![Ohio State Stuns No. 11 Purdue With Historic Second-Half Comeback Ohio State Stuns No. 11 Purdue With Historic Second-Half Comeback](https://btn.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/usatsi_10592376.jpg?resize=1110)
Ohio State Stuns No. 11 Purdue With Historic Second-Half Comeback
A tale of two halves
In a game that will be remembered for years to come, Ohio State rallied from a 21-point deficit to stun No. 11 Purdue 56-49 in a Big Ten clash on Saturday night at Value City Arena. The Buckeyes trailed 31-10 with 11:53 remaining in the first half before outscoring the Boilermakers 46-18 the rest of the way.
It was the largest comeback win for Ohio State since a 22-point rally against Northwestern in 2018. It was also the first time the Buckeyes had defeated a ranked opponent when trailing by 20 or more points since a 24-point comeback against No. 15 Wisconsin in 1996.
Sophomore forward Brice Sensabaugh led the way for Ohio State with 21 points, while junior guard Sean McNeil added 11 points. Freshman center Felix Okpara also had a strong performance with 8 points and 12 rebounds.
For Purdue, senior guard Braden Smith led the way with 16 points, while sophomore guard Fletcher Loyer added 12 points. Junior center Zach Edey, who entered the game averaging 21.8 points and 13.4 rebounds, was held to just 9 points and 7 rebounds.
Second-half heroics
The Buckeyes' comeback was fueled by a dominant second-half performance. After shooting just 29.4% from the field in the first half, Ohio State shot 50.0% from the field in the second half, including 6-of-15 from three-point range.
Sensabaugh was the catalyst for the Buckeyes' offensive explosion in the second half. The 6-foot-8 forward scored 15 of his 21 points after halftime, including a pair of three-pointers.
McNeil also played a key role in the Buckeyes' comeback. The 6-foot-3 guard hit a pair of three-pointers in the second half, including one that gave Ohio State its first lead of the game with 6:34 remaining.
Defensive adjustments
In addition to their offensive outburst, the Buckeyes also made some key defensive adjustments in the second half. After allowing Purdue to shoot 50.0% from the field in the first half, Ohio State held the Boilermakers to just 31.3% shooting in the second half.
The Buckeyes did a much better job of defending Edey in the second half. The 7-foot-4 center was held to just 4 points on 2-of-6 shooting in the second half, after scoring 5 points on 2-of-5 shooting in the first half.
Ohio State also did a better job of defending Purdue's perimeter shooters in the second half. The Boilermakers hit 6-of-15 from three-point range in the first half, but they were just 1-of-6 from three-point range in the second half.
Broader implications
The Buckeyes' win over Purdue is a major statement victory. It shows that Ohio State is capable of competing with the top teams in the Big Ten, and it gives the Buckeyes a much-needed boost in their NCAA Tournament resume.
Ohio State is now 12-6 overall and 3-3 in the Big Ten. The Buckeyes will be back in action on Tuesday when they host Nebraska.
Purdue is now 13-4 overall and 3-3 in the Big Ten. The Boilermakers will be back in action on Tuesday when they host Indiana.
![Ohio State Stuns No. 11 Purdue With Historic Second-Half Comeback Ohio State stuns No. 2 Purdue behind 22 from Bruce Thornton | Reuters](https://cloudfront-us-east-2.images.arcpublishing.com/reuters/YVAFF2264FMT7JMIXMF636NO4I.jpg)