The Ohio State Buckeyes kicked off their season with an 80-72 neutral-court win over the then-No. 19 Texas Longhorns on Monday, November 4.
They then went home to Schottenstein Center in Columbus and battled Youngstown State Monday. Ohio State remained undefeated, beating the Penguins 81-47. It covered the closing 18.5-point spread in the win.
Ohio State was led by Bruce Thornton and some torrid three-point shooting against Texas, and the key contributors changed up a bit in its second battle, although it did sustain its three-point onslaught, shooting over 40% from deep.
This time around, it was center Aaron Bradshaw, who scored 16 points and hauled down eight rebounds. Freshman Juni Mobley Jr. nailed 3-of-4 triples and ended with 16 points as well.
It was a full team effort as four of the Buckeyes’ five players ended in double figures.
The best thing about 2️⃣ – 0️⃣….#Team126 | #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/1WWr7KAGkS
— Ohio State Hoops (@OhioStateHoops) November 12, 2024
Bradshaw finally started to get involved is the key takeaway as he ended with a triple and five made free throws. He also had a team-high two blocks. The Kentucky transfer, a former five-star recruit, struggled to open the season.
This should propel him moving forward, and it’ll be a key storyline to follow as the season progresses. Having a big man capable of putting up double figures consistently will be impactful for Ohio State.
Next up, the Buckeyes will face the No. 23 Texas A&M Aggies on Friday.