No. 15 Ohio State 74, Purdue 64
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Deshaun Thomas scored a game-high 22 points and grabbed seven rebounds to lead No. 15 Ohio State to a 74-64 win over Purdue on Tuesday night.
Aaron Craft had 15 points and Even Ravenel had 13 points and five rebounds for the Buckeyes, who have won three of the last four games.
Terone Johnson had 18 points and six rebounds and A.J. Hammons had 13 points and eight rebounds for the Boilermakers, who have lost two straight.
The Buckeyes built a solid lead in the first half and never let up. Even when the Boilermakers hit a shot to regain some momentum, Ohio State answered.
Hammons was fouled on a shot and scored the extra free throw early in the second half to make it 50-43, but Thomas responded with a 3-pointer. And on the next possession, when Anthony Johnson scored to cut the deficit again for Purdue, Craft answered to put the lead back to 10, 55-45.
Anthony Johnson responded again with a shot, but Ravenel answered with a basket. Purdue's Rapheal Davis hit a 3-pointer to get the Boilermakers within seven midway through the second half, 57-50 and later Hammons scored to make it 59-52.
But Amir Williams dunked and Craft converted a three-point play to give the Buckeyes a 64-52 lead with 8:44 left to play.
The Boilermakers got within six, 70-64 with 2:59 left when Johnson added two free throws. Before that, Hammons scored while the Buckeyes turned the ball over and missed a shot.
Thompson scored a jumper to make it 72-64 and the Buckeyes pulled away from the free-throw line.
The Buckeyes, who led 39-29 at halftime, started fast and led 4-0 after shots by Thomas and Craft and a Boilermakers turnover.
It didn't take long for Purdue to catch up. The Boilermakers tied the game at 4 and was back and forth until midway through the half.
The Buckeyes eventually jumped to a 20-11.
Purdue's D.J. Byrd hit a 3-pointer to give the Boilermakers a 9-7 lead, but then the Buckeyes went on 13-2 run. Thomas hit a 3-pointer to put the Buckeyes back on top and to spark the spurt.
Johnson scored for the Boilermakers, but Purdue missed three shots and turned the ball over twice while the Buckeyes took a lead.
Later, Jacob Lawson scored to get Purdue within five, but then Thomas hit back-to-back shots, including a 3-pointer and Ross and Ravenel both scored to give the Buckeyes a 31-17 lead with 8:16 left in the first half.
NOTES: Byrd is four 3-point field goals away from tying Troy Lewis for ninth on Purdue's career list. ... Thomas has already reached the 1,000-point scoring milestone. Next, with 58 rebounds, he can reach the 500-career total. He would be the 25th Buckeye to accomplish the milestone. ... Thomas leads the Big Ten in scoring with 20.2 points per game.
