Ohio State
14-5,7-3Big Ten
Maryland
11-12,3-9Big Te
Buckeyes Soar Past Maryland 82-67
2/6/2022 5:01:49 PM | Men's Basketball
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COLUMBUS, Ohio – A quick start to each half was all No. 16 Ohio State needed as the Buckeyes ran out to as much as a 22-point lead and cruised to an 82-67 victory over Maryland on Sunday afternoon.
The win keeps the Buckeyes unblemished at home (10-0) and improves their overall record to 14-5 and 7-3 in the conference.
As he has most of the season, junior forward E.J. Liddell led the way with his fifth double-double of the year, scoring 24 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. He also dished-out a team-high five assists and committed zero turnovers.
Zed Key scored six of the first nine points of the game and then scored four of the first seven in the second half to jumpstart the Buckeyes in each half. He finished with 14 points and seven rebounds on 6-of-7 shooting.
Senior Justin Ahrens broke out of a little slump as he made four three-pointers and finished with 14 points. Malaki Branham and Jamari Wheeler each chipped-in with eight points.
Maryland (11-12, 3-9) was paced by Donta Scott who had 25 points on 5-of-8 from long range.
The Buckeyes shot 50.8 percent from the floor and made 10 or more (11-of-26) three-pointers in a game for the ninth time this season. Maryland was limited to just 39 percent from the floor.
Behind Key’s quick start, the Buckeyes jumped out to a 17-6 lead and led by as many as 15 in the first half before taking a 42-29 lead at the break. Ohio State then went on a 13-6 run to open the second half and shoved the lead out to 55-35 with under 15 minutes to play. Maryland would never get the deficit inside of double figures the rest of the way.
Notes
- E.J. Liddell notched his fifth double-double of the year and the ninth of his career with 24 points and 11 rebounds.
- Liddell extends his double-figure scoring streak to 30 and now has eight games of 20 or more points this season
- Justin Ahrens was 4-of-7 from long range and finished with 14 points. He made just five of his last 27 three-point attempts coming into the game.
- Ahrens and the Buckeyes are 22-3 when he makes three or more three-pointers in a game
- Zed Key’s 14 points were his second-most this season and the most since scoring a career-high 20 against Duke on Nov. 30.
- The Buckeyes committed just six turnovers in the game, marking their five-consecutive game with fewer than 10 turnovers
- This was the 10th game this season in which the Buckeyes shot 50 percent or better from the floor
- The Buckeyes remain perfect at home at 10-0 this season. They are the only Big Ten defeated Big Ten team at home
- Ohio State has won three consecutive games against Maryland, tying the longest streak in the teams’ short series
- Eugene Brown III missed the game with a foot injury
Up Next
The Buckeyes hit the road twice this next week as they will play at Rutgers on Wednesday night and then at Michigan on Saturday evening. Tip-off Wednesday night is set for 7 p.m. ET on BTN.
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