LAS VEGAS – Ohio State received a boost from its freshman to earn its third victory against a top-ten opponent this season.
Ohio State saw five different players score at least eight points in the game, and two of these players were first-year players. Fellow freshmen D.J. Carton and E.J. Liddell showed up for the Buckeyes on the big stage to help push the Buckeyes through to a 71-65 victory.
Carton would finish the game with 13 points on 5-of-6 shooting. The freshman would also add two dimes and five rebounds to his impressive multiple-block performance.
Also providing in his first season off the bench, Liddell was able to supply nine points and five rebounds in the game.
The Buckeyes were also able to gain a 13-point advantage from the free throw line to aid in the win.
The game opened up with both Kentucky and Ohio State hitting shots. It was Tyrese Maxey for Kentucky and the big men for Ohio State that carried the scoring load up to the first media timeout.
Jumping out to an early 9-6 lead, the Buckeyes began to fall prey to the turnover bug, an enemy that they became familiar with in their previous game. After posting 13 first-half turnovers against Southeast Missouri State, the Buckeyes would lose the ball nine times in the first 20 minutes against Kentucky.
After a sloppy stretch, the pace quickened, and the top-10 foes began to trade blows. Nate Sestina was able to deliver a trio of threes off the bench for the Wildcats in the first half, but Carton and Liddell were able to provide production with a surge off the bench for the Buckeyes.
The half remained close, and it was largely due to the fact that neither team could dial in the deep ball. Ohio State would finish the half shooting 3-of-13 from three, and Kentucky would also shoot 3-of-13 from beyond the arc.
While Kentucky saw Sestina and Ashton Hagans put up double digits in the first half, the Buckeyes saw a more balanced attack, with only Kyle Young hitting 10 points for the half. Young would finish the game with 10 points and six rebounds.
The first half saw five ties and four lead changes, but the period finally rested at 37-36 in favor of Ohio State.
The second half turned scrappier in nature. With the defense for both teams turning up a notch, shot making was of a heightened importance.
For the Wildcats, the shot making came from Sestina off the bench. With Nick Richards in foul trouble for most of the game, Sestina was given increased minutes, which he made the most of by hitting a season-high five threes.
It was the effort on the defensive end that made the difference for the Buckeyes in the second half. Both Carton and Andre Wesson were able to deliver chase-down blocks on Kentucky fast breaks that each prevented the Wildcats from drawing the game to within a possession.
The Buckeyes would produce six blocks and three steals in the second half.
With the Buckeyes hanging to a one-point lead with six minutes left in the game, the Buckeyes were able to ride a scoring surge from Luther Muhammad, who delivered five points down the stretch. The sophomore would finish the game with seven points in the game.
After Kaleb Wesson, who finished with 12 points and eight rebounds, fouled out with over three minutes remaining in the game, the Buckeyes turned to Liddell to run with fellow freshman Carton. With two freshmen on the floor, Ohio State was able to hold on to win, and a three from C.J. Walker with under 30 seconds left in the game would ice away the Wildcats.
