Someone set Ohio State's alarms about 40 minutes (13 minutes of gametime) too late on Tuesday. But once they woke up, they were ferocious.
The Buckeyes (3-0) scored just 10 points in the opening 13 minutes, but launched a 42-10 run fueled by excellent play on both ends of the floor to pull away from Appalachian State (2-2) in a 75-53 victory.
| TEAM | 1 | 2 | FINAL |
|---|---|---|---|
| APPALACHIAN STATE | 25 | 28 | 53 |
| OHIO STATE | 30 | 45 | 75 |
Power forward Brandon Noel paced Ohio State in scoring with 17 points, adding a game-high 11 rebounds for his first Buckeye double-double. Guard John Mobley Jr. followed with 16 points while fellow star guard Bruce Thornton added 13.
Appalachian State guard Kasen Jennings was the lone Mountaineer in double-figures at 12 points, a display of what was Ohio State's best defensive outing of the season. The Buckeyes held Appalachian State to 35.7% from the field.
First Half
A draft must have blown in from the chilly November air outside the Schottenstein Center, because Ohio State started the game colder than liquid nitrogen against Appalachian State.
| APP STATE | STAT | OHIO STATE |
|---|---|---|
| 53 | POINTS | 75 |
| 20-56 (36%) | FGM-FGA (PCT.) | 22-54 (41%) |
| 8-25 (32%) | 3PM-3PA (PCT.) | 7-27 (26%) |
| 5-8 (63%) | FTM-FTA (PCT.) | 24-32 (75%) |
| 9 | TURNOVERS | 4 |
| 31 | TOTAL REBOUNDS | 39 |
| 7 | OFFENSIVE REBOUNDS | 12 |
| 24 | DEFENSIVE REBOUNDS | 27 |
| 30 | BENCH POINTS | 20 |
| 0 | BLOCKS | 1 |
| 0 | STEALS | 3 |
| 10 | ASSISTS | 15 |
The Buckeyes started 1-of-13 from the field and 0-of-8 from 3 before freshman forward Amare Bynum snapped a string of misses with a putback dunk. The Mountaineers built a lead in the meantime, going up 12-4 in the opening stretches.
Ohio State managed just four points over the next 5:52 of gametime. Mountaineer guard Jason Clarke Jr., as did forward Andrin Njock, building an 8-2 run that placed Appalachian State ahead 22-10 and brought a few boo birds out from a disgruntled crowd in Value City Arena.
But finally, the Buckeyes broke through the ice. It started with a string of five points from Noel, including Ohio State's first 3-pointer after it started the game 0-for-11 behind the arc. The defense, rebounding and hustle of small forward Colin White started amping up the crowd.
As the Mountaineers were held scoreless by the Buckeyes in the final 5:29 of the half, Ohio State sparked a 15-0 run. Mobley scored eight straight points during the stretch, drawing fouls and creating an open midrange look with some serious ball-handling skill that put defenders off-balance. Thornton canned a buzzer-beating triple from the left corner to put OSU ahead 30-25 entering halftime.
Second Half
Tilly converted a layup with a foul to make it an 18-0 run in totality for Ohio State between the end of the first and beginning of the second half. Appalachian State strung five points together to break a scoreless stretch of more than seven minutes, but Mobley answered with a 3-pointer.
That sparked an 8-0 run for the Buckeyes, capped by a three-point play the old-fashioned way from Thornton. Guard Gabe Cupps snagged three points in the new fashion. Not to be outdone, Mobley made another triple through a foul.
A hook shot from center Ivan Njegovan and a massive alley-oop connection from Thornton to Bynum extended the lead to 19 points, then two Thornton free throws pushed it past 20.
36-7 BUCKEYE RUN
— Ohio State Hoops (@OhioStateHoops) November 12, 2025
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Six more points, split evenly between Thornton, Mobley and Noel, closed a 16-0 run for Ohio State that made the scoreline 57-32 with 9:24 to play. Noel kept racking up points as the Buckeyes maintained their lead, scoring 8 of 11 team points during one stretch surrounding a crossover and 3-pointer from guard Taison Chatman.
Thornton sank a triple to put Ohio State up 71-44 with 3:18 to play, which felt like a de facto dagger, though it had long been plunged into Appalachian State's side.
What's Next?
After its trio of season-opening cupcakes, Ohio State gets its first major test of the season against Notre Dame in Value City Arena. Tipoff is at 12:30 p.m. Sunday on FS1.
Game Notes
- Small forward Devin Royal was out for Ohio State after sustaining an injury in the Buckeyes' previous game against Purdue Fort Wayne. White made his first career start in Royal's place. John Mobley Jr. was questionable but started the contest.
- Noel's 17 points were an Ohio State-high for the Wright State transfer, and his first game in double-figures.
- After turning the ball over 35 combined times in their first two games, the Buckeyes had just four turnovers against the Mountaineers.
