Ohio State Vs. Indiana: Hoosiers Can’t Overcome Slow Start In 80-63 Loss

Indiana put itself in a hole early and was never able to recover as Ohio State rolled to a relatively easy 80-63 win on Saturday afternoon. It was never really in doubt as the Buckeyes opened a 21-point lead in the first half, all while Indiana struggled to find the bottom of the net. After scoring just 14 points in the first 20 minutes, the Hoosiers were all but doomed in Saturday’s matchup between top-10 Big Ten teams.

Indiana did manage to come back and put together a stronger performance in the second half, but it was too little, too late. After putting up just 14 in the first half, the Hoosiers closed the game by scoring 49 in the second, but by then Ohio State had already piled up an insurmountable lead.

To say the Indiana Hoosiers had a rough first half on Saturday might be an understatement. Facing an Ohio State team ranked No. 5 in the nation, the Hoosiers sputtered out of the gate and never got going in the first 20 minutes, scoring just 14 points in the half. One more time: 20 minutes, 14 points.

Meanwhile, Ohio State hummed along, essentially burying Indiana before the break. The Buckeyes put up 35 points in the half, taking a 21-point lead into the second. Since then, Ohio State has managed to widen the gap and leads Indiana with just over 15 minutes to go, 47-23.

In a huge Sunday afternoon showdown at the top of the Big Ten, No. 8 Ohio State will look to avenge their 74-70 loss at No. 5 Indiana on New Year’s Eve at 4:30 on CBS.

Whoever loses the game between the Buckeyes, with 3 losses, and the Hoosiers, with 2, will probably be knocked out of the running for a No. 1 seed as well as fall way behind Michigan State and Illinois in the race for the Big Ten championship.