COLUMBUS – Despite 19 points from Justice Sueing and shooting 50 percent from the field, the Ohio State Buckeyes fell to the Northwestern Wildcats 69-63 on Thursday evening at Value City Arena.
The Buckeyes managed to out-rebounded the Wildcats (35-24), shoot twice as many free throws, and even held Northwestern to under 50 percent shooting from the floor. But in the end, Ohio State fell short.
The Buckeyes have now lost 10 of their last 11 games.
Neither team held a double-digit lead in the game. Ohio State's biggest lead was six, while Northwestern led by as many as nine with 4:44 left in the second half.
Offensively, Sueing turned in a stellar performance, as he lead the team in scoring and shot 7-of-11 from the field. He added eight rebounds and a pair of assists.
Freshman Bruce Thornton scored 12 points and three assists while junior Zed Key just missed registering a double-double with eight points and 10 rebounds.
The difference in the game came from behind the three-point line as Northwestern outscored the Buckeyes by 33 points from downtown.
Ohio State built its biggest lead of the game 25-19, but a pair of three-pointers pulled Northwestern even with 1:37 to play in the first half.
Then Nick Martinelli hit a runner with time winding down to give Northwestern a 28-27 lead at the break.
Ohio State appeared to create some separation in the second half, as Sueing hit a jumper to give the Buckeyes a 41-37 lead with 14:03 remaining.
But the Wildcats scored five straight to take back the lead on a Boo Buie layup with 12:51 left.
Northwestern would later use a 7-0 run to stretch their lead out to 61-52 with just under five minutes to go.
Ohio State chip away at the deficit, cutting it to four, but would get no closer as the Wildcats held on to pick up the road win.
The Buckeyes will be at home again this Sunday, as they face Michigan State. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. on CBS.
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