With a game finally under its belt, Ohio State has something to build on heading into a busy weekend.
The fourth-ranked Buckeyes look to keep Rhode Island winless Saturday when they open play at the Hall of Fame Tip-Off Classic at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut.
After its scheduled Nov. 9 opener against Marquette aboard the USS Yorktown in South Carolina was canceled because of condensation on the court, Ohio State finally took the court Sunday and looked a little rusty early against Albany at home. The Buckeyes trailed by a point late in the first half when coach Thad Matta emphatically called a timeout, which was followed by a 17-2 run that led to an 82-60 win over the Great Danes.
“The guys were itching to play a game,” Matta said. “Obviously they were more ready against Marquette, but things didn’t work out.”
Despite the slow start, the Buckeyes shot 57.1 percent, including 12 of 20 from 3-point range. Aaron Craft scored a career-high 20 points with seven assists while preseason All-American Deshaun Thomas scored 13 of his 19 during what proved to be the game-changing run.
Craft, who spent several months working on his shot after shooting 35.9 percent from 3-point range last season, made 5 of 7 from beyond the arc.
Continue Reading: Ohio St.-Rhode Island Preview (The Associated Press)
