COLUMBUS, Ohio – Three days removed from a disappointing performance against Wisconsin, the Buckeyes looked like a completely different basketball team against Rutgers until the final minutes rolled around.

Playing with renewed energy on both sides of the ball, Ohio State (16-8, 6-7) was able to fly around the court and put Rutgers (17-8, 8-6) behind early. Leaning on energetic defense and 3-point shooting, the Buckeyes were able to hold on to secure a 72-66 win over Rutgers, but the Scarlet Knights were able to cause quite a scare down the stretch.

Leading by as much as 20 points, the Buckeyes would let the game slip into uncertainty in the closing minutes. Rutgers would reduce the deficit to three points with 27.1 seconds left in the game, but Ohio State was able to survive the late surge from the Scarlet Knights.

The Buckeyes came into the game with the highest 3-point make percentage in Big Ten conference play, hitting 36.7 percent of 3-pointers. The Buckeyes would knock down 38.5 percent against Rutgers, scoring 30 of their points off the 3-pointer.

The Buckeyes came out firing from deep, taking their first seven shots from behind the arc. Ohio State was only able to knock down two of those early tries, but Chris Holtmann’s bunch was still able to grasp an 8-4 lead heading into the first media tournament.

The trend of long-range shooting would continue the rest of the first half, as the Buckeyes would take 58.6 percent of their shots from the 3-point line. The strategy appeared to pay off in the first half, as the Buckeyes would hit seven threes and shoot 51.7 percent from the field.

Both Wesson brothers were able to find rhythms in the first half to help the Buckeyes build up the lead. Kaleb Wesson was able to contribute nine points on 3-of-3 shooting, and Andre Wesson was able to top his brother’s scoring output by pouring in 12 points and hauling in 7 rebounds.

Andre Wesson would finish the game with 13 points and 10 rebounds, marking the second double-double of his career. Kaleb Wesson would add another 16 points and five rebounds.

With DJ Carton still away from the team, it was Duane Washington Jr. that was able to provide a punch off the bench from the guard position. In the first half, the usual 3-point shooter was able to get his six points from inside the paint. Washington was also able to dish out three first half dimes.

Washington would finish the game with five assists, tying a career high set on Nov. 22, 2019.

Also off the bench, it was the play of Justin Ahrens that electrified the crowd in the first half. The 3-point specialist was able to knock down three shots from downtown, including one in the closing seconds of the half.

Another positive for Ohio State was how it responded to Kaleb Wesson’s absence with two fouls in the first half. Against Wisconsin, Wesson was subbed out with the game tied at 15-15. After a Wisconsin onslaught, he was inserted back into the game with the score sitting at 33-20 in favor of the Badgers.

Against Rutgers, Wesson picked up his second foul with 3:28 remaining in the first half. With Kyle Young tagging out Wesson, the Buckeyes were not only able to survive the stretch, but they extended the lead by three points.

The Buckeyes were able to take a 45-30 score into the break.

Ohio State would attempt to hold serve in the second half, but Rutgers would shoot 48.1 percent to make things interesting. While the Buckeyes would shoot a much worse 31.8 percent in the final 20 minutes, they were able to keep the Scarlet Knights at bay.

It was the bench of Rutgers that threatened Ohio State late in the contest. With a scoring advantage of 42-23 off the bench, Rutgers was able to hit seven consecutive shots to pull the game within six points with 2:09 remaining in the game.

With the game tightening up to as close as three points, the Buckeyes were able to avoid a similar fate faced by Northwestern, who blew an 18-point lead to Rutgers on Sunday. Ohio State would hold on by hitting 5-of-6 free throws down the stretch of the game.

The Buckeyes will return to the hardwood when they host Purdue on Saturday. The game will tip at noon on FOX.