DAYTON, Ohio — Sam Thompson provided the spark with 20 points and a series of highlight-worthy dunks, and Deshaun Thomas scored a team-leading 24 points lifting No. 2 seed Ohio State to a 95-70 win over No. 15 Iona in a NCAA Tournament second-round game Friday night at the University of Dayton Arena.
Iona hit three of its first five shots to grab an early 6-5 lead. The Gaels then went scoreless for more than four minutes.
The Buckeyes responded with a 15-0 run capped by Thompson’s thunderous dunk off a lob from Shannon Scott, putting them ahead, 20-6.
The Gaels appeared to have a breakaway layup at one point, but Evan Ravenel blocked Tavon Sledge’s layup attempt, resulting in a layup at the other end by Craft and OSU led 22-8.
Iona trailed by 19 points with 9:27 left in the first half but rallied late in the half.
Jones hit a 3-pointer in the midst of a 7-0 run by the Gaels, trimming the Buckeyes’ lead to 10 points.
Laury was a handful for the Buckeyes. He led the Gaels with 12 first-half points including a one-handed dunk, which brought Iona to within nine points.
Scott again tossed a lob to Thompson who sailed in from the right baseline for an acrobatic one-handed dunk putting the Buckeyes ahead 39-33. Thompson had 10 points in the first half. Scott had five assists.
The Buckeyes (27-7) advance to face the winner of Friday’s late game between No. 7 seed Notre Dame and No. 10 seed Iowa State in the third round Sunday in Dayton.
Continue Reading: Ohio State 95, Iona 70 (The SportsXchange)
