No. 25 Buckeyes use balanced scoring, beat Nebraska 90-54
AP
Dec 30, 2020
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) Ohio State Buckeyes has plenty to look forward to heading into the new year.
Justin Ahrens came off the bench to score 18 points and freshman Zed Key added 14 points on 5-for-5 shooting as the No. 25 Buckeyes used balanced scoring to beat Nebraska Cornhuskers 90-54 on Wednesday night.
Duane Washington Jr. added 13 points, Justice Sueing 12 and Seth Towns 11 as Ohio State (8-2, 2-2 Big Ten) got points from 10 players and won for the third time in four games.
''Tonight was a unique Big Ten game; you don't have many that are like that,'' Ohio State coach Chris Holtmann said. ''It was a really solid performance. We were able to defend them with great purpose. Our ball movement was exceptional. That's what we have to continue to be.
''If we were playing them again tomorrow, the game could look much different. ... We played really well.''
Key to Ohio State's success was its outside shooting. Ahrens went 6 of 9 from long range and the Buckeyes were helped by 12-for-32 shooting from beyond the arc.
''I felt really good,'' Ahrens said. ''My teammates did a great job of just finding me. Once I see one or two go through, I get a feeling. I feel like I gotta shoot it if I'm open.
''Once I see one or two go through, I'm going to keep shooting until I miss.''
The Cornhuskers (4-6, 0-3) lost their third straight game and were slowed by 28.3% shooting from the field. Nebraska has lost 12 games against ranked opponents.
Ohio State put the game out of reach with a 12-2 run at the start of the second half. The Buckeyes also scored 21 points off turnovers.
Nebraska was led by Teddy Allen's 13 points. Allen picked up his fourth foul with more than 16 minutes left in the game and sat for more than 10 minutes. He is the Huskers' leading scorer, averaging 18.2 points.
''I thought we missed some really good shots in the first 10 minutes and that kind of set the tone for the game,'' Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg said. ''As it wore on, it affected us on the other end and then they overwhelmed us with their physicality. It is what that team does.''
BIG PICTURE
A deep and balanced Ohio State team used contributions from nearly every player to run away from overmatched Nebraska. Keeping up its outside shooting will be key to the Buckeyes' continued Big Ten success.
BIG TEN BLUES
Nebraska has not won a Big Ten game since Jan. 7, when it topped Iowa.
TRIPLE THE FUN
Ahrens attempted his first 2-point basket of the season in the first half. Through Ohio State's first nine games, Ahrens had only previously shot from beyond the arc.
UP NEXT
Ohio State visits Minnesota on Sunday.
Nebraska hosts Michigan State on Saturday.
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1st Half
NEB
Cornhuskers
21
OSU
Buckeyes
38
Time
Team
Play
Score
20:00
Yvan Ouedraogo vs. E.J. Liddell (Duane Washington Jr. gains possession)
19:36
Kyle Young misses two point jump shot
19:34
Yvan Ouedraogo defensive rebound
19:11
Teddy Allen misses three point jump shot
19:09
CJ Walker defensive rebound
19:03
+2
Kyle Young makes two point layup (CJ Walker assists)
0-2
18:52
+2
Dalano Banton makes two point layup
2-2
18:38
Trey McGowens personal foul (Kyle Young draws the foul)
18:27
Duane Washington Jr. misses two point jump shot
18:25
Dalano Banton defensive rebound
18:16
+2
Dalano Banton makes two point floating jump shot
4-2
17:54
Duane Washington Jr. misses three point jump shot
17:52
Justice Sueing offensive rebound
17:46
Duane Washington Jr. misses three point jump shot
17:44
Dalano Banton defensive rebound
17:34
Duane Washington Jr. personal foul (Trey McGowens draws the foul)
17:24
Lat Mayen turnover (traveling)
17:12
+2
E.J. Liddell makes two point hook shot
4-4
16:54
Lat Mayen misses three point jump shot
16:52
CJ Walker defensive rebound
16:45
E.J. Liddell misses two point turnaround jump shot
16:43
Yvan Ouedraogo defensive rebound
16:35
Lat Mayen misses three point jump shot
16:33
Trey McGowens offensive rebound
16:29
E.J. Liddell blocks Trey McGowens's two point layup
16:27
Lat Mayen offensive rebound
16:25
+2
Lat Mayen makes two point putback layup
6-4
16:06
Justice Sueing misses three point jump shot
16:04
E.J. Liddell offensive rebound
15:48
+2
CJ Walker makes two point pullup jump shot (Justice Sueing assists)
6-6
15:36
CJ Walker personal foul (Trey McGowens draws the foul)
15:36
TV timeout
15:24
Cornhuskers 30 second timeout
15:22
Justice Sueing shooting foul (Teddy Allen draws the foul)
15:22
+1
Teddy Allen makes regular free throw 1 of 2
7-6
15:22
Teddy Allen misses regular free throw 2 of 2
15:22
Zed Key defensive rebound
15:09
Eduardo Andre personal foul (Zed Key draws the foul)
15:00
+2
Zed Key makes two point layup
7-8
14:47
+3
Lat Mayen makes three point jump shot (Teddy Allen assists)
10-8
14:22
+2
Zed Key makes two point hook shot
10-10
14:14
Lat Mayen misses three point jump shot
14:12
Jimmy Sotos defensive rebound
14:06
Justice Sueing misses three point jump shot
14:04
Teddy Allen defensive rebound
13:57
Teddy Allen misses two point layup
13:55
Kyle Young defensive rebound
13:33
+2
Justice Sueing makes two point layup
10-12
13:33
Eduardo Andre shooting foul (Justice Sueing draws the foul)
13:33
+1
Justice Sueing makes regular free throw 1 of 1
10-13
13:16
+3
Teddy Allen makes three point jump shot
13-13
12:52
E.J. Liddell misses two point jump shot
12:50
Thorir Thorbjarnarson defensive rebound
12:36
Dalano Banton misses three point jump shot
12:34
E.J. Liddell defensive rebound
12:16
Jimmy Sotos misses three point jump shot
12:14
Zed Key offensive rebound
12:08
Duane Washington Jr. turnover (bad pass) (Thorir Thorbjarnarson steals)
11:58
Teddy Allen misses two point floating jump shot
11:56
Duane Washington Jr. defensive rebound
11:47
+2
Zed Key makes two point hook shot (E.J. Liddell assists)
13-15
11:23
Zed Key personal foul (Yvan Ouedraogo draws the foul)
11:23
TV timeout
11:16
Eugene Brown III blocks Dalano Banton's two point layup
11:14
Cornhuskers offensive rebound
11:08
Kobe Webster misses three point jump shot
11:06
Justin Ahrens defensive rebound
10:46
+2
Duane Washington Jr. makes two point floating jump shot