Ohio State men stay hot, blast Maryland

Ohio State's Kaleb Wesson posts up against Maryland's Bruno Fernando during Thursday's game in Columbus. Ohio State won, 91-69.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Ohio State's Kaleb Wesson posts up against Maryland's Bruno Fernando during Thursday's game in Columbus. Ohio State won, 91-69.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Keita Bates-Diop was 6 for 8 from beyond the 3-point line and totaled 26 points in leading Ohio State to a 91-69 rout of Maryland on Thursday night.

C.J. Jackson scored 14 and Jae-Sean Tate added 13 to power the surprising Buckeyes, who were coming off a huge upset of then-No. 1 Michigan State on Sunday.

Ohio State (14-4, 5-0 Big Ten) battled back from a seven-point deficit in the first half, took a 24-22 lead with a Tate dunk with 7:25 left in the frame and cruised from there, leading by as many as 28 points in the second half.

Bates-Diop continued his torrid streak after putting up 27 points against Iowa on Jan. 4, and a 32-point performance against Michigan State that earned him Big Ten Player of the Week honors.

Ohio State has won four straight and nine of the last 10.

Anthony Cekovsky at 7-foot-1 used took his height advantage inside to lead the Terrapins with 18 points.

Maryland has lost its two lead power forwards and a key reserve — accounting for about 19 points per game — to season-ending injuries in the past two weeks.

The Buckeyes led 44-32 at the half on the strength of a 22-2 run that included a trio of 3-pointers from Andrew Dakich and a pair from Bates-Diop.

BIG PICTURE

Maryland: Had won eight of the last nine entering the game but caught Ohio State on a hot streak. The Terps really missed their three forwards who are out with injuries.

Ohio State: Bates-Diop is having a breakout season and getting lots of help from talented players around him.

UP NEXT

Maryland: At Michigan on Monday night.

Ohio State: At Rutgers on Sunday night.