Michigan State freshman forward Jaxon Kohler (0) and freshman center Felix Okpara (34) watch on during the Ohio State-Michigan State game in East Lansing, Michigan, on Saturday. Ohio State lost 84-78. Credit: Gabe Burggraf | Assistant LTV Sports Producer
The Buckeyes couldn’t finish the regular season on a winning note.
Freshman forward Brice Sensabaugh led the Buckeyes with 21 points in their 84-78 loss Saturday at Michigan State, and Ohio State (13-18, 5-15 Big Ten) will now look ahead to the conference tournament, which begins Wednesday and will feature the Buckeyes as the No. 13 seed.
Sensabaugh sank back-to-back 3-pointers in the opening two minutes of the second half to pull the Buckeyes within 45-40.
Michigan State (19-11, 11-8 Big Ten) stretched its lead back to double digits after junior guard A.J. Hoggard made a layup, then freshman guard Bruce Thornton hit a 3-pointer, and Spartans senior guard Tyson Walker took a transition score to the basket over a 9-2 run, giving them a 61-49 lead with 12:36 remaining.
Thornton and the Buckeyes used a 15-6 run over the next six-plus minutes to draw nearer, and his 3-pointer with 5:40 to go made the game 67-64.
Ohio State made one of its next four field goal attempts over the next four minutes as the Spartans attacked down low, seeing Walker, Hoggard and graduate forward Joey Hauser making layups and going 3-of-4 at the free throw line.
Redshirt senior forward Justice Sueing made a jumper inside the paint and Sensabaugh knocked down a bucket of his own to bring the Buckeyes within five points as 49 seconds remained.
Sensabaugh’s final 3-point effort came with 10 seconds left, and Hoggard went 1-of-2 at the line to ice the game 84-78 as the final 5 seconds ticked down to the buzzer.
Hauser chipped in with 16 points and Walker totaled 15. Spartans sophomore guard Jaden Akins added 13 points on 3-of-4 shooting from long range.
Thornton scored 20 points for the second time in the past three games, setting a new career best from 3 as he went 4-of-8.
The first half set Ohio State behind as its early 4-2 lead in the first minute disappeared after a 15-0 Michigan State run, seeing Hoggard score five of his game-high 23 points over the next 5:19.
Freshman center Felix Okpara broke the scoreless span with a jumper, and the Buckeyes chipped away at a deficit that once was as large as 13 points.
Graduate guard Sean McNeil made a 3-pointer to make it 25-21 with 6:39 to go, but the Spartans’ success from distance kept space between them and the Buckeyes. Michigan State shot 8-of-14 from 3-point range in the first half, taking a 43-34 lead into halftime behind 57 percent shooting from the floor compared to Ohio State’s 44 percent.
After the final whistle, Ohio State shot 48 percent from the field to Michigan State’s 55 percent. Both teams grabbed 29 rebounds, and the Spartans 23 points on fastbreak attempts edged Ohio State’s nine as they also had 17 assists, most allowed by the Buckeyes in five games.
The Buckeyes’ next opponent, which is yet to be determined, will present the first challenge in the Big Ten Tournament starting Wednesday at the United Center in Chicago. Ohio State will play the No. 12 seed at 6:30 p.m. on Big Ten Network.
