Joey Hauser scored 22 points to help Michigan State defeat Ohio State 62-41 in Big Ten play on Sunday in Columbus, Ohio, to send the Buckeyes to their sixth straight loss.
Tyson Walker added 10 points while Jaden Akins had eight points and nine rebounds for the Spartans (16-9, 8-6 Big Ten).
Sean McNeil scored 10 points for the Buckeyes (11-14, 3-11), who have lost 11 of their past 12 games. The six-game losing streak is the program’s longest since dropping 17 straight during the 1997-98 season.
Brice Sensabaugh, Ohio State’s leading scorer, started for the first time in three games and had eight points on 3-of-14 shooting from the floor.
Ohio State trailed by 15 in the opening minute of the second half but over the next eight minutes whittled the deficit to 38-33. The Spartans responded to go ahead 51-35 thanks to an 10-0 run capped by A.J. Hoggard’s jumper and increased the lead from there, finishing with a 21-4 run.
It took a while but Michigan State finally took advantage of the stumbling Buckeyes to forge an ugly 27-14 halftime advantage, led by Hauser’s nine points.
Ohio State’s total was its fewest in a half since scoring nine points against the Spartans on Feb. 7, 1996.
It was a typical Big Ten dogfight from the onset with neither team able to create a rhythm or put quality possessions together.
With 8:48 left in the half they had combined for six made field goals and 11 turnovers, seven by the Buckeyes, with Michigan State leading 9-7.
A McNeil bucket tied it 9-9 before the wheels fell off for the Buckeyes, who were outscored 18-5 going into the break, including a 13-0 run by Michigan State when Ohio State missed 10 consecutive shots.
The Buckeyes went 7:14 without a point until a Roddy Gayle Jr. 3-pointer with five seconds left. For the half, Ohio State shot 19.2 percent (5 of 26) and was 3 of 15 (20.0 percent) on 3-pointers.
–Field Level Media
