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Thornton, Battle help Ohio State fend off Rutgers 76-72

AP
Jan 04, 2024

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) Bruce Thornton had 24 points, Jamison Battle scored 22 and made six 3-pointers, and Ohio State held off Rutgers 76-72 on Wednesday night.

Thornton sank 9 of 15 shots and added seven assists for the Buckeyes (12-2, 2-1 Big Ten Conference), who have won four in a row while improving to 8-0 all-time at home against the Scarlet Knights (8-5, 0-2). Battle made 8 of 12 shots, including 6 of 9 from 3-point range. Battle, a transfer from Big Ten foe Minnesota, has made 42 shots from beyond the arc, tops in the conference. Roddy Gayle Jr. scored all 11 of his points in the second half and grabbed seven rebounds.

Derek Simpson scored 23 on 9-for-16 shooting with two 3-pointers and eight rebounds for Rutgers. Noah Fernandes had 17 points, while Mawot Mag scored 11. Aundre Hyatt pitched in with nine points and 10 rebounds.

Battle hit his first six shots, five of them from 3-point range, and scored 17, Thornton sank his first five shots with both of his 3-pointers and scored 15 to lead Ohio State to a 45-32 lead at halftime. The Buckeyes shot 53% from the floor and made 9 of 15 from beyond the arc in building the 13-point lead. Simpson had 11 points and Fernandes scored 10 as the pair accounted for all but 11 first-half points for the Scarlet Knights, who trailed by as many as 17.

Gayle's layup gave Ohio State a 58-46 lead with 12:15 remaining. Rutgers whittled away at the lead until back-to-back baskets from Simpson and Mag pulled the Scarlet Knights within 67-66 with 3:20 left.

Evan Mahaffey answered with a jumper for the Buckeyes after Thornton snagged the rebound off his own missed 3-pointer and Gayle followed with a 3-pointer after a Scarlet Knights turnover to push the lead to six. Fernandes and Simpson buried 3-pointers in the final 1:14 for Rutgers, but Thornton and Gayle both went 2 for 2 at the foul line to preserve the victory.

UP NEXT

Ohio State: The Buckeyes travel to play Indiana on Saturday.

Rutgers: The Scarlet Knights stay on the road and face Iowa on Saturday.

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1st Half
RUTG
Scarlet Knights
32
OSU
Buckeyes
45

Time		Play	Score
20:00		(Scarlet Knights gains possession)
19:38		Clifford Omoruyi misses two point layup
19:36		Bruce Thornton defensive rebound
19:31	+2	Bruce Thornton makes two point jump shot	0-2
18:59	+2	Noah Fernandes makes two point jump shot	2-2
18:51	+3	Jamison Battle makes three point jump shot (Bruce Thornton assists)	2-5
18:19	+2	Noah Fernandes makes two point jump shot	4-5
17:58	+3	Jamison Battle makes three point jump shot (Bruce Thornton assists)	4-8
17:36		Derek Simpson turnover (bad pass)
17:13		Bruce Thornton turnover (bad pass)
17:08	+2	Derek Simpson makes two point jump shot	6-8
16:59		Jamison Battle turnover (lost ball) (Derek Simpson steals)
16:56		Bruce Thornton shooting foul (Derek Simpson draws the foul)
16:56	+1	Derek Simpson makes regular free throw 1 of 2	7-8
16:56	+1	Derek Simpson makes regular free throw 2 of 2	8-8
16:45		Roddy Gayle Jr. misses two point jump shot
16:43		Derek Simpson defensive rebound
16:38		Mawot Mag turnover (lost ball) (Felix Okpara steals)
16:38		Jump ball. (Buckeyes gains possession)
16:25		Roddy Gayle Jr. misses two point jump shot
16:23		Roddy Gayle Jr. offensive rebound
16:20		Roddy Gayle Jr. misses two point jump shot
16:18		Aundre Hyatt defensive rebound
15:59		Clifford Omoruyi offensive foul (Roddy Gayle Jr. draws the foul)
15:59		Clifford Omoruyi turnover (offensive foul)
15:59		TV timeout
15:38	+3	Jamison Battle makes three point jump shot (Zed Key assists)	8-11
15:20	+2	Noah Fernandes makes two point jump shot	10-11
15:10		Antwone Woolfolk personal foul
15:03	+2	Bruce Thornton makes two point jump shot	10-13
14:38		Noah Fernandes misses three point jump shot
14:36		Dale Bonner defensive rebound
14:22	+2	Zed Key makes two point hook shot (Dale Bonner assists)	10-15
14:01		Mawot Mag misses three point jump shot
13:59		Dale Bonner defensive rebound
13:52		Dale Bonner misses two point jump shot
13:50		Derek Simpson defensive rebound
13:44	+2	Derek Simpson makes two point jump shot	12-15
13:26	+3	Dale Bonner makes three point jump shot (Roddy Gayle Jr. assists)	12-18
13:05	+3	Derek Simpson makes three point jump shot	15-18
12:34		Zed Key turnover (lost ball)
12:30	+2	Noah Fernandes makes two point layup	17-18
12:13		Gavin Griffiths blocks Dale Bonner's two point jump shot
12:11		Dale Bonner offensive rebound
12:10		Jamichael Davis shooting foul (Bruce Thornton draws the foul)
12:10	+1	Bruce Thornton makes regular free throw 1 of 2	17-19
12:10		Bruce Thornton misses regular free throw 2 of 2
12:10		Clifford Omoruyi defensive rebound
11:53		Gavin Griffiths misses two point jump shot
11:51		Devin Royal defensive rebound
11:46		Bruce Thornton turnover (bad pass) (Clifford Omoruyi steals)
11:38	+3	Gavin Griffiths makes three point jump shot (Derek Simpson assists)	20-19
11:10		Bruce Thornton turnover (traveling)
11:10		TV timeout
10:59		Jamichael Davis misses three point jump shot
10:57		Roddy Gayle Jr. defensive rebound
10:43	+3	Scotty Middleton makes three point jump shot (Roddy Gayle Jr. assists)	20-22
10:25		Jamichael Davis misses two point jump shot
10:23		Dale Bonner defensive rebound
10:04		Felix Okpara misses two point layup
10:02		Felix Okpara offensive rebound
10:00	+2	Felix Okpara makes two point layup	20-24
9:41		Noah Fernandes misses two point layup
9:39		Roddy Gayle Jr. defensive rebound
9:35		Roddy Gayle Jr. misses three point jump shot
9:33		Noah Fernandes defensive rebound
9:31		Noah Fernandes turnover (out of bounds)
9:19		Dale Bonner misses three point jump shot
9:17		Antwone Woolfolk defensive rebound
9:13		Noah Fernandes misses three point jump shot
9:11		Felix Okpara defensive rebound
8:59		Antwone Woolfolk shooting foul (Felix Okpara draws the foul)
8:59	+1	Felix Okpara makes regular free throw 1 of 2	20-25
8:59		Felix Okpara misses regular free throw 2 of 2
8:59		Gavin Griffiths defensive rebound
8:43		Noah Fernandes misses three point jump shot
8:41		Scarlet Knights offensive rebound
8:39		Scarlet Knights turnover (5-second violation)
8:26	+2	Bruce Thornton makes two point jump shot (Felix Okpara assists)	20-27
8:05		Gavin Griffiths misses three point jump shot
8:03		Scotty Middleton defensive rebound
7:52	+3	Jamison Battle makes three point jump shot (Scotty Middleton assists)	20-30
7:49		Scarlet Knights 30 second timeout
7:49		TV timeout
7:36	+2	Derek Simpson makes two point jump shot	22-30
7:27	+3	Bruce Thornton makes three point jump shot (Scotty Middleton assists)	22-33
7:01		Clifford Omoruyi misses two point jump shot
6:59		Jamison Battle defensive rebound
6:39		Zed Key misses two point jump shot
6:37		Aundre Hyatt defensive rebound
6:31		Derek Simpson misses two point jump shot
6:29		Clifford Omoruyi offensive rebound
6:26		Noah Fernandes misses three point jump shot
6:24		Scotty Middleton defensive rebound
5:53		Roddy Gayle Jr. misses two point layup
5:51		Mawot Mag defensive rebound
5:48	+2	Noah Fernandes makes two point layup	24-33
5:18	+3	Bruce Thornton makes three point jump shot (Scotty Middleton assists)	24-36
5:00		Derek Simpson turnover (lost ball) (Bruce Thornton steals)
4:54	+2	Jamison Battle makes two point dunk (Bruce Thornton assists)	24-38
4:37		Mawot Mag misses two point jump shot
4:35		Zed Key defensive rebound
4:14	+3	Jamison Battle makes three point jump shot (Dale Bonner assists)	24-41
3:56		Zed Key personal foul (Clifford Omoruyi draws the foul)
3:56		TV timeout
3:51	+2	Mawot Mag makes two point jump shot	26-41
3:29		Dale Bonner misses two point jump shot
3:27		Clifford Omoruyi defensive rebound
3:15	+2	Aundre Hyatt makes two point jump shot	28-41
2:53		Bruce Thornton misses three point jump shot
2:51		Evan Mahaffey offensive rebound
2:42		Jamison Battle misses three point jump shot
2:40		Clifford Omoruyi defensive rebound
2:23		Clifford Omoruyi turnover (lost ball) (Evan Mahaffey steals)
2:22		Noah Fernandes personal foul (Evan Mahaffey draws the foul)
2:04	+2	Evan Mahaffey makes two point jump shot (Bruce Thornton assists)	28-43
1:51		Mawot Mag misses two point jump shot
1:49		Aundre Hyatt offensive rebound
1:46	+3	Mawot Mag makes three point jump shot (Aundre Hyatt assists)	31-43
1:35		Roddy Gayle Jr. misses three point jump shot
1:33		Noah Fernandes defensive rebound
1:24		Felix Okpara shooting foul (Clifford Omoruyi draws the foul)
1:24	+1	Clifford Omoruyi makes regular free throw 1 of 2	32-43
1:24		Clifford Omoruyi misses regular free throw 2 of 2
1:24		Evan Mahaffey defensive rebound
1:11	+2	Bruce Thornton makes two point jump shot	32-45
0:55		Derek Simpson misses two point jump shot
0:53		Roddy Gayle Jr. defensive rebound
0:53		Buckeyes 30 second timeout
0:27		Jamison Battle misses three point jump shot
0:25		Noah Fernandes defensive rebound
0:09		Roddy Gayle Jr. personal foul (Noah Fernandes draws the foul)
0:06		Dale Bonner personal foul (Noah Fernandes draws the foul)
0:04		Derek Simpson misses three point jump shot
0:02		Felix Okpara defensive rebound
0:00		End of period

2nd Half
RUTG
Scarlet Knights
40
OSU
Buckeyes
31

Time		Play	Score
19:51		Felix Okpara shooting foul (Clifford Omoruyi draws the foul)
19:51	+1	Clifford Omoruyi makes regular free throw 1 of 2	33-45
19:51	+1	Clifford Omoruyi makes regular free throw 2 of 2	34-45
19:31		Clifford Omoruyi blocks Jamison Battle's two point layup
19:29		Aundre Hyatt defensive rebound
19:21		Mawot Mag misses three point jump shot
19:19		Roddy Gayle Jr. defensive rebound
19:11		Roddy Gayle Jr. misses two point layup
19:09		Noah Fernandes defensive rebound
18:53		Clifford Omoruyi misses two point jump shot
18:51		Felix Okpara defensive rebound
18:23		Evan Mahaffey misses three point jump shot
18:22		Buckeyes turnover (shot clock violation)
18:00		Aundre Hyatt misses two point jump shot
17:58		Aundre Hyatt offensive rebound
17:57	+2	Aundre Hyatt makes two point layup	36-45
17:45	+2	Bruce Thornton makes two point jump shot	36-47
17:26		Mawot Mag misses two point jump shot
17:24		Clifford Omoruyi offensive rebound
17:23		Aundre Hyatt misses three point jump shot
17:21		Jamison Battle defensive rebound
17:10	+2	Roddy Gayle Jr. makes two point dunk (Bruce Thornton assists)	36-49
16:42		Evan Mahaffey blocks Aundre Hyatt's three point jump shot
16:40		Bruce Thornton defensive rebound
16:31		Roddy Gayle Jr. misses two point jump shot
16:29		Evan Mahaffey offensive rebound
16:20		Jamison Battle turnover (bad pass) (Derek Simpson steals)
16:16	+2	Derek Simpson makes two point dunk	38-49
16:09		Bruce Thornton misses three point jump shot
16:07		Jamison Battle offensive rebound
16:04	+2	Jamison Battle makes two point jump shot	38-51
15:42		Evan Mahaffey blocks Mawot Mag's two point jump shot
15:40		Roddy Gayle Jr. defensive rebound
15:37		Mawot Mag blocks Roddy Gayle Jr.'s two point layup
15:35		Aundre Hyatt defensive rebound
15:32	+2	Clifford Omoruyi makes two point dunk (Aundre Hyatt assists)	40-51
15:29		Scarlet Knights 30 second timeout
15:29		TV timeout
15:24		Antwone Woolfolk personal foul (Jamison Battle draws the foul)
15:24		TV timeout
15:21		Jamison Battle misses three point jump shot
15:19		Noah Fernandes defensive rebound
15:13		Gavin Griffiths misses two point jump shot
15:12		Mawot Mag offensive rebound
15:12		Dale Bonner shooting foul (Mawot Mag draws the foul)
15:12	+1	Mawot Mag makes regular free throw 1 of 2	41-51
15:12	+1	Mawot Mag makes regular free throw 2 of 2	42-51
14:52		Roddy Gayle Jr. misses three point jump shot
14:50		Antwone Woolfolk defensive rebound
14:41		Jamichael Davis turnover (traveling)
14:33		Jamison Battle turnover (bad pass)
14:14	+2	Noah Fernandes makes two point jump shot (Antwone Woolfolk assists)	44-51
13:54		Zed Key turnover (bad pass)
13:38		Gavin Griffiths misses three point jump shot
13:36		Zed Key defensive rebound
13:30		Roddy Gayle Jr. turnover (bad pass) (Antwone Woolfolk steals)
13:23		Mawot Mag turnover (traveling)
13:06	+2	Roddy Gayle Jr. makes two point jump shot	44-53
12:45		Antwone Woolfolk misses two point jump shot
12:43		Bruce Thornton defensive rebound
12:34	+3	Jamison Battle makes three point jump shot (Zed Key assists)	44-56
12:15		Roddy Gayle Jr. shooting foul (Noah Fernandes draws the foul)
12:15	+1	Noah Fernandes makes regular free throw 1 of 2	45-56
12:15	+1	Noah Fernandes makes regular free throw 2 of 2	46-56
11:58	+2	Roddy Gayle Jr. makes two point layup	46-58
11:46		TV timeout
11:39		Derek Simpson misses two point jump shot
11:37		Derek Simpson offensive rebound
11:33		Derek Simpson misses three point jump shot
11:31		Dale Bonner defensive rebound
11:31		Jump ball. (Buckeyes gains possession)
11:08		Scotty Middleton misses three point jump shot
11:06		Austin Williams defensive rebound
10:52		Gavin Griffiths misses two point jump shot
10:50		Derek Simpson offensive rebound
10:44	+2	Clifford Omoruyi makes two point dunk (Derek Simpson assists)	48-58
10:30		Dale Bonner misses two point jump shot
10:28		Clifford Omoruyi defensive rebound
10:24		Clifford Omoruyi misses two point layup
10:22		Gavin Griffiths offensive rebound
10:19	+3	Aundre Hyatt makes three point jump shot (Gavin Griffiths assists)	51-58
10:04	+2	Bruce Thornton makes two point jump shot	51-60
9:54	+2	Derek Simpson makes two point jump shot	53-60
9:26		Scotty Middleton misses two point jump shot
9:24		Derek Simpson defensive rebound
9:16		Gavin Griffiths misses three point jump shot
9:14		Roddy Gayle Jr. defensive rebound
9:00		Aundre Hyatt personal foul (Felix Okpara draws the foul)
8:57		Roddy Gayle Jr. turnover (lost ball) (Austin Williams steals)
8:57		Jump ball. (Scarlet Knights gains possession)
8:44		Felix Okpara shooting foul (Austin Williams draws the foul)
8:44	+1	Austin Williams makes regular free throw 1 of 2	54-60
8:44	+1	Austin Williams makes regular free throw 2 of 2	55-60
8:32	+2	Bruce Thornton makes two point jump shot	55-62
8:32		Derek Simpson shooting foul (Bruce Thornton draws the foul)
8:32	+1	Bruce Thornton makes regular free throw 1 of 1	55-63
8:20		Derek Simpson misses two point jump shot
8:18		Antwone Woolfolk offensive rebound
8:06		Felix Okpara blocks Gavin Griffiths's two point layup
8:04		Aundre Hyatt offensive rebound
8:03		Scarlet Knights 30 second timeout
8:03		TV timeout
7:50	+2	Aundre Hyatt makes two point jump shot	57-63
7:12		Bruce Thornton misses three point jump shot
7:10		Aundre Hyatt defensive rebound
6:50		Aundre Hyatt misses two point jump shot
6:48		Felix Okpara defensive rebound
6:24		Aundre Hyatt shooting foul (Felix Okpara draws the foul)
6:24	+1	Felix Okpara makes regular free throw 1 of 2	57-64
6:24	+1	Felix Okpara makes regular free throw 2 of 2	57-65
6:10	+2	Derek Simpson makes two point jump shot	59-65
5:53		Clifford Omoruyi blocks Bruce Thornton's two point layup
5:51		Felix Okpara offensive rebound
5:48	+2	Felix Okpara makes two point layup	59-67
5:36	+2	Mawot Mag makes two point layup (Clifford Omoruyi assists)	61-67
5:23		Evan Mahaffey misses two point jump shot
5:21		Derek Simpson defensive rebound
5:17		Aundre Hyatt misses three point jump shot
5:15		Felix Okpara defensive rebound
4:49		Roddy Gayle Jr. misses two point jump shot
4:47		Aundre Hyatt defensive rebound
4:37		Roddy Gayle Jr. shooting foul (Derek Simpson draws the foul)
4:37		Derek Simpson misses regular free throw 1 of 2
4:37	+1	Derek Simpson makes regular free throw 2 of 2	62-67
4:29		Buckeyes 30 second timeout
4:29		TV timeout
4:16		Roddy Gayle Jr. turnover (lost ball)
4:00	+2	Derek Simpson makes two point jump shot	64-67
3:38		Noah Fernandes personal foul (Bruce Thornton draws the foul)
3:28		Austin Williams blocks Bruce Thornton's two point jump shot
3:26		Clifford Omoruyi defensive rebound
3:20	+2	Mawot Mag makes two point jump shot	66-67
2:49		Bruce Thornton misses three point jump shot
2:47		Bruce Thornton offensive rebound
2:42	+2	Evan Mahaffey makes two point jump shot (Bruce Thornton assists)	66-69
2:42		Buckeyes 30 second timeout
2:23		Mawot Mag turnover (bad pass)
2:07		Roddy Gayle Jr. turnover (bad pass)
1:56		Derek Simpson turnover (bad pass)
1:29	+3	Roddy Gayle Jr. makes three point jump shot (Bruce Thornton assists)	66-72
1:14	+3	Noah Fernandes makes three point jump shot	69-72
0:49		Austin Williams shooting foul (Bruce Thornton draws the foul)
0:49	+1	Bruce Thornton makes regular free throw 1 of 2	69-73
0:49	+1	Bruce Thornton makes regular free throw 2 of 2	69-74
0:30		Mawot Mag misses two point layup
0:28		Derek Simpson offensive rebound
0:24		Mawot Mag misses three point jump shot
0:24		Jump ball. (Buckeyes gains possession)
0:23		Buckeyes 30 second timeout
0:22		Jamichael Davis personal foul (Bruce Thornton draws the foul)
0:22		Bruce Thornton misses regular free throw 1 of 1
0:22		Aundre Hyatt defensive rebound
0:15	+3	Derek Simpson makes three point jump shot	72-74
0:15		Scarlet Knights 30 second timeout
0:12		Austin Williams personal foul (Roddy Gayle Jr. draws the foul)
0:12	+1	Roddy Gayle Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2	72-75
0:12	+1	Roddy Gayle Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2	72-76
0:07		Derek Simpson misses three point jump shot
0:05		Derek Simpson offensive rebound
0:02		Noah Fernandes misses three point jump shot
0:01		Buckeyes defensive rebound
0:00		End of period

Buckeyes defensive rebound