COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) John Mobley Jr. scored a career-high 28 points and knocked down a career-high six 3-pointers as Ohio State Buckeyes pulled away in the second half for an 86-74 win over UCLA Bruins on Saturday.
Bruce Thornton added 21 points and eight rebounds, while Devin Royal finished with 22 points and nine rebounds for the Buckeyes (12-5, 4-3 Big Ten).
Ohio State erased a six-point first-half deficit by closing the half on a 12-6 run to take a 42-36 lead at the break. Mobley and Royal opened the second half with consecutive 3-pointers, stretching the margin to 48-36 less than two minutes in.
The Bruins cut the deficit to 54-40 midway through the half, but the Buckeyes responded with an 8-3 spurt capped by Mobley’s 28-foot 3-pointer that made it 66-49 with 10:31 remaining. Ohio State led by double figures the rest of the way.
Mobley shot 8 of 15 from the field and 6 of 12 from behind the arc and added three assists without committing a turnover in 38 minutes. Thornton went 7 of 7 from the free-throw line, and Ohio State finished 21 of 25 at the line while outrebounding UCLA 37-27.
Tyler Bilodeau scored 30 points on 9-of-19 shooting for UCLA (12-6, 4-3), his seventh 20-point game of the season and second career 30-point performance. Donovan Dent added 13 points and seven assists, and Eric Dailey Jr. scored 12 for the Bruins, who shot 40% from the field.
UCLA hosts fifth-ranked Purdue on Tuesday.
Ohio State faces Minnesota this Tuesday.
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| TOP SCORERS | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
34
 |
T. Bilodeau F | 30PTS | 8REB | 0AST | |
|
0
 |
J. Mobley Jr. G | 28PTS | 3REB | 3AST | |
| STARTERS | PTS | REB | AST | PF |
| T. Bilodeau | 30 | 8 | 0 | 2 |
| D. Dent | 13 | 1 | 7 | 4 |
| E. Dailey Jr. | 12 | 4 | 1 | 5 |
| T. Perry | 7 | 4 | 5 | 1 |
| X. Booker | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| BENCH | PTS | REB | AST | PF |
| J. Brown | 8 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| B. Williams | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| E. Freeny | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| S. Jamerson II | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| E. Manjikian | – | – | – | – |
| J. Seidler | – | – | – | – |
| S. Clark | – | – | – | – |
| C. Horry | – | – | – | – |
| A. Peoples Jr. | – | – | – | – |
| M. Alston | – | – | – | – |
| Total | 74 | 26 | 14 | 20 |
| STARTERS | PTS | REB | AST | PF |
| J. Mobley Jr. | 28 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| D. Royal | 22 | 9 | 1 | 5 |
| B. Thornton | 21 | 8 | 2 | 2 |
| A. Bynum | 7 | 5 | 1 | 2 |
| C. Tilly | 6 | 4 | 5 | 3 |
| BENCH | PTS | REB | AST | PF |
| I. Njegovan | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| G. Cupps | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| T. Chatman | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| C. White | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| B. Noel | – | – | – | – |
| J. Ojianwuna | – | – | – | – |
| B. Nash | – | – | – | – |
| M. Grujicic | – | – | – | – |
| M. Herro | – | – | – | – |
| Total | 86 | 32 | 15 | 18 |