Monday, November 6
Columbus, Ohio
7:00 p.m.
Ohio State
1-0,0-0Big Ten
79
vs
73
Oakland
0-1,0-0Horizon
1
2
F
Oakland
35
38
73
Ohio St.
34
45
79
Veterans Lead the Way to an Opening Night Victory over Oakland
11/6/2023 10:58:00 PM | Men's Basketball
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A balanced scoring attack after a difficult first half saw Ohio State pull-out a 79-73 victory over Oakland in the season opener at the Schottenstein Center on Monday night.
The Buckeyes were led by Roddy Gale Jr., Bruce Thornton and Zed Key with 17 points each while freshman Scottie Middleton added 13 points in key moments during the second half. 14 of Gayle's points came in the second half. Thornton went 8-for-8 from the foul line. Key had eight rebounds on top of going 5-7 from the field and 7-9 from the charity stripe. Graduate-transfer Jamison Battle made his Buckeye debut and finished with nine points and seven rebounds.
Oakland started the game with an 11-5 run led by three-point shooting from Blake Lampman and Jack Gohlke alongside inside the paint action from Trey Townshend.
Sophomore Felix Okpara opened the scoring for the Buckeyes this season with a right block hook shot. Graduate transfer Jamison Battle nailed two threes for the Buckeyes to cut the Oakland attack. Middleton earned his first collegiate points as a Buckeye on a drive to the hoop (11-7).
The Grizzlies lead ballooned to seven (21-14) on fifty percent three-point shooting mid-way through the first half (11:24), but the Buckeyes soon found their rhythm in Gayle Jr. and Okpara taking charge on a 6-0 run to cut the lead to just one point.
The Buckeyes took advantage of an over two-minute Oakland drought and cut the lead to 31-28 by the under-four media timeout thanks in part to a pair of free throws by Bruce Thornton. Key tied the game at 31 with 2:17 left in the half after a scrappy put-back followed by Thornton giving the Scarlet & Gray their first lead of the game on the next possession with a three ball (33-34). But the Buckeyes would trail at the half 35-34.
Oakland continued the three-point shooting to open the second half and took a 42-38 lead. Middleton then tied the game at 44 with back-to-back threes from the right corner midway through the second half (13:09).
A pair of threes from the Grizzlies saw the lead jump to six but quickly answered with his own long ball and Gayle followed with his own 9-0 run, including an alley-oop dunk. That stretch gave the Buckeyes a 58-52 lead and they would not trail the rest of the way.
Back-to-back threes by the Lampman saw the lead cut to 76-73 with 22 second left, but the Buckeyes were able to make their free throws down the stretch and secure the 79-73 victory.
Ohio State will be back in action on Friday for a marquee matchup against No. 15 Texas A&M. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. and will be aired live on Peacock.
The Buckeyes were led by Roddy Gale Jr., Bruce Thornton and Zed Key with 17 points each while freshman Scottie Middleton added 13 points in key moments during the second half. 14 of Gayle's points came in the second half. Thornton went 8-for-8 from the foul line. Key had eight rebounds on top of going 5-7 from the field and 7-9 from the charity stripe. Graduate-transfer Jamison Battle made his Buckeye debut and finished with nine points and seven rebounds.
Oakland started the game with an 11-5 run led by three-point shooting from Blake Lampman and Jack Gohlke alongside inside the paint action from Trey Townshend.
Sophomore Felix Okpara opened the scoring for the Buckeyes this season with a right block hook shot. Graduate transfer Jamison Battle nailed two threes for the Buckeyes to cut the Oakland attack. Middleton earned his first collegiate points as a Buckeye on a drive to the hoop (11-7).
The Grizzlies lead ballooned to seven (21-14) on fifty percent three-point shooting mid-way through the first half (11:24), but the Buckeyes soon found their rhythm in Gayle Jr. and Okpara taking charge on a 6-0 run to cut the lead to just one point.
The Buckeyes took advantage of an over two-minute Oakland drought and cut the lead to 31-28 by the under-four media timeout thanks in part to a pair of free throws by Bruce Thornton. Key tied the game at 31 with 2:17 left in the half after a scrappy put-back followed by Thornton giving the Scarlet & Gray their first lead of the game on the next possession with a three ball (33-34). But the Buckeyes would trail at the half 35-34.
Oakland continued the three-point shooting to open the second half and took a 42-38 lead. Middleton then tied the game at 44 with back-to-back threes from the right corner midway through the second half (13:09).
A pair of threes from the Grizzlies saw the lead jump to six but quickly answered with his own long ball and Gayle followed with his own 9-0 run, including an alley-oop dunk. That stretch gave the Buckeyes a 58-52 lead and they would not trail the rest of the way.
Back-to-back threes by the Lampman saw the lead cut to 76-73 with 22 second left, but the Buckeyes were able to make their free throws down the stretch and secure the 79-73 victory.
Ohio State will be back in action on Friday for a marquee matchup against No. 15 Texas A&M. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. and will be aired live on Peacock.
Team Stats
Oak
OSU
FG%
.393
.462
3FG%
.400
.280
FT%
.733
.800
RB
30
42
TO
9
13
STL
5
4
Game Leaders
Pts
17
FGM
6
3FGM
0
FTM
5
Pts
17
FGM
3
3FGM
3
FTM
8
Pts
13
FGM
4
3FGM
2
FTM
3
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's Basketball
C
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's Basketball No videos available.
