Sophomore forward Aaron Bradshaw (4) shoots a free throw during the Youngstown State game on Monday. The Buckeyes beat the Penguins 81-47 at the Schottenstein Center. Credit: Carly Damon | Asst. Photo Editor
Youngstown State’s 7-foot-3 center Gabe Dynes opened the game with a two-handed slam 16 seconds in.
The Penguins led for the next 20 seconds but that was it; the rest was all Ohio State.
No. 21 Ohio State (2-0) dominated Youngstown State (1-1) 81-47 in their home opener Monday at Value City Arena as five Buckeyes scored in double figures.
Ohio State held the Penguins to 23.7% from the field and 3-for-22 from three. While on the offensive side, the Buckeyes’ three-ball stayed hot, shooting 10-for-22 from beyond the arc.
Forward Aaron Bradshaw and guard John Mobley Jr. led the Buckeyes in the scoring column with 16 points apiece.
“I think it started on the glass. He [Bradshaw] was active on both sides of the ball,” head coach Jake Diebler said. “What’s been really impressive about him [Mobley] is how our team has embraced what he can do for us, and that takes a great deal of maturity, because clearly, he’s out there playing confident and free.”
After Dynes’ slam, the Buckeyes scored the game’s next 12 points over the next six minutes to jump out to a 12-2 lead.
Ohio State’s defense closed the last 6:13 of the first half on a strong note, holding the Penguins to just two points on 1-of-11 shooting.
The Buckeyes held a 37-22 lead into the break as Bradshaw led the team with nine points on 3 of 5 from the field.
Coming out of the half, Bradshaw got the scoring going for Ohio State with a layup. He tallied six of The Buckeyes’ first nine points of the second frame.
“It just gets real competitive because I’m a competitor. I like to win,” Bradshaw said. “So my main goal is to win, regardless of me scoring, me blocking the shot or me rebounding whatever I got to do for this team I do.”
Ohio State’s defense didn’t let Youngstown State get into an offensive rhythm. The biggest run from the Penguins was just five, nearly halfway through the second half.
A big lead gave four Buckeyes, including center Ivan Njegovan, guard Colby Baumann, guard Braylen Nash and guard Colin White, a chance to make their season debuts.
But none had a highlight play like Nash, who drilled a 3-pointer with 46 seconds to go, sending his teammates into a frenzy and tallying his first collegiate points.
Diebler said that while the back-end of their bench may not light up the stat sheet, what they do behind the scenes is pivotal to the program.
“The impact they have on our team and what they do in practice for us is really, really important,” Diebler said. “I love when those guys can go in and get some success.”
The next game for Diebler’s squad is a top-25 matchup. The Buckeyes will travel to Reed Arena in College Station, Texas, to take on the No. 23 Texas A&M Aggies.
