Graduate guard Isaac Likekele (13) attempts a layup during the first half of Ohio State’s game Saturday against Indiana at Assembly Hall. Ohio State lost 86-70. Credit: Casey Smith | Lantern TV Sports Producer
The end of the first half did the Buckeyes in as shots, and victories, continue to evade Ohio State of late.
Ohio State (11-10, 3-7 Big Ten) fell 86-70 in Bloomington, Indiana, as the Hoosiers handed the Buckeyes their second-consecutive loss and seventh in the past eight games.
Trailing 31-30 after junior forward Zed Key made a free throw with 5:05 left in the first half, the Hoosiers (15-6, 6-4 Big Ten) raced ahead as senior forward Trayce Jackson-Davis scored six points during a 15-0 Indiana run.
Ohio State closed the first half without a point, missing its final seven shots and three free throw attempts.
Indiana freshman guard Jalen Hood-Schifino scored 20 of his 24 total points in the first half. The Hoosiers outrebounded the Buckeyes 39-33, grabbing 15 on the offensive glass for the most allowed in seven games, and turned it over nine times, the fewest Ohio State has forced in five games.
Ohio State began favorably, leading by as many as seven points through the first three-plus minutes 9-2. Freshman forward Brice Sensabaugh had 10 points midway through the opening period, but Hood-Schifino, Jackson-Davis and the Hoosiers held firm.
Graduate guard Sean McNeil scored six-straight Buckeyes points as both teams knotted at 29 with 5:37 left in the first half.
A dunk by Jackson-Davis followed, and Ohio State fell scoreless for more than the final five minutes of the first half, going 0-of-7 from the field while Indiana finished the first half on a 15-0 run and led 46-30 at halftime.
Indiana head coach Mike Woodson returned to the sideline after missing Wednesday’s game due to COVID, leading the Hoosiers to their fifth game in a row. Jackson-Davis finished with 18 points and freshman forward Malik Reneau totaled 15, and Indiana shot 50 percent from the field.
Ohio State shot 26 percent from 3-point range, its worst outing since posting a 23.1 percent clip against Duke in November. It went 43 percent from the field.
Sensabaugh finished with 23 points, Key had 12 and McNeil scored nine points and went 0-of-5 from distance. Ohio State shot below 76.5 percent from the free throw line for the fourth-consecutive game.
Ohio State will return to Columbus Wednesday and match up with Wisconsin before a rivalry road meeting at Michigan next Sunday. The Buckeyes and Badgers will tip off at 7 p.m. on FS1.
