Northwestern Defeats Ohio State, 68-50

3/6/2019 10:58:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score NU - OSU Box Score (PDF)Postgame Notes NU vs. OSU Postgame Presser: Collins Postgame Presser: Law and Pardon

EVANSTON, Ill. — Northwestern took down Ohio State, 68-50, on Wednesday afternoon at the new Welsh-Ryan Arena, thanks to a stingy defensive game and an all-around offensive performance.

The Wildcats never relinquished the lead in the game, opening the contest on a 12-2 scoring run. The 'Cats held Ohio State without a made field goal for the game's opening eight minutes, shooting 0-of-13 from the field, and held the Buckeyes to shooting 26.6 percent in the game.

This marks the 19th contest this year in which NU held a major conference opponent to below their scoring average (Ohio State entered the game averaging 70.1 ppg).

The Wildcats led, 28-17, at the break, outscoring the Buckeyes in the paint, 16-6. Vic Law led the team with eight first-half points on 4-of-5 shooting, followed by Anthony Gaines contributing six points.

NU's bench tallied 12 points compared to OSU's bench scoring four points, with A.J. Turner led the way with five points and Barret Benson added four points in the game's opening 20 minutes.

The Wildcats extended their lead in the second half in part due to a huge performance from Dererk Pardon. He finished the game with 20 points and 13 rebounds, capping his 8th double-double of the season.

With his 13 rebounds, Pardon moved into sole possession for fifth place among Northwestern's career rebounding list.

NU dominated near the basket, outscoring Ohio State, 36-20, in points in the paint. The 'Cats offense operated very efficiently, dishing out 15 assists with only five turnovers.

Sullivan-Ubben Head Men's Basketball Coach Collins earned his 40th career conference victory, placing him in sole possession of third place in the category in Northwestern history.

Chicago's Big Ten Team will host Purdue in its final regular season game Saturday afternoon. The contest is set to begin at 1:30 p.m., with NU's senior day celebration at 1 p.m.

••••••

Be the first to know what's going on with the 'Cats -- Follow @NU_Sports on Twitter, become a fan of Northwestern Athletics on Facebook, check us out on Instagram, visit our Social Media page and download our mobile app from the Apple Store and Google Play! To get involved with the #B1GCats, become a season-ticket holder or join the Wildcat Fund!