Michigan St. Spartans vs Ohio St. Buckeyes Box Score on Jan 31, 2021

E.J. Liddell scored 20 points to lift No. 13 Ohio State to a 79-62 victory over Michigan State on Sunday afternoon in Columbus, Ohio.

Justice Sueing had 17 points and CJ Walker added 10 for the Buckeyes (14-4 overall, 8-4 Big Ten), who have won three in a row and six of their last seven.

Joshua Langford had 14 points and Joey Hauser 11 for the Spartans (8-6, 2-6), who have lost three straight games. Michigan State is in danger of not making the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the 1996-97 season, outside of last year's canceled event due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Liddell scored eight of the Buckeyes' first 11 points before cooling off and contributing only one more point in the first half. Ohio State, however, carried a 42-30 lead into halftime.

Michigan State went 5 1/2 minutes without a field goal early in the second half, allowing the Buckeyes to pull ahead 61-41 before Langford and Rocket Watts canned back-to-back 3s.

The Spartans pulled to within 68-59 with 4:20 to go on an Aaron Henry steal and layup before the Buckeyes upped the lead to double digits again.

Michigan State ended a 20-day break due to COVID-19 related issues with a 67-37 loss at Rutgers on Thursday. The Spartans had three games postponed during that period and will have a quick turnaround, playing at No. 7 Iowa on Tuesday in a game rescheduled from Jan. 14.

Ohio State travels to Iowa on Thursday.

The Spartans tried to stay close in the first half but a dry spell doomed them to a 12-point deficit. They missed all five field-goal attempts in the final 4:43 when the Buckeyes increased a 34-28 lead.

Duane Washington Jr. hit a 3, Sueing made a basket and Justin Ahrens connected on a trey for the Buckeyes' biggest lead of the half, 42-28. The 8-0 run ended when Malik Hall made two free throws with 38 seconds left for the Spartans.

--Field Level Media