Bates-Diop leads Buckeyes past Terps

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. C.J. Jackson scored 14 and Jae-Sean Tate added 13.

COLUMBUS » Keita BatesDiop 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 No. 1 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.

JAY LAPRETE — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Ohio State’s Jae’Sean Tate, center, shoots between Maryland’s Darryl Morsell, left, and Joshua Tomaic during the second half on Jan. 11 in Columbus.