one pushed the lead to 20 and a Mobley 3 from somewhere in Ross County kept it there as Iowa tried to battle back. More smothering defense was equally responsible for the Buckeyes' jaunt to all but seal the game, as Iowa scored just six points in the opening eight minutes of the second half.
Stewart Steal 'n SLAM @Sean13Stewart x @OhioStateHoops pic.twitter.com/BTMMmBZ4LI
— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) January 28, 2025
The Hawkeyes never cut the lead back below 16 points. Parrish canned another three from the left corner and two Mobley free-throws pushed the lead to 20 once more with 5:39 to play and Ohio State was coasting its way to victory. Mobley and Bradshaw still found time to connect for a disgusting alley-oop, however, on the Buckeyes’ way to a decisive win.
What's Next
Ohio State travels to State College, Pennsylvania for the first of back-to-back road games, taking on Penn State in the Bryce-Jordan Center. Tipoff is at 6:30 p.m. Thursday on FS1.
Game Notes
- Ohio State and Iowa participated in "Coaches vs. Cancer" week in college basketball, with Buckeye players wearing quarter-zips in support of the James Cancer Hospital at Ohio State and coaches wearing shoes designed by children with cancer at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.
- Starting shooting guard Meechie Johnson Jr. missed his 10th consecutive game while out addressing a personal matter. Freshman small forward Colin White is out with a lower-body injury.
- The 2024 national champion Ohio State football team was honored on court in the first half.
