Ohio State's losing streak ends at five games as the Buckeyes get back in the win column with an improved performance against Iowa, 93-77.
Ohio State mounted a double-digit lead in the first half, and even though Iowa made up ground before halftime, the Buckeyes built another significant edge early in the second half. Isaac Likekele was crucial to the improved effort for the Buckeyes, as the Oklahoma State transfer had a season-best scoring performance as an X-factor in the victory.
Likekekle finished with 18 points and Brice Sensabaugh led the way for Ohio State with a career-high 27. After shooting under 40% from the floor in each of their past three games, the Buckeyes hit well over 50% of their shots against the Hawkeyes. Iowa entered the game with the highest-scoring offense in the Big Ten, but couldn’t overwhelm Ohio State on a day when its own offense got back in a groove.The game began with six combined turnovers for both sides before either team hit a shot. Ohio State broke the ice, but Iowa rattled off eight straight points after that as the Buckeyes missed five of their first six shots. Isaac Likekele’s first 3-point make of the season tied things up 13-all at the 12:19 mark, and 16 seconds later, the Buckeyes began a 15-2 run to take a double-digit lead around the midway point of the first half. Ohio State scored the first 12 of those points without an answer from the Hawkeyes, and the Buckeyes knocked down three 3-pointers as part of the stretch. Ohio State led by as many as 11 points in the period, but Iowa started chipping away at the Buckeye lead straight away. The Hawkeyes outscored Ohio State 20-12 in the final 8:48, although both teams closed the half out with scoring droughts that lasted longer than three minutes. The Buckeyes took a 37-35 lead to halftime despite missing six of their final seven shots. Ohio State hit 46.7% of its field goals while the Hawkeyes made just 41.4% of their attempts, although Iowa had the advantage in rebounding , points in the paint and free-throw attempts . Brice Sensabaugh had a double-digit scoring total before the end of the first half and Likekele may have had his best offensive half of the season, adding seven points as a pleasant surprise for the Buckeyes.Iowa hit two of the first three shots of the period, but it was all Ohio State after that, as the Buckeyes used a 9-0 run to take a 10-point lead by the 16:20 mark. Sensabaugh scored six of Ohio State’s first 12 points to open the half.
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