Field Level Media
Dec 2, 2020
E.J. Liddell led five Ohio State scorers in double figures when the No. 23 Buckeyes defeated Morehead State 77-44 in Columbus on Wednesday.
Liddell had 12 first-half points as the Buckeyes (3-0) took a 37-27 halftime lead on the Eagles (1-3).
Duane Washington Jr., Justice Sueing and C.J. Walker each had 11 points and Kyle Young had 10 and nine rebounds.
Skyelar Potter scored 13 and DeVon Cooper 11 for Morehead State.
Morehead State stayed close coming out of halftime but could not hang with the Buckeyes. After Cooper made a pair of free throws to pull the Eagles to within 37-29, Ohio State went on a 7-0 run for its largest lead at that point, 44-29.
The Buckeyes later made three straight field goals en route to seven straight points to put the game away at 65-42 with 5:04 to play.
The Eagles made 1 of 21 shots in the final eight minutes of the game when they were outscored 19-2.
Morehouse State continued its tough nonconference schedule. Their previous losses were to Richmond and Kentucky.
Liddell scored six of his 12 points during a stretch when Ohio State extended its lead from 10 to 37-24 with just over a minute to play in the first half.
He hit a jumper to make it 30-18 and after the Eagles got to within 33-24, Liddell made a pair of free throws and scored off an offensive rebound to go ahead by 13. Julius Dixon nailed a 3 with 14 seconds left in the half for Morehead State.
Both teams made all their free throws in the first half, but the difference was that Ohio State was more aggressive in going to the hoop, resulting in a 10-4 advantage from the foul line.
The Buckeyes host Alabama A&M on Saturday. Morehead State plays at Eastern Kentucky on Monday.
--Field Level Media