Looking to get its first win at “The Barn” since 2015, Ohio State used its relentless interior presence to shake their Minnesota demons.

Behind 20 offensive rebounds, the Buckeyes bullied the Golden Gophers in the paint en route to a 75-64 triumph on the road. Ohio State head coach Chris Holtmann — who picked up his 100th win at Ohio State Thursday — emphasized the importance of their performance on the offensive glass as key to securing the victory.

“Honestly, at times, our best zone offense was the glass,” Holtmann said. “I thought we were able to get key rebounds.”

Ohio State’s control of the offensive glass helped the Buckeyes stake out a 40-26 scoring advantage in the paint and allowed Holtmann’s squad to collect 27 second-chance points against Minnesota.

Leading the charge was forward E.J. Liddell, who produced 23 points, corralled a career-high 15 rebounds and tossed five assists Thursday, becoming just the third Big Ten player since 2010 to post 20 points, 15 rebounds and five assists in a game. Liddell also became the 60th Buckeye to score 1,000 career points in the game.

“Much was talked about with E.J. crossing that 1,000 point barrier,” Holtmann said. “Ironically, it was his best rebounding performance that I think he’s had here.”

While Liddell was stellar, the interior supporting cast of forwards Kyle Young and Zed Key also were imperative to the Buckeyes’ success. Young scored a quiet 14 points — including a stretch where he scored eight consecutive points — and collected four rebounds while Key dropped 12 points and secured eight boards.

As Ohio State’s three-headed paint monster rolled through the Golden Gophers, the trio will have a much more difficult task Sunday against No. 7 Purdue.

The Boilermakers boast one of the best interior tandems in the nation, composed of 7-foot-4 center Zach Edey and 2020-21 first team All-Big Ten member Trevion Williams.

Edey is a load on the offensive end, averaging 14.8 points and 7.6 rebounds per game. The Toronto native hits shots at the best mark in the Big Ten at 70.4 percent shooting, while primarily operating in the painted area.

Holtmann laid out the strategy for how to defend someone of Edey’s size on his radio show on 97.1 The Fan Monday.

“You try not to give him angles, as much as you can, in the post. But he’s really gotten to a point where he’s moved a lot better than what he did early in his career” Holtmann said. “He impacts the game defensively and on the glass as much as he does in the low post. He’s just a really talented kid.”

Although Williams is coming off a season in which he earned All-Big Ten honors and national attention, the Chicago native is coming off of the bench for the Boilermakers. As Purdue’s sixth-man, Williams gives the Boilermakers 12.7 points and 8.7 rebounds per game.

Noting the significance of Williams’ move to the bench, Holtmann compared it to an unfathomable, and, frankly, impossible scenario.

“Imagine me saying to E.J. Liddell, ‘Hey E.J., we love you but you’re going to come off the bench now’,” Holtmann said.

With Edey and Williams manning the paint, the Boilermakers have also seen a significant boost on the boards — sporting the best rebounding margin in the Big Ten with an atypical 11.8 rebounding advantage.

The two elite front court units are set to square off Sunday at noon in Mackey Arena, a place where Holtmann said will be a difficult environment to win in.

“At Purdue, where everybody struggles,” Holtmann said. “We’ve had some success there but everybody struggles at that place.”