EUGENE, Ore. (Interstat) — In a grinding, defensive-minded contest defined more by missed shots than made ones, the Ohio State Buckeyes methodically dispatched the Oregon Ducks 72-62 on Thursday night at Matthew Knight Arena.

The non-conference clash, organized by the Big Ten, saw the visiting Buckeyes improve to 11-4 on the season, while the Ducks fell back to .500 at 8-8. The game failed to live up to its pregame billing, where Oregon was installed as a 2.5-point favorite and held a 66.5% probability to win according to Interstat’s ELO system. The combined point total of 134 fell well short of the over/under line of 153.5.

The most important part of the game was Ohio State’s ability to establish and maintain control through superior efficiency in a rock fight. Both teams slogged through identical 64 possessions, but the Buckeyes maximized theirs with far greater effect. Ohio State posted an offensive rating of 112.6, converting its opportunities into quality looks at the rim and frequent trips to the free-throw line. Oregon, by stark contrast, managed a rating of just 96.1, hampered by frigid shooting all night.

The Ducks’ offensive struggles were glaring. They shot just 20 of 61 from the floor, a 32.8% clip, and were an abysmal 7 of 30 from three-point range. Ohio State was not much more accurate, finishing 24 of 53 overall and 6 of 18 from deep, but the Buckeyes’ decisive advantage came at the charity stripe. Ohio State attempted 23 free throws, making 18, while Oregon went 15 of 20.

The Buckeyes built their lead with a strong first half, taking a 34-29 advantage into the break. They never trailed in the second half, consistently answering any modest Oregon push with a key basket or defensive stop to keep the Ducks at arm’s length. Oregon could never piece together a sustained run to seriously threaten the lead.

Devin Royal led a balanced Ohio State attack with 14 points. The Pickerington, Ohio, native was one of four Buckeyes in double figures, joined by Christoph Tilly with 14, John Mobley Jr. with 13, and Amare Bynum with 10. Tilly, the 7-foot sophomore from Berlin, Germany, added two blocks, while Bynum, a 6-foot-8 forward from Omaha, Nebraska, recorded three blocks.

Oregon was led by Nate Bittle’s 14 points and three blocks. The 7-foot center from Central Point, Oregon, was active inside but, like his teammates, found consistent offense hard to generate. Takai Simpkins, a guard from Brooklyn, New York, added 12 points, while Kwame Evans of Baltimore contributed 10 points and two blocks. Wei Lin, a guard from Xiamen, China, played a team-high 37 minutes and finished with 10 points and five assists, but also committed multiple turnovers as the Ducks’ offense sputtered.

The game was a stark departure from Ohio State’s previous outing, a narrow 72-69 home loss to Nebraska on Monday. For Oregon, it continued a pattern of inconsistency, following an overtime road loss to Rutgers earlier in the week.

The announced attendance was 6,037 at Matthew Knight Arena. Ohio State continues its West Coast swing with a game at Washington on Sunday. Oregon looks to rebound on the road at Nebraska on Tuesday.