E.J. Liddell scored 23 points to go over 1,000 points for his career and pulled down a career-high 15 rebounds Thursday as No. 16 Ohio State pulled away from Minnesota for a 75-64 win in Minneapolis.
Kyle Young chipped in 14 points and Zed Key had 12 points and eight boards for the Buckeyes (13-4, 6-2 Big Ten), who have won three in a row heading into a Sunday showdown at No. 6 Purdue.
Malaki Branham added 11 points — all in the first half — for Ohio State, which outrebounded Minnesota by a lopsided 48-22 margin.
The Golden Gophers (11-6, 2-6) lost for the fifth time in six games despite Jamison Battle’s 15 points and Payton Willis’ 12 points and seven assists. Sean Sutherlin also notched 12 points for Minnesota, while Luke Loewe pitched in with 11.
Ohio State led 32-30 at halftime thanks to 11 points from Branham and nine points and nine boards from Liddell.
Neither team led by more than five points during the first half, although the Buckeyes began to create some separation early in the second stanza. Justin Ahrens’ 3-pointer and Liddell’s three-point play increased the visitors’ lead to 38-30, and Young’s hook shot with 14:20 remaining gave Ohio State its first double-digit lead, 48-37.
Battle’s 3-pointer drew the hosts within 52-46 with just over 11 minutes left, but Key scored four points during a 6-0 mini-burst to restore a double-digit cushion.
Cedric Russell’s 3-pointer with 3:36 remaining pushed the Buckeyes’ lead to 71-57, and two dunks by Liddell in the game’s final 90 seconds erased any hopes of a comeback.
Ohio State finished with 20 offensive rebounds, including eight by Liddell. The Buckeyes also committed just six turnovers, helping to offset 7-of-27 shooting from 3-point range.
Minnesota (8 of 24) wasn’t much better from beyond the arc, but the Gophers committed only two turnovers, both by Charlie Daniels.
–Field Level Media
