Thornton, Battle lead Ohio State over Minnesota 84-74 in Big Ten opener
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) Bruce Thornton had 26 points, Jamison Battle sank four 3-pointers and scored 25 and Ohio State beat Minnesota 84-74 in an early Big Ten Conference opener on Sunday night.
Thornton sank 8 of 12 shots with a 3-pointer and 9 of 10 free throws for the Buckeyes (7-1), who have won six in a row. He added five assists and three steals. Battle missed just two from beyond the arc and has made at least one 3-pointer in every game this season. He was 7 for 7 at the foul line. Roddy Gayle Jr. hit 2 of 3 from distance and scored 16.
Dawson Garcia scored a career-high 36 for the Golden Gophers (5-3). The junior made 12 of 25 shots, 12 of 14 free throws, and grabbed 11 rebounds for his second double-double this season. Cam Christie had 11 points off the bench and Elijah Hawkins scored 10.
Thornton had 12 first-half points, Battle and Gayle both scored 10 and Ohio State took a 42-28 lead into halftime.
Scotty Middleton hit a 3-pointer to give Ohio State its biggest lead at 54-34 with 15;22 left to play. Minnesota got within six points twice, the final time at 72-66 on a jumper by Christie with 3;24 to go. Battle and Thornton sandwiched 3-pointers around a basket by Garcia and the Buckeyes maintained a two-score lead over the final 2:41.
Ohio State has 91 all-time victories in the series, 30 more than the Gophers. The Buckeyes have won seven of their last eight to up their record in conference openers to 62-47.
Ohio State will host Miami of Ohio on Wednesday before traveling to Penn State for a Big Ten matchup on Saturday. Minnesota will host Nebraska on Wednesday before playing four straight games out of conference.
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| Time | Team | Play | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20:00 |  | Â | (Evan Mahaffey gains possession) | Â |
| 19:42 | | Â | Evan Mahaffey turnover (traveling) | Â |
| 19:21 |  | Â | Braeden Carrington turnover (traveling) | Â |
| 19:01 | | Â | Evan Mahaffey misses two point jump shot | Â |
| 18:59 | | Â | Joshua Ola-Joseph defensive rebound | Â |
| 18:55 | | Â | Joshua Ola-Joseph turnover (Evan Mahaffey steals) | Â |
| 18:45 | | +3 | Roddy Gayle Jr. makes three point jump shot (Felix Okpara assists) | 0-3 |
| 18:30 | | +2 | Elijah Hawkins makes two point jump shot | 2-3 |
| 18:14 | | +3 | Jamison Battle makes three point jump shot | 2-6 |
| 17:51 | | Â | Bruce Thornton shooting foul | Â |
| 17:51 | | Â | Joshua Ola-Joseph misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | Â |
| 17:51 | | Â | Joshua Ola-Joseph misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | Â |
| 17:51 | | Â | Felix Okpara defensive rebound | Â |
| 17:37 | | +3 | Jamison Battle makes three point jump shot (Evan Mahaffey assists) | 2-9 |
| 17:11 | | Â | Elijah Hawkins turnover (Bruce Thornton steals) | Â |
| 17:01 | | Â | Roddy Gayle Jr. misses three point jump shot | Â |
| 16:59 | | Â | Evan Mahaffey offensive rebound | Â |
| 16:37 | | Â | Isaiah Ihnen shooting foul (Jamison Battle draws the foul) | Â |
| 16:37 | | +1 | Jamison Battle makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 2-10 |
| 16:37 | | +1 | Jamison Battle makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 2-11 |
| 16:13 | | Â | Felix Okpara blocks Pharrel Payne's two point layup | Â |
| 16:11 | | Â | Jamison Battle defensive rebound | Â |
| 15:58 | | Â | Jamison Battle turnover (Elijah Hawkins steals) | Â |
| 15:58 | | Â | Elijah Hawkins misses three point jump shot | Â |
| 15:56 | | Â | Felix Okpara defensive rebound | Â |
| 15:32 | | Â | Isaiah Ihnen shooting foul | Â |
| 15:32 | | Â | TV timeout | Â |
| 15:32 | | +1 | Felix Okpara makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 2-12 |
| 15:32 | | Â | Felix Okpara misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | Â |
| 15:32 | | Â | Cam Christie defensive rebound | Â |
| 15:17 | | Â | Roddy Gayle Jr. personal foul | Â |
| 15:16 | | Â | Dawson Garcia misses two point jump shot | Â |
| 15:14 | | Â | Roddy Gayle Jr. defensive rebound | Â |
| 14:45 | | Â | Dale Bonner misses two point jump shot | Â |
| 14:43 | | Â | Buckeyes offensive rebound | Â |
| 14:37 | | Â | Cam Christie shooting foul (Bruce Thornton draws the foul) | Â |
| 14:37 | | +1 | Bruce Thornton makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 2-13 |
| 14:37 | | +1 | Bruce Thornton makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 2-14 |
| 14:18 | | Â | Zed Key shooting foul (Dawson Garcia draws the foul) | Â |
| 14:18 | | +1 | Dawson Garcia makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 3-14 |
| 14:18 | | +1 | Dawson Garcia makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 4-14 |
| 14:01 | | Â | Zed Key misses two point jump shot | Â |
| 13:59 | | Â | Pharrel Payne defensive rebound | Â |
| 13:49 | | Â | Evan Mahaffey shooting foul (Dawson Garcia draws the foul) | Â |
| 13:49 | | +1 | Dawson Garcia makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 5-14 |
| 13:49 | | +1 | Dawson Garcia makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 6-14 |
| 13:32 | | Â | Mike Mitchell Jr. personal foul | Â |
| 13:19 | | Â | Jamison Battle misses two point jump shot | Â |
| 13:17 | | Â | Evan Mahaffey offensive rebound | Â |
| 13:13 | | Â | Zed Key turnover | Â |
| 13:07 | | Â | Elijah Hawkins turnover (Evan Mahaffey steals) | Â |
| 13:05 | | Â | Dale Bonner misses three point jump shot | Â |
| 13:03 | | Â | Golden Gophers defensive rebound | Â |
| 12:50 | | +2 | Mike Mitchell Jr. makes two point jump shot | 8-14 |
| 12:27 | | +2 | Jamison Battle makes two point jump shot | 8-16 |
| 12:01 | | +2 | Mike Mitchell Jr. makes two point layup (Pharrel Payne assists) | 10-16 |
| 11:53 | | Â | Dawson Garcia personal foul | Â |
| 11:53 | | Â | TV timeout | Â |
| 11:37 | | +2 | Bruce Thornton makes two point jump shot | 10-18 |
| 11:37 | | Â | Braeden Carrington shooting foul (Bruce Thornton draws the foul) | Â |
| 11:37 | | +1 | Bruce Thornton makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 10-19 |
| 11:14 | | +2 | Pharrel Payne makes two point dunk (Parker Fox assists) | 12-19 |
| 10:58 | | Â | Roddy Gayle Jr. misses two point layup | Â |
| 10:56 | | Â | Cam Christie defensive rebound | Â |
| 10:52 | | Â | Cam Christie turnover (Bruce Thornton steals) | Â |
| 10:47 | | +2 | Bruce Thornton makes two point jump shot | 12-21 |
| 10:30 | | Â | Mike Mitchell Jr. misses two point jump shot | Â |
| 10:28 | | Â | Scotty Middleton defensive rebound | Â |
| 10:17 | | +2 | Bruce Thornton makes two point layup | 12-23 |
| 10:17 | | Â | Parker Fox shooting foul (Bruce Thornton draws the foul) | Â |
| 10:17 | | +1 | Bruce Thornton makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 12-24 |
| 9:57 | | Â | Dawson Garcia misses two point jump shot | Â |
| 9:55 | | Â | Jamison Battle defensive rebound | Â |
| 9:41 | | +2 | Roddy Gayle Jr. makes two point jump shot | 12-26 |
| 9:16 | | Â | Dawson Garcia misses three point jump shot | Â |
| 9:14 | | Â | Braeden Carrington offensive rebound | Â |
| 9:14 | | Â | Braeden Carrington turnover (out of bounds) | Â |
| 8:57 | | +2 | Zed Key makes two point dunk (Roddy Gayle Jr. assists) | 12-28 |
| 8:44 | | Â | Cam Christie misses three point jump shot | Â |
| 8:42 | | Â | Dale Bonner defensive rebound | Â |
| 8:35 | | +2 | Dale Bonner makes two point layup | 12-30 |
| 8:34 | | Â | Golden Gophers 30 second timeout | Â |
| 8:21 | | +3 | Joshua Ola-Joseph makes three point jump shot (Braeden Carrington assists) | 15-30 |
| 7:55 | | Â | Dale Bonner misses three point jump shot | Â |
| 7:53 | | Â | Dawson Garcia defensive rebound | Â |
| 7:23 | | Â | Parker Fox turnover (Dale Bonner steals) | Â |
| 7:18 | | Â | Braeden Carrington shooting foul (Scotty Middleton draws the foul) | Â |
| 7:18 | | Â | TV timeout | Â |
| 7:18 | | Â | Scotty Middleton misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | Â |
| 7:18 | | Â | Scotty Middleton misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | Â |
| 7:18 | | Â | Dawson Garcia defensive rebound | Â |
| 6:59 | | +2 | Dawson Garcia makes two point jump shot | 17-30 |
| 6:49 | | +2 | Roddy Gayle Jr. makes two point jump shot | 17-32 |
| 6:22 | | Â | Mike Mitchell Jr. turnover | Â |
| 6:17 | | +2 | Scotty Middleton makes two point jump shot (Evan Mahaffey assists) | 17-34 |
| 5:55 | | Â | Joshua Ola-Joseph misses two point layup | Â |
| 5:53 | | Â | Evan Mahaffey defensive rebound | Â |
| 5:47 | | Â | Evan Mahaffey misses two point jump shot | Â |
| 5:45 | | Â | Dawson Garcia defensive rebound | Â |
| 5:36 | | Â | Felix Okpara blocks Pharrel Payne's two point jump shot | Â |
| 5:34 | | Â | Pharrel Payne offensive rebound | Â |
| 5:31 | | Â | Pharrel Payne turnover (lost ball) (Evan Mahaffey steals) | Â |
| 5:16 | | Â | Felix Okpara turnover (Mike Mitchell Jr. steals) | Â |
| 5:01 | | +3 | Elijah Hawkins makes three point jump shot | 20-34 |
| 4:38 | | +3 | Scotty Middleton makes three point jump shot (Bruce Thornton assists) | 20-37 |
| 4:08 | | Â | Dawson Garcia misses two point jump shot | Â |
| 4:06 | | Â | Dawson Garcia offensive rebound | Â |
| 4:02 | | Â | Dawson Garcia misses two point jump shot | Â |
| 4:00 | | Â | Bruce Thornton defensive rebound | Â |
| 3:53 | | Â | Felix Okpara misses two point layup | Â |
| 3:51 | | Â | Dawson Garcia defensive rebound | Â |
| 3:45 | | Â | Mike Mitchell Jr. misses two point jump shot | Â |
| 3:43 | | Â | Felix Okpara defensive rebound | Â |
| 3:16 | | +2 | Bruce Thornton makes two point layup | 20-39 |
| 2:51 | | Â | Joshua Ola-Joseph misses three point jump shot | Â |
| 2:49 | | Â | Felix Okpara defensive rebound | Â |
| 2:39 | | +2 | Roddy Gayle Jr. makes two point layup (Bruce Thornton assists) | 20-41 |
| 2:39 | | Â | Joshua Ola-Joseph shooting foul | Â |
| 2:39 | | Â | TV timeout | Â |
| 2:39 | | +1 | Roddy Gayle Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 20-42 |
| 2:18 | | +2 | Dawson Garcia makes two point jump shot (Joshua Ola-Joseph assists) | 22-42 |
| 1:59 | | Â | Roddy Gayle Jr. turnover (Dawson Garcia steals) | Â |
| 1:52 | | Â | Cam Christie misses two point layup | Â |
| 1:50 | | Â | Pharrel Payne offensive rebound | Â |
| 1:43 | | Â | Felix Okpara blocks Pharrel Payne's two point layup | Â |
| 1:41 | | Â | Zed Key defensive rebound | Â |
| 1:29 | | Â | Jamison Battle misses three point jump shot | Â |
| 1:27 | | Â | Pharrel Payne defensive rebound | Â |
| 1:21 | | Â | Roddy Gayle Jr. personal foul | Â |
| 1:12 | | +2 | Cam Christie makes two point jump shot | 24-42 |
| 0:54 | | Â | Zed Key turnover (Pharrel Payne steals) | Â |
| 0:38 | | Â | Dawson Garcia misses two point jump shot | Â |
| 0:36 | | Â | Joshua Ola-Joseph offensive rebound | Â |
| 0:32 | | +2 | Joshua Ola-Joseph makes two point dunk | 26-42 |
| 0:29 | | Â | Buckeyes 30 second timeout | Â |
| 0:06 | | Â | Devin Royal misses two point layup | Â |
| 0:04 | | Â | Joshua Ola-Joseph defensive rebound | Â |
| 0:00 | | +2 | Pharrel Payne makes two point dunk (Elijah Hawkins assists) | 28-42 |
| 0:00 | | Â | End of period | Â |