COLUMBUS, Ohio — Devin Royal delivered an exceptional performance, scoring a career-high 31 points and securing 15 rebounds as Ohio State decisively defeated Valparaiso 95-73 on Tuesday night.

Royal shot an impressive 11-for-16 from the field, though he struggled from the three-point range, making only 1 of his 4 attempts. He excelled at the free-throw line, converting 8 out of 9 shots. Just ten days prior, Royal had scored 22 points in a game against Rutgers, while he previously set a rebounding record of 12 during a matchup with Evansville on November 19.

Evan Mahaffey also contributed significantly off the bench, making all six of his shots for a total of 15 points. Both Micah Parrish and Bruce Thornton chipped in with 14 points each. Ohio State played without Meechie Johnson, who is currently on a personal leave.

While the Buckeyes (7-4) managed a modest 31.6% on three-pointers, converting 6 of 19 attempts, they were highly efficient overall, shooting 54.1% with 33 of 61 shots hitting their mark.

For Valparaiso, Wright led the scoring with 22 points, while teammates Jefferson De La Cruz Monegro and Cooper Schwieger each added 16 points. The Beacons (5-5) struggled offensively, shooting only 35.8% from the field, making 24 of 67 attempts.

Ohio State took control early in the game when John Mobley Jr. knocked down a three-pointer to give them a 16-14 lead with 11:31 remaining in the first half. Following that, Parrish scored a layup, and Mobley made another three, establishing a lead that they would not relinquish. Royal’s two free throws at the 6:17 mark before halftime allowed the Buckeyes to reach their first double-digit lead at 26-16.

Despite a layup from Devon Ellis that narrowed the gap to 29-24 for Valparaiso, Ohio State responded by outscoring the Beacons 12-6 in the last three minutes of the first half, ending it with a 41-30 lead. The Buckeyes improved their record to 7-1 this season when they lead at halftime.

Ohio State maintained a double-digit lead throughout the second half, with a layup by Sean Stewart extending the advantage to 84-54 with just over five minutes remaining in the game.

Valparaiso will head to Western Michigan for their next matchup on Friday, while Ohio State prepares to host No. 4 Kentucky on Saturday.