An entertaining Big Ten battle that bordered on perhaps the most aesthetically pleasing college basketball game of the season fell in favor of No. 7 Ohio State on Thursday as the Buckeyes went on the road and handed No. 8 Iowa an 89-85 defeat. It was a high-scoring affair that featured 18 lead changes, five ties and 28 made 3-pointers as the two top-five offenses exchanged blows in a barn burner.
Ohio State (15-4, 9-4 Big Ten) accounted for its second-highest point total in a conference game in the win behind a barrage of outside shots. The team went 14-of-32 from 3-point range as seven different Buckeyes knocked down bombs, including five who made at least two. Iowa also went 14-of-32 from distance with Jordan Bohannon, Jack Nunge and Joe Wieskamp each knocking down four in the loss.
Both teams at various points had to try and hold serve, but it was Ohio State that dug out of the biggest deficit (11 points) and who wound up on top. It trailed by double figures in the second half before outscoring Iowa 39-24 over the final 14:08. By no coincidence, Iowa star Luka Garza was held scoreless during that final stretch, though he did account for three assists. Garza finished with 16 points, seven rebounds and five assists.
For Ohio State, it's a crucial win not just for its Big Ten regular-season title hopes -- the victory moves it within one game of first place -- but also for its NCAA Tournament seeding. Its win awarded it a fifth win over a ranked team this season, the first to do so in college hoops. It also has seven Quadrant 1 wins now on the season, the most among all teams to date as it builds a resume worthy of a potential top-two seed. Jerry Palm earlier this week projected the Buckeyes as the top No. 3 seed.
As for Iowa, it's both encouraging that its No. 1 rated offense could keep scoring pace in a big-time shootout, but disappointing at the same time that it couldn't stop Ohio State from scoring at will and doing so with open looks. It marks the sixth time this season the Hawkeyes have surrendered 80 or more points in a game, five of the previous instances being losses.
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February 05, 2021 at 10:14AM
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Ohio State vs. Iowa score: No. 7 Buckeyes outlast No. 8 Hawkeyes in Big Ten barnburner - CBSSports.com
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