Sensebaugh scores 27 as Buckeyes rip Iowa

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Brice Sensabaugh dropped a season-high 27 points to help the Ohio State Buckeyes end a five-game losing streak and beat the Iowa Hawkeyes 93-77 on Saturday.

The freshman standout was 10-of-12 shooting, including 4 of 5 from 3-point range

Isaac Likekele scored a season-high 18 points with 10 rebounds and seven assists for Ohio State (11-8, 3-5 Big Ten Conference) and Zed Key added 11 points and nine rebounds. Justice Sueing and Sean McNeil both scored 10 points.

Kris Murray drained four 3-pointers to finish with 22 points to lead Iowa (12-7, 4-4), which had its four-game winning streak snapped. Filip Rebraca added 15 points and Ahron Ulis 12.

McNeil buried back-to-back 3-pointers during a 12-0 run to put the Buckeyes up 25-15 midway through the first half but the Hawkeyes were able to overcome the run, pulling to within 37-35 with 3:06 to go.

Things cooled off from that point on, as Iowa missed its last three shots of the half and Ohio State its last four. Both teams had three turnovers a piece in the final 4:05.

the Hawkeyes had no answer to an early 9-0 run by Ohio State early in the second half.

But the Hawkeyes had no answer for a 10-0 run by the Buckeyes to begin the second half, as Likekele had a pair of layups and Sensabaugh hit a three-point play to put the Buckeyes on top 49-39 with 16:20 to play.

The teams exchanged baskets for while until Sensabaugh nailed a 3-pointer and two buckets by Key for an 8-0 run to balloon Ohio State's lead to 79-63 with 5:43 to play.

Key appeared to injure his leg on a dunk that closed out the scoring in the final minute.

Iowa finished 7 of 15 from 3-point range and shot 48% in the second half but couldn’t keep up with the Buckeyes, who shot 65% (22 of 34) and out-rebounded the Hawkeyes 21-10 in the second half.

Ohio State travels to Champaign to face the Illinois Fightin' Illini on Tuesday.

FG FT Reb

IOWA Min M-A M-A O-T A PF PTS

Murray 35 9-19 0-0 2-7 4 2 22

Rebraca 32 5-7 5-6 1-3 2 2 15

Perkins 29 2-7 4-5 2-6 1 2 8

Ulis 28 4-9 3-3 1-2 2 1 12

C.McCaffery 28 2-7 0-0 0-2 2 4 6

Sandfort 20 2-7 0-0 0-3 1 2 6

Dix 15 2-3 0-0 0-1 1 1 6

Bowen 9 0-0 0-0 0-0 2 2 0

Mulvey 5 1-1 0-0 1-1 0 1 2

Totals 200 27-60 12-14 7-25 15 17 77

Percentages: FG .450, FT .857.

3-Point Goals: 11-24, .458 (Murray 4-9, Dix 2-3, Sandfort 2-4, C.McCaffery 2-5, Ulis 1-3). Team Rebounds: 4.

Team Turnovers: None.

Blocked Shots: 1 (Mulvey).

Turnovers: 14 (Rebraca 4, Ulis 4, Bowen 2, Murray 2, Dix, Perkins).

Steals: 6 (Sandfort 2, Ulis 2, C.McCaffery, Perkins).

Technical Fouls: None.

FG FT Reb

OHIO ST. Min M-A M-A O-T A PF PTS

Key 28 4-10 3-4 2-9 1 1 11

Sensabaugh 27 10-12 3-3 2-5 1 3 27

Gayle 17 4-7 1-1 0-2 0 4 9

Likekele 32 7-12 3-5 2-10 7 3 18

Thornton 15 0-4 0-0 0-0 2 0 0

Sueing 29 4-9 1-2 1-2 2 0 10

McNeil 24 4-5 0-0 1-2 2 2 10

Holden 17 0-1 2-2 0-1 0 1 2

Okpara 12 3-4 0-0 2-2 0 3 6

Totals 200 36-64 13-17 10-33 15 17 93

Percentages: FG .563, FT .765.

3-Point Goals: 8-16, .500 (Sensabaugh 4-5, McNeil 2-2, Likekele 1-1, Sueing 1-4, Gayle 0-1, Thornton 0-3).

Team Rebounds: 3.

Team Turnovers: None.

Blocked Shots: 3 (Okpara 3).

Turnovers: 11 (Sensabaugh 5, Sueing 2, Holden, Key, Likekele, McNeil).

Steals: 7 (Holden 3, Key 2, Sensabaugh, Sueing).

Technical Fouls: None.

Iowa 35 42 = 77

Ohio St. 37 56 = 93

A–13,630 (18,809).