Aaron Bradshaw and John Mobley Jr. each contributed 16 points, leading a strong offensive performance from No. 21 Ohio State as they steamrolled Youngstown State 81-47 in a decisive victory on Monday evening.
The Buckeyes showcased an impressive defensive effort, limiting Youngstown State—who fielded a largely new roster—to a mere 24% shooting accuracy.
Ohio State ended the game with a shooting percentage of 55%. In addition to Bradshaw and Mobley, Bruce Thornton weighed in with 12 points, while Meechie Johnson Jr. tallied 11 points, including three successful three-pointers. Sean Stewart also reached double digits, adding 10 points to the scoreline.
Bradshaw shot 5-of-8 from the field and grabbed eight rebounds, while Mobley excelled from long range, making 3-of-4 attempts beyond the arc. As a team, the Buckeyes managed to sink 46% of their three-point attempts.
Cris Carroll led the Penguins with 10 points and seven rebounds. Teammates Ty Harper and towering 7-foot-3 Gabe Dynes each chipped in with nine points as well.
Youngstown State momentarily cut Ohio State’s lead to 10 points during the first half, but the Buckeyes maintained control, steadily widening the gap throughout the second half. By the game’s conclusion, all of Ohio State’s starters were sidelined on the bench.
In terms of takeaways from the game, Youngstown State is experiencing significant changes after losing much of their scoring talent as well as their former coach from last season’s 22-10 campaign. New head coach Ethan Faulkner is working to integrate a roster full of newcomers.
For Ohio State, their appearance in the AP Top 25 was confirmed just hours before this match, as they entered the rankings following a win over then-No. 19 Texas in their season opener.
A pivotal moment occurred early in the contest when Youngstown State took a brief 2-0 lead. Bradshaw responded with a dunk followed by a three-pointer, igniting a 12-0 run for the Buckeyes, who led the game from that point onward.
A key statistic from the game reveals that Ohio State has scored at least 80 points in both of their initial contests this season.
Looking ahead, Youngstown State is scheduled to play against Syracuse on Saturday, while Ohio State will face off against No. 23 Texas A&M on Friday night.