COLUMBUS, Ohio – After a slow start the game, the Buckeyes were able to secure the victory in the season opener against Cincinnati for the second-straight year.
Overcoming a lackluster first half performance, the Buckeyes would defeat the Bearcats 64-56, the exact score from last season. Ohio State would ride a strong performance from Kyle Young and overcome poor shooting to start the season on the right note.
The Buckeyes would shoot 9-for-29 and turn the ball over eight times en route to a seven-point deficit after 20 minutes. A solid second half would rescue the game for the Buckeyes, and they would finish the game shooting 40.8 percent to Cincinnati’s 33.3 percent.
Young was able to provide an offensive bright spot early for the Buckeyes, and he would finish the contest with a game-high 14 points and 13 rebounds. Fellow big man Kaleb Wesson was able to add eight points and 11 rebounds to the front court’s production.
The Buckeyes struggled to get the offense going early on against the Bearcats, missing their first seven shots. Turning the ball over five times before scoring its first points almost eight minutes into the game, the Ohio State offense took some time getting settled into the game.
Despite Ohio State’s slow start, Cincinnati was unable to take advantage, and the Bearcats would start the game 3-for-16.
Young would get the offense going for Ohio State, kicking off the scoring with a breakaway dunk off a feed from D.J. Carton. Young would go on to score the first six points for the Buckeyes and end the half with 10 points and eight rebounds.
The Buckeyes would claim their first lead with 7:34 remaining in the first half when Andre Wesson hit Ohio State’s first three of the game.
With just under four minutes remaining in the half, the Buckeyes were able to corral three offensive rebounds before Andre Wesson was able to finish a layup to tie the game at 15-15.
After a timeout, the Bearcats would finish the half on an 11-4 run to secure a 26-19 lead at halftime.
The Buckeyes would come out of the locker room looking like a different team, however. Ohio State would go on an 11-3 run to open the half, giving the Buckeyes their second lead of the game at 30-29 with 16:55 remaining in the game.
After Kaleb Wesson knocked down his first three of the season to extend the lead to four points, it was a bucket from Jaume Sorolla with 12:32 remaining that would end Cincinnati’s nearly six-minute drought.
Ohio State was able to balloon the game to 40-34 before Jaevin Cumberland hit a moving three from the corner to draw the game back within a possession with 9:49 remaining.
After a stretch of trading buckets, Carton would knock down a three to cap off his own mini run of five points to give Ohio State a 49-43 lead. Carton would finish the game with nine points on 3-of-5 shooting to go with five rebounds and two assists.
A Luther Muhammad three on the next possession would balloon the lead to a game-high nine points with seven minutes left. Muhammad would finish the game with six points.
Clinging to a 57-53 lead with only 2:28 remaining, the Buckeyes would hold off the Bearcats down the stretch. After missing all five of their free throws in the first half, the Buckeyes were able to knock down 7-of-8 in the final minutes to secure the victory.
Ohio State would outscore Cincinnati 45-30 in the second half.
Ohio State will return to the court on Sunday when it hosts Massachusetts Lowell at 4 p.m.
