Field Level Media
Nov 20, 2018
Kyle Young scored six points during a 12-0 run in the second half to lift No. 23 Ohio State to a 68-50 victory over stubborn Samford on Tuesday at Columbus, Ohio.
The Buckeyes trailed 35-29 early in the second half but tied it at 38 before taking a 50-38 lead with 8:40 left as Young scored the final six points for his only points of the game.
Kaleb Wesson tied his career high with 19 points, and Keyshawn Woods had 14 points for the Buckeyes (5-0).
Myron Gordon had 18 points for Samford (5-1). He pushed the Bulldogs to a 32-29 halftime lead by scoring 16 points, hitting 6 of 8 floor shots, to easily surpass his 11.4 points per game season average.
He didn't score in the second half until his layup with 5:17 left cut Ohio State's lead to 56-48.
The first half was a game of runs. Samford led 11-4 before the Buckeyes scored seven straight on their way to taking their first lead, 16-15, on a 3-pointer by Luther Muhammad.
Samford used a 7-0 stretch for a 22-18 lead. With the Bulldogs up 28-27, Gordon scored their final four points going into the break.
C.J. Jackson was the only holdover starter for Ohio State from the 89-61 win against South Carolina State on Sunday. Coach Chris Holtmann said Andre Wesson, Kaleb Wesson, Young and Muhammad were late to game-day preparations.
Kaleb Wesson and Muhammad entered at the 2:26 mark, and the others eventually played.
The Bulldogs entered the game allowing opponents to hit 35.3 percent of their shots. Ohio State shot 44.2 percent. The Buckeyes were 19 of 28 from the free-throw line while Samford was 4 for 5.
Samford's 73-60 win vs. Cleveland State on Sunday gave the Bulldogs their best start since the 1996-97 season when they went 19-9.
The Buckeyes hold a 3-0 series lead, with the last meeting almost a decade ago when OSU won 59-22 on Nov. 29, 2008, in Columbus.
Samford plays Friday at Purdue Fort Wayne. The Buckeyes on Friday host Cleveland State at St. John Arena, their on-campus home from the 1956-57 season through 1997-98.
--Field Level Media