Gayle leads Ohio State past Rutgers 73-51 in regular-season finale
PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) Roddy Gayle Jr. scored 14 points and Ohio State never trailed in a 73-51 romp over Rutgers on Sunday to close out the Big Ten Conference regular season.
Gayle made 6 of 11 shots with two 3-pointers for the Buckeyes (19-12, 9-11), adding five rebounds. Bruce Thornton totaled 11 points, six assists and five rebounds. Felix Okpara and Jamison Battle both scored 10 with Okpara grabbing eight boards.
Aundre Hyatt led Rutgers with 11 points. Clifford Omoruyi finished with 10 points and seven rebounds before fouling out with 7:12 remaining in his final home game for the Scarlet Knights (15-16, 7-13). Rutgers has lost three in a row and six of its last seven heading into the conference tournament that begins on Wednesday.
Battle and Gayle buried 3-pointers to begin the game as Ohio State jumped out to an 11-1 lead. Thornton and Okpara had back-to-back baskets and the Buckeyes lead was still 10 at 25-15 with 5:18 remaining. Omoruyi had a three-point play and hit two free throws and Hyatt's layup closed out a 13-5 run to get the Scarlet Knights within 30-28 at halftime.
Rutgers trailed 36-33 after Omoruyi made the second of two foul shots with 15:44 remaining. Battle answered with a 3-pointer, Gayle added a layup and a 3-pointer and Ohio State led 44-33. Thornton and Scotty Middleton sank back-to-back shots from beyond the arc and the Buckeyes took their biggest lead to that point, 52-35 with 9:09 left.
Ohio State's lead grew as big as 27 as the Buckeyes sank half of their 48 shots from the floor, including 9 of 20 from 3-point distance.
Rutgers shot 27.3% on its home floor (15 for 55) and made just 4 of 18 from distance.
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| Time | Team | Play | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20:00 |  | Â | Felix Okpara vs. Clifford Omoruyi (Noah Fernandes gains possession) | Â |
| 19:47 | | Â | Aundre Hyatt turnover (bad pass) (Felix Okpara steals) | Â |
| 20:00 | | Â | Felix Okpara vs. Clifford Omoruyi (Noah Fernandes gains possession) | Â |
| 19:47 | | Â | Aundre Hyatt turnover (bad pass) (Felix Okpara steals) | Â |
| 19:34 |  | +3 | Jamison Battle makes three point jump shot (Evan Mahaffey assists) | 3-0 |
| 19:09 | | Â | Oskar Palmquist misses three point jump shot | Â |
| 19:07 | | Â | Aundre Hyatt offensive rebound | Â |
| 19:04 | | Â | Austin Williams misses three point jump shot | Â |
| 19:02 | | Â | Felix Okpara defensive rebound | Â |
| 18:45 | | +3 | Roddy Gayle Jr. makes three point jump shot | 6-0 |
| 18:15 | | Â | Noah Fernandes misses two point jump shot | Â |
| 18:13 | | Â | Buckeyes defensive rebound | Â |
| 18:00 | | Â | Devin Royal turnover (traveling) | Â |
| 17:48 | | Â | Felix Okpara blocks Clifford Omoruyi's two point layup | Â |
| 17:46 | | Â | Felix Okpara defensive rebound | Â |
| 17:44 | | Â | Clifford Omoruyi personal foul | Â |
| 17:31 | | Â | Roddy Gayle Jr. turnover (bad pass) | Â |
| 17:22 | | Â | Clifford Omoruyi offensive foul | Â |
| 17:22 | | Â | Clifford Omoruyi turnover (offensive foul) | Â |
| 17:02 | | Â | Jamison Battle misses three point jump shot | Â |
| 17:00 | | Â | Felix Okpara offensive rebound | Â |
| 16:57 | | +2 | Felix Okpara makes two point layup | 8-0 |
| 16:56 | | Â | Noah Fernandes shooting foul (Felix Okpara draws the foul) | Â |
| 16:56 | | Â | Felix Okpara misses regular free throw 1 of 1 | Â |
| 16:56 | | Â | Antwone Woolfolk defensive rebound | Â |
| 16:36 | | Â | Devin Royal shooting foul (Aundre Hyatt draws the foul) | Â |
| 16:36 | | +1 | Aundre Hyatt makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 8-1 |
| 16:36 | | Â | Aundre Hyatt misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | Â |
| 16:36 | | Â | Felix Okpara defensive rebound | Â |
| 16:12 | | Â | Roddy Gayle Jr. misses two point jump shot | Â |
| 16:10 | | Â | Gavin Griffiths defensive rebound | Â |
| 16:01 | | Â | Jamison Battle blocks Gavin Griffiths's two point jump shot | Â |
| 15:57 | | Â | Scarlet Knights offensive rebound | Â |
| 15:57 | | Â | TV timeout | Â |
| 15:52 | | Â | Felix Okpara blocks Derek Simpson's two point layup | Â |
| 15:50 | | Â | Roddy Gayle Jr. defensive rebound | Â |
| 15:41 | | Â | Devin Royal misses three point jump shot | Â |
| 15:39 | | Â | Antwone Woolfolk defensive rebound | Â |
| 15:37 | | Â | Felix Okpara personal foul | Â |
| 15:24 | | Â | Gavin Griffiths misses three point jump shot | Â |
| 15:22 | | Â | Roddy Gayle Jr. defensive rebound | Â |
| 15:13 | | Â | Jeremiah Williams shooting foul (Devin Royal draws the foul) | Â |
| 15:12 | | +1 | Devin Royal makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 9-1 |
| 15:12 | | +1 | Devin Royal makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 10-1 |
| 15:00 | | Â | Zed Key blocks Antwone Woolfolk's two point layup | Â |
| 14:58 | | Â | Bruce Thornton defensive rebound | Â |
| 14:29 | | Â | Devin Royal turnover (traveling) | Â |
| 14:22 | | Â | Derek Simpson misses three point jump shot | Â |
| 14:20 | | Â | Zed Key defensive rebound | Â |
| 14:09 | | Â | Zed Key misses two point jump shot | Â |
| 14:07 | | Â | Gavin Griffiths defensive rebound | Â |
| 13:56 | | Â | Jamichael Davis misses two point jump shot | Â |
| 13:54 | | Â | Scotty Middleton defensive rebound | Â |
| 13:47 | | Â | Gavin Griffiths personal foul | Â |
| 13:47 | | Â | Zed Key misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | Â |
| 13:47 | | +1 | Zed Key makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 11-1 |
| 13:30 | | Â | Jamichael Davis misses three point jump shot | Â |
| 13:28 | | Â | Emmanuel Ogbole offensive rebound | Â |
| 13:26 | | Â | Zed Key personal foul | Â |
| 13:10 | | Â | Dale Bonner shooting foul (Jamichael Davis draws the foul) | Â |
| 13:10 | | +1 | Jamichael Davis makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 11-2 |
| 13:10 | | +1 | Jamichael Davis makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 11-3 |
| 12:54 | | Â | Scotty Middleton turnover (bad pass) | Â |
| 12:38 | | +2 | Emmanuel Ogbole makes two point dunk | 11-5 |
| 12:22 | | Â | Jeremiah Williams personal foul | Â |
| 12:04 | | Â | Dale Bonner misses three point jump shot | Â |
| 12:02 | | Â | Evan Mahaffey offensive rebound | Â |
| 11:56 | | +3 | Taison Chatman makes three point jump shot (Evan Mahaffey assists) | 14-5 |
| 11:38 | | Â | Taison Chatman personal foul | Â |
| 11:38 | | Â | TV timeout | Â |
| 11:24 | | Â | Austin Williams offensive foul | Â |
| 11:24 | | Â | Austin Williams turnover (offensive foul) | Â |
| 10:48 | | Â | Jamichael Davis blocks Bruce Thornton's three point jump shot | Â |
| 10:39 | | Â | Buckeyes turnover | Â |
| 10:39 | | +2 | Emmanuel Ogbole makes two point dunk (Derek Simpson assists) | 14-7 |
| 10:18 | | Â | Bruce Thornton misses two point jump shot | Â |
| 10:16 | | Â | Felix Okpara offensive rebound | Â |
| 10:11 | | +2 | Felix Okpara makes two point layup | 16-7 |
| 10:01 | | Â | Evan Mahaffey personal foul | Â |
| 10:01 | | +1 | Aundre Hyatt makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 16-8 |
| 10:01 | | +1 | Aundre Hyatt makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 16-9 |
| 9:33 | | Â | Bruce Thornton misses two point jump shot | Â |
| 9:31 | | Â | Scarlet Knights defensive rebound | Â |
| 9:12 | | Â | Jamison Battle blocks Austin Williams's two point layup | Â |
| 9:10 | | Â | Evan Mahaffey defensive rebound | Â |
| 8:57 | | Â | Felix Okpara misses three point jump shot | Â |
| 8:55 | | Â | Austin Williams defensive rebound | Â |
| 8:33 | | +3 | Aundre Hyatt makes three point jump shot (Austin Williams assists) | 16-12 |
| 8:21 | | Â | Jamichael Davis personal foul | Â |
| 8:21 | | +1 | Bruce Thornton makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 17-12 |
| 8:21 | | +1 | Bruce Thornton makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 18-12 |
| 8:03 | | Â | Gavin Griffiths misses three point jump shot | Â |
| 8:01 | | Â | Emmanuel Ogbole offensive rebound | Â |
| 7:57 | | Â | Devin Royal personal foul | Â |
| 7:57 | | Â | TV timeout | Â |
| 7:57 | | Â | Emmanuel Ogbole misses regular free throw 1 of 1 | Â |
| 7:57 | | Â | Scotty Middleton defensive rebound | Â |
| 7:42 | | +3 | Dale Bonner makes three point jump shot (Bruce Thornton assists) | 21-12 |
| 7:14 | | Â | Aundre Hyatt misses two point jump shot | Â |
| 7:12 | | Â | Dale Bonner defensive rebound | Â |
| 7:04 | | Â | Dale Bonner turnover (Noah Fernandes steals) | Â |
| 6:44 | | Â | Aundre Hyatt misses two point layup | Â |
| 6:42 | | Â | Felix Okpara defensive rebound | Â |
| 6:31 | | Â | Bruce Thornton turnover | Â |
| 6:13 | | +3 | Noah Fernandes makes three point jump shot | 21-15 |
| 5:54 | | +2 | Bruce Thornton makes two point jump shot | 23-15 |
| 5:36 | | Â | Jeremiah Williams misses two point jump shot | Â |
| 5:34 | | Â | Scotty Middleton defensive rebound | Â |
| 5:25 | | +2 | Felix Okpara makes two point layup (Bruce Thornton assists) | 25-15 |
| 5:01 | | Â | Jeremiah Williams turnover (lost ball) (Bruce Thornton steals) | Â |
| 4:52 | | Â | Dale Bonner misses three point jump shot | Â |
| 4:50 | | Â | Clifford Omoruyi defensive rebound | Â |
| 4:25 | | +2 | Jeremiah Williams makes two point jump shot | 25-17 |
| 4:02 | | Â | Bruce Thornton turnover (bad pass) (Jeremiah Williams steals) | Â |
| 3:53 | | Â | Aundre Hyatt misses three point jump shot | Â |
| 3:51 | | Â | Gavin Griffiths offensive rebound | Â |
| 3:48 | | +2 | Clifford Omoruyi makes two point layup (Gavin Griffiths assists) | 25-19 |
| 3:48 | | Â | Bruce Thornton shooting foul (Clifford Omoruyi draws the foul) | Â |
| 3:48 | | Â | TV timeout | Â |
| 3:48 | | +1 | Clifford Omoruyi makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 25-20 |
| 3:31 | | Â | Emmanuel Ogbole personal foul | Â |
| 3:31 | | +1 | Bruce Thornton makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 26-20 |
| 3:31 | | +1 | Bruce Thornton makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 27-20 |
| 3:17 | | Â | Jamichael Davis turnover (bad pass) (Bruce Thornton steals) | Â |
| 3:10 | | +2 | Roddy Gayle Jr. makes two point jump shot (Jamison Battle assists) | 29-20 |
| 2:53 | | +2 | Jamichael Davis makes two point layup | 29-22 |
| 2:32 | | Â | Zed Key misses two point layup | Â |
| 2:30 | | Â | Clifford Omoruyi defensive rebound | Â |
| 2:23 | | +2 | Gavin Griffiths makes two point layup | 29-24 |
| 2:10 | | Â | Emmanuel Ogbole personal foul | Â |
| 2:10 | | +1 | Zed Key makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 30-24 |
| 2:10 | | Â | Zed Key misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | Â |
| 2:10 | | Â | Clifford Omoruyi defensive rebound | Â |
| 1:53 | | Â | Roddy Gayle Jr. personal foul | Â |
| 1:53 | | +1 | Clifford Omoruyi makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 30-25 |
| 1:53 | | +1 | Clifford Omoruyi makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 30-26 |
| 1:45 | | Â | Emmanuel Ogbole blocks Roddy Gayle Jr.'s two point layup | Â |
| 1:43 | | Â | Felix Okpara offensive rebound | Â |
| 1:26 | | Â | Bruce Thornton turnover (lost ball) (Jamichael Davis steals) | Â |
| 1:21 | | Â | Gavin Griffiths misses two point layup | Â |
| 1:19 | | Â | Dale Bonner defensive rebound | Â |
| 0:59 | | Â | Dale Bonner misses two point jump shot | Â |
| 0:57 | | Â | Jamichael Davis defensive rebound | Â |
| 0:46 | | Â | Scarlet Knights 30 second timeout | Â |
| 0:22 | | Â | Noah Fernandes misses three point jump shot | Â |
| 0:20 | | Â | Aundre Hyatt offensive rebound | Â |
| 0:18 | | Â | Aundre Hyatt misses two point layup | Â |
| 0:16 | | Â | Aundre Hyatt offensive rebound | Â |
| 0:13 | | +2 | Aundre Hyatt makes two point layup | 30-28 |
| 0:13 | | Â | Buckeyes 30 second timeout | Â |
| 0:00 | | Â | End of period | Â |