COLUMBUS, Ohio — Devin Royal showcased a stellar performance by scoring 16 of his career-best 22 points in the second half, while Bruce Thornton matched him with 22 points as Ohio State secured an 80-66 victory over Rutgers on Saturday.

Micah Parrish contributed 12 points for the Buckeyes, improving their record to 6-3 and 1-1 in the Big Ten Conference. This win came as a much-needed response following their disappointing conference opener against Maryland, where they trailed 50-14 at halftime before ultimately losing by 24 points.

Dylan Harper was the standout for the Scarlet Knights, leading his team with 18 points. Ace Bailey chipped in with 12 points, while Emmanuel Ogbole added 10.

Thornton played a key role in ensuring a stronger initial half for the Buckeyes, going 6 for 7 from the field, including two successful three-point attempts that resulted in him scoring 14 points and giving Ohio State a 39-31 lead at halftime.

The game saw a total of seven lead changes before Thornton’s three-pointer pushed Ohio State to a 20-18 advantage. Although Ogbole managed to tie it up for Rutgers with a dunk, the Buckeyes responded with an 11-3 surge, highlighted by Thornton’s jumper that put the score at 31-23.

Ohio State exhibited impressive shooting, finishing at 57% (17 of 30) in the first half compared to Rutgers’ 37% (11 of 30). Both teams made four three-pointers.

As the second half unfolded, Bailey hit two successive jumpers, narrowing the lead to just four points for Rutgers. Royal then scored four consecutive points for Ohio State, and following a dunk from Thornton, he tallied 14 straight points for his team. Parrish capped off this streak with a layup, extending Ohio State’s lead to 63-53 with nine minutes remaining.

With just over five minutes left, Ohio State executed an 11-3 run that solidified their lead in double digits for the remainder of the contest.

Overall, Ohio State finished the game with a 55% shooting percentage while dominating in the paint with 46 points compared to just 18 for Rutgers.

Rutgers will head back home for their next conference matchup against Penn State on Tuesday, while Ohio State will have a break before facing No. 2 Auburn in Atlanta.