The BYU Cougars defeated the Ohio State Buckeyes 94-83 in their season opener on November 1 at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. While the Buckeyes held a halftime lead, BYU secured the victory behind a dominant second-half performance from Rob Wright.
The Buckeyes started the game strong, led by Amare Bynum, who scored the first five points for Ohio State. Following baskets from Bynum and Josh Ojianwuna, assisted by John Mobley, the Buckeyes established a 22-11 lead. By halftime, Ohio State maintained a 37-34 lead, with Bynum, Mobley, and Justin Pippen each recording eight points. For BYU, Rob Wright contributed 14 of the team's 34 first-half points, while Tyler Betsey added eight.
BYU took a 41-37 lead to start the second half, aided by a three-pointer from Wright. During the half, Amare Bynum briefly left the game after rolling his ankle but returned with 13 minutes remaining. Wright reached 20 points with 16 minutes left and eventually finished the game with 33 points. BYU secured the win after a 13-2 run gave them a 72-61 lead with 7:13 remaining. Other notable second-half contributors for BYU included Andrija Jelavic, who added 13 points, and Collin Chandler, who recorded a dunk.
Ohio State's scoring was led by Bynum, who finished with 20 points, and Mobley, who added 14 points. The Buckeyes' freshman Anthony Thompson recorded his first points of the season from the free-throw line. The team's rotation saw 11 players receive playing time within the first six minutes of the game, as the coaching staff under Jake Diebler continues to develop new faces.
The Buckeyes (0-1) are scheduled to host Youngstown State on Friday night at 6:30 on Big Ten Network Plus.
