COLUMBUS, Ohio -- — Justice Sueing scored 19 points and No. 23 Ohio State jumped out to a 22-0 lead en route to a 94-67 win over Illinois State on Wednesday in the season opener for both teams.

Due to COVID-19 concerns, the game was played before about 100 school officials and media inside 19,100-seat Value City Arena.

The Buckeyes created their own energy as Sueing, making his Ohio State debut after transferring from California and sitting out a year, had seven points in the team’s opening surge. He was 8 of 9 from the floor in his first game action since leaving Cal, where he averaged 14 points and six rebounds as a sophomore in 2018-19.

E.J. Liddell had 16 points while Duane Washington and Zed Key each scored 12 for the Buckeyes. Key, a freshman, also had five rebounds in his college debut. C.J. Walker chipped in 10 points and six assists.

Antonio Reeves led Illinois State with 17 points and Howard Fleming Jr. added 15 points.

The Buckeyes led by as many as 24 points in the first half before settling for a 42-25 halftime lead. The lead went as high as 37 points with just over 6 minutes left.

BIG PICTURE

Ohio State: The Buckeyes got to see their new-look offense in action, going with more of an open floor look after utilizing center Kaleb Wesson in the post the last three years. Wesson declared for the NBA draft but went undrafted last week. Ohio State was 21-10 and finished fifth in the Big Ten a year ago.

Illinois State: The Redbirds got a chance to see how they match up against a Big Ten opponent and, after the first 6 minutes, did a few positive things. They were 10-21 and finished ninth in the Missouri Valley Conference last season.

INJURY UPDATE

Ohio State welcomed back junior guard Musa Jallow, who missed all of last season with an ankle injury.

ALL PARTIES SAFE

Harvard transfer Seth Towns, still coming back from a knee injury that cost him his last two seasons, was late arriving to the game after being involved in a minor auto accident near campus. But everybody is OK.

UP NEXT

Illinois State: Hosts UMass Lowell on Saturday.

Ohio State: Hosts UMass Lowell on Sunday.

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