Ohio State
8-3,1-0Big Ten
Maine
6-6,0-0America
Buckeyes Overwhelm Maine 95-61
12/21/2022 11:41:27 PM | Men's Basketball
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COLUMBUS, Ohio – Playing in their final game before the holiday break, Ohio State men’s basketball (8-3) put together a total team effort to dominate the Black Bears of Maine 95-61 on Wednesday evening.
Five Buckeyes finished in double figures, led by freshman Brice Sensabaugh with 19 points. He also added seven rebounds and a season-high seven assists.
How It Happened
Maine (6-6) took one lead in the contest as it canned back-to-back triples in the early going to snag a 6-5 advantage. The Black Bears’ lead would last only 30 seconds, however, as junior Zed Key tallied a three-point play to put Ohio State up for good.
Over the next four minutes of action, the Ohio State lead would swell to nine as the Buckeyes embarked on a 17-7 run to take a 22-13 lead with 13:26 to play. OSU dominated the paint in the run, outscoring the Black Bears 14-2 on the inside in the early goings.
The run of the half came with the hosts leading by eight points (26-18) with 10:57 to play in the frame. From there, Ohio State rattled off 14-consecutive points, getting multiple baskets from freshmen Felix Okpara and Brice Sensabaugh, as well as senior Justice Sueing. Sueing capped off the run with back-to-back fast-break buckets to push the Buckeye lead to 22. The Buckeyes would go into the half leading 47-26.
The second-half advantage was never in doubt for Ohio State, as the lead never dipped below 21 points in the closing 20 minutes. The cushion would balloon to as many as 36 (95-59) when freshman Bowen Hardman canned his second triple of the game in the final minute of play.
Standout Players
Freshmen Buckeyes – The first-year class showed up in the contest as they combined for 52 of the team’s points. Sensabaugh, the reigning Big-Ten Freshman of the Week, continued his torrid pace to start his Buckeye career. He finished with a team-high 19 points on an efficient 8-of-12 shooting. He also added a career-best seven assists to go along with a team-high seven rebounds. Bruce Thornton also stuffed the stat sheet, tallying 11 points to go along with six boards and five dimes. Okpara added 10 points to the effort, while Roddy Gayle, Jr. and Hardman tallied six points, each.
Justice Sueing – Sueing finished the game with 15 points on the night. He shot 7-of-12 from the field and added six rebounds. The game marked the seventh time this season that Sueing has finished in double figures.
Zed Key – The Buckeye big man was once again on his game, tallying 14 points on 5-of-9 shooting, while adding six boards, two blocks and two steals. Key has now finished with 10+ points and 6+ rebounds in seven of the team’s 11 games this season.
Stats That Mattered
Paint Points – The Buckeyes dominated inside throughout the contest, outscoring the Black Bears 64-28 in the paint. Thanks to their efficiency around the hoop, Ohio State shot over 61% for the game.
Assists – Ohio State continued to share the rock as the team assisted on 23 of their 41 made baskets. Eight different players were credited with an assist and six different Buckeyes had at least two. In addition, the team took care of the basketball, turning the ball over just seven times in 67 possessions.
Up Next
The Buckeyes complete their non-conference schedule on Thursday, December 29, as they play host to Alabama A&M. The matchup is scheduled for a 3 p.m. start and can be seen on the Big Ten Network.
