Ohio State resumes Big Ten play with convincing win at Northwestern

Northwestern entered Sunday night’s game against Ohio State ranked seventh nationally in KenPom adjusted defensive efficiency. The Wildcats, who were undefeated in December, had kept their previous four opponents under 60 points — something they hadn’t done since 2008-09.

Except, through 15-and-a-half minutes of the first half, Ohio State looked like the defensive juggernaut: a stroke of irony considering that the Buckeyes’ defense has held a deep Ohio State rotation back this season.

The Buckeyes conceded a mere eight points in that span, limiting Northwestern to just 4-of-28 from the floor. Ohio State made it tough for the Wildcats to get inside, and Northwestern — which came in scoring 35.2% of its points from beyond the arc — shot only 3-of-14 from deep in the first half.

Leading scorer Chase Audige missed his first three shots. That was a bad omen for the Wildcats.

Meanwhile, Ohio State veterans Justice Sueing and Sean McNeil combined for 22 points in the opening frame, both converting 4-of-6 field goal attempts. That duo helped the Buckeyes stake themselves to a 34-8 lead in Evanston, and the Wildcats never really recovered amid a 73-57 Ohio State victory.

The teams started a combined 1-of-8. Ohio State (10-3, 2-0 Big Ten) got going soon enough. Northwestern (10-3, 1-1), which was 4-of-18 on layups and 9-of-31 on 3-pointers, didn’t find any kind of groove until the back half of the second period.

Sueing put the wheels of the Buckeyes offense in motion with six quick points, and center Zed Key reeled in five rebounds by the first media timeout.

Six straight Buckeyes field goals paved the way for a 14-3 run that opened the game up, and Ohio State didn’t look back. Head coach Chris Holtmann’s team showcased fluid ball movement, as evidenced by the Buckeyes’ 15 assists. There was one sequence that featured a McNeil bounce pass to Key in the paint, a Key pass to a cutting Isaac Likekele, and a Likekele pass to an open Tanner Holden on the wing — Holden knocked down the 3-pointer to complete the highlight-reel play.

But Ohio State scored off the dribble, too, and in isolation. Brice Sensabaugh — once again the Buckeyes’ leading scorer with 18 points in his fifth straight start — flashed his NBA talent by driving left and creating enough space to get a jumper off from the left block over the 6-foot-9 Tydus Verhoeven.

Check out this move by Ohio State freshman forward Brice Sensabaugh. Doesn't need much space to get this jumper to go from the left block. Uses his elbow to create enough room for him to get a shot off. pic.twitter.com/z8NUrAE1Pm

— Andy Backstrom (@andybackstrom) January 2, 2023

Northwestern at one point went five-and-a-half minutes without a point while Ohio State continued to extend its lead. The Buckeyes kept moving along as Northwestern struggled to reach double digits.

That included McNeil hitting the most impressive of his three 3-pointers, a make from what seemed like the Welsh-Ryan Arena parking lot, not to mention a ferocious two-handed slam by Eugene Brown III.

Sophomore guard Brooks Barnhizer was the spark the Wildcats needed, at least at the end of the first half when he ran the floor and piloted a 9-1 run that made it a 35-17 game at intermission.

Ohio State didn’t get a field goal to fall in the final 5:18 of the opening frame, however, it didn’t waste time reasserting its dominance at the start of the second period.

The Buckeyes kicked off the back half of play with an 11-1 run. Although Barnhizer’s ball handling and passing ability opened things up for Northwestern inside late in the first half, the Wildcats reverted back to their deficiencies in the paint, where they were ultimately outscored, 32-14.

Northwestern’s issues close to the cup can’t be overstated. Forward Robbie Beran and 7-foot center Matthew Nicholson were a combined 1-of-14 from the field.

Northwestern’s offense was mostly reduced to perimeter shooting, and, for most of the night, those shots weren’t landing for the Wildcats.

When they did, Northwestern made the game look respectable. Audige rounded out the contest with 16 points, 10 of which came in the second period. He hit a pair of 3-pointers during a 12-5 Wildcats surge that cut their deficit to 14 points.

Sensabaugh, however, silenced the home crowd. Immediately after Nicholson blocked a Likekele shot against the glass, Sensabaugh collected the loose ball rebound and pulled up for a mid-range jumper. The next possession, he crossed up Beran and netted a 3-pointer.

Also, check out this Sensabaugh crossover 3-pointer. Sweet move by the freshman star. pic.twitter.com/TrVpVwLqpI

— Andy Backstrom (@andybackstrom) January 2, 2023

Those two field goals extinguished any sort of late scare Northwestern offered.

Ohio State gets No. 1 Purdue on Thursday at home. There isn’t a better way to roll into that matchup.

For the first time in years, the Buckeyes have a fully healthy scholarship rotation. They are top-three nationally in KenPom adjusted offensive efficiency, and they just played their best defensive game of the season.