COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State snapped its five-game losing streak with a 93-77 win at home against Iowa on Saturday, breaking Iowa’s four game win streak.
Ohio State found the recipe to its success with five players scoring in double figures. Ohio State needed other players to rely on offensively, and that’s what they got on Saturday led by Brice Sensabaugh and Isaac Likekele.
Sensabaugh hit his seventh game this season reaching 20+ points with his career-high 27 points and five rebounds. Likekele had a double double and hit his season high 18 points and Zed Key had 11 points and nine rebounds. Roddy Gayle Jr. also contributed nine points, Justice Sueing and Sean McNeil also contributed 10 each, and Likekele led the team in rebounds with 10.
Ohio State hit 65 percent of its shots from the paint, making 22-of-34 attempts. It shot a combined 40 percent from the floor during the five game losing stretch. The Buckeyes were also 50 percent from 3 hitting 8-of-16 shots.
“We had five Ls in a row and this just feels good,” Likekele said following the win. “It does something for the players and the team confidence to get back in that win column. It’s really a momentum thing.”
Ohio State never trailed in the second half and led by as many as 16.
Both teams went on scoring droughts of over three minutes and traded turning the ball over to close the first half with Ohio State leading 37-35.
Sensabaugh picked up where he left off and opened the second half with a quick 3. The Buckeyes set the tone early in the final 20 minutes of play and went on a 13-2 run early in the second half to take a 12-point lead. Ohio State made five of its next seven shots and sustained a 10-point lead through most of the second half play.
The game got off to a sloppy start for the Buckeyes as Iowa went on an 8-0 run after both teams totaled six turnovers in eight possessions. The Buckeyes started 2-for-7 from the floor in the second consecutive game with Sensabaugh being the the lone contributor early on. He had 12 first-half points.
Iowa was led by Kris Murray who had 22 points and seven rebounds. Iowa committed 14 turnovers in the loss.
Photo via Ohio State Buckeyes.
