The Buckeyes were quick to point out they hadn't won anything yet after they defeated No. 2 Maryland 98-87 on Monday night. Now though, they have – Ohio State clinched a share of its first regular-season Big Ten title since the 2009-10 season with a 73-45 win over Rutgers on Sunday afternoon.
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio State | 18 | 19 | 16 | 20 | 73 |
| Rutgers | 6 | 11 | 19 | 9 | 45 |
The Buckeyes share the title with Maryland, as both are 15-1 in the conference, but Monday's victory over the Terps gives Ohio State the tiebreaker and the top seed in the upcoming Big Ten Tournament.
The game itself went about as expected. Rutgers played stellar defense at times, holding Ohio State well under its season average for points, but it wasn't enough to completely shut down the high-powered Buckeye scoring attack. On the other end of the floor, Ohio State shut down the Scarlet Knights, forcing them to take a low-percentage shot deep in the shot clock seemingly every possession.
| OHIO STATE | STAT | Rutgers |
|---|---|---|
| 73 | POINTS | 45 |
| 24-60 (40%) | FGM-FGA (PCT.) | 18-56 (32%) |
| 11-25 (44%) | 3PM-3PA (PCT.) | 6-18 (33%) |
| 14-20 (70%) | FTM-FTA (PCT.) | 3-6 (50%) |
| 15 | TURNOVERS | 21 |
| 42 | TOTAL REBOUNDS | 35 |
| 14 | OFFENSIVE REBOUNDS | 10 |
| 28 | DEFENSIVE REBOUNDS | 25 |
| 20 | BENCH POINTS | 9 |
| 6 | BLOCKS | 5 |
| 11 | STEALS | 8 |
| 14 | ASSISTS | 13 |
Rutgers scored the game's first three points, but from that point it was all Ohio State. The Buckeyes scored the next 15 points to take a comfortable lead, and Rutgers never got much closer. Ohio State continued to stretch the lead to make it 37-17 at the half.
The Scarlet Knights played better offensively in the third quarter, shooting 57 percent from the field and outscoring the Buckeyes 19-16, but it wasn't enough to even make the game interesting. Ohio State coasted in the fourth quarter; the starters got some well-deserved rest and the Buckeyes left Piscataway with a 73-45 victory and a Big Ten championship.
Ohio State finishes the regular season 25-5 and at the top of the Big Ten standings with a 15-1 record. The Buckeyes closed the season on a 11-game winning streak and will look to add a Big Ten Tournament title to their regular-season championship. Ohio State will be the No. 1 seed in the tournament and will begin play Friday at noon in Bankers Life Arena in Indianapolis.
