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Sullinger leads No. 2 OSU over Lamar

Dec 21, 2011 - 5:31 AM Columbus, OH (Sports Network) - Showing no ill effects of a recent foot injury, Jared Sullinger posted game-highs of 18 points and 11 rebounds, as No. 2 Ohio State downed Lamar, 70-50.

Sullinger departed during the first half Saturday's win over South Carolina with a bone bruise after being kicked in the foot. He returned with a vengeance against Lamar, going 8-for-11 from the field and recording his 24th career double-double.

Deshaun Thomas added 16 points for the Buckeyes (11-1). Their only loss this season came at Kansas on December 10 -- a game Sullinger missed due to back spasms.

"I missed too much with the back spasms and now with the foot," said Sullinger. "I have to get back in a routine. I can't sit here and wait for it to heal. By that time I won't have my timing down defensively and offensively. I had to get back as soon as possible."

Stan Brown posted a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds for the Cardinals (8-4), while Devon Lamb added 10 points and seven boards.

Thomas, who was coming off his first career Big Ten Player of the Week Award, scored eight first-half points on 3-of-6 shooting, as the Buckeyes took a 34-21 lead into the locker room.

William Buford scored seven points over the opening 20 minutes and OSU leaned on its superior size, holding a 25-16 rebounding advantage at the break.

Sullinger had a measured start -- six points on 2-of-5 shooting -- but finished with authority. He went 6-for-6 from the field in the second half, as the Buckeyes began to pull away.

Thomas' trey off a Sullinger dish made it 50-33 with 13 minutes remaining and the lead reached 20 on Sullinger's layup with under eight minutes to go.

In all, OSU shot 45.2 percent from the field, handed out 19 assists and forced 16 Lamar turnovers.

"We're just not a good shooting team," said Lamar coach Pat Knight. "We've got to ground and pound and take the ball to the basket."

Game Notes

Ohio State and Lamar squared off for the first-ever time...At halftime, OSU honored coach Bob Knight, who was a student-athlete under coach Fred Taylor when the Buckeyes won an NCAA title in 1960...Earlier Tuesday, the Ohio State football program received a one-year postseason ban among the sanctions handed down by the NCAA for a memorabilia scandal that cost coach Jim Tressel his job.