Freshman Brice Sensabaugh scored a career-high 27 points when Ohio State broke a five-game losing streak with a 93-77 victory against visiting Iowa in Columbus, Ohio, on Saturday.
Sensabaugh went 10 of 12 from the floor in besting his previous high of 22 points for the Buckeyes (11-8, 3-5 Big Ten) as they ended Iowa’s four-game winning streak.
Isaac Likekele had 18 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists and Zed Key contributed 11 points for Ohio State but injured his knee with 21 seconds left following a dunk.
Kris Murray led the Hawkeyes (12-7, 4-4) with 22 points and Filip Rebraca had 15.
Sensabaugh’s 3-pointer was followed by two baskets from Key and a free throw by Justice Sueing that gave the Buckeyes eight unanswered points and a 79-63 lead with 5:43 to play, but they had to be wary of another comeback by the Hawkeyes.
Iowa overcame a 21-point deficit to beat Indiana on Jan. 5 and rallied from 10 down in the second half to defeat Michigan in overtime a week later.
Fortunately for the Buckeyes, the game wasn’t close at the end.
The losing streak, the longest for Ohio State since the 2018-19 season, featured five straight losses by single digits — by a combined 19 points — for a program record.
The first half ended with a whimper as the Buckeyes secured a 37-35 lead. They went the final 3:17 without scoring while the Hawkeyes went the last 3:06 without a point, committing three turnovers in the process.
Ohio State looked like it would take control early when a 12-0 run pumped their lead to 25-15 that was stopped when Murray canned a jumper.
The Buckeyes got boost from a pair of 3-pointers in the first half off the bench by usual starter Sean McNeil, who was a game-time decision after a “dental emergency,” according to a team statement. He finished with 10 points.
The Ohio State victory tied the all-time series 83-83. The teams play in Iowa City on Feb. 16.
–Field Level Media