Xavier Johnson's Error-Free Bounce-Back Game Helps Hoosiers Knock Off Ohio State, 71-65

Coming back from a foot injury, Indiana guard Xavier Johnson bounced back from an ''awful'' game, scoring 18 points with zero turnovers in a 71-65 win over Ohio State.

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BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Xavier Johnson heard the message loud and clear — primarily because the harsh words came straight from the mouth of his head coach, Mike Woodson. The veteran Indiana point guard was awful in his first game in a month three days ago, and he knew that couldn't happen again when the Hoosiers took on Ohio State on Saturday night at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. 

It didn't.

Johnson scored 18 points, made both three-point attempts and 8-of-11 free throws, leading the Hoosiers to a 71-65 victory over Ohio State. The most important stat? Johnson played 34 minutes and didn't have a single turnover.

Not one. 

And that was after Johnson ''was awful'' and ''was throwing the ball all over the gym'' on Wednesday. This was night and day. But it's also something you would expect from a six-year veteran, even one who admitted Saturday that he missed seven games with a ''cracked bone in my foot.''

He delivered, and delivered big. 

"That's a big emphasis,'' Johnson said of playing a turnover-free game. "That's something you rarely see from me, if I'm being honest, as an aggressive guard. I've gotta grow up. I grew up tonight, and I've got to keep growing up.

"I was definitely motivated. I've been out for a month. I was doing a little too much on the offensive end (in the loss to Nebraska). Tonight, I let the game come to myself. I trusted my coaching stuff. I trusted my teammates to make the right play. Coach Woodson expects a lot out of me and I’m gonna give everything from here on out.”

Just three days after turning the ball over 19 times in an ugly loss to Nebraska, the Hoosiers only had four turnovers against the Buckeyes, and just one in the second half. The clean game pushed them to 11-4 overall and 3-1 in the Big Ten, just a half-game out of first place.  

"We only had four turnovers tonight, and that puts a smile on my face. That's all I can tell you. That was miserable, sitting through that at Nebraska." Woodson said. It was a season low, and the second-lowest in the Woodson era behind only the win over Purdue in 2022.  "(Johnson) was huge tonight. I gave him and CJ (Gunn) the game ball. 

Indiana got off to a nice 15-8 start, with all five starters scoring the first five baskets. But then Jamison Battle, who's had big games against the Hoosiers in the past when he played at Minnesota the past two years, caught fire for the Buckeyes.

Battle hit three 3-pointers in three-plus minutes, helping the Buckeyes go on a 12-0 run. All three times, Indiana defenders drifted away from him, and couldn't get back in time. It was Mackenzie Mgbako the first two times, and Anthony Walker the third, a recurring problem for the Indiana defense. 

They built a seven-point lead at 30-23 on a three-pointer by Scotty Middleton. Indiana chipped away late though, going on a 6-0 run in the final minute that was all Xavier Johnson. He hit a 3-pointer with 47 seconds left, and was fouled. He made the free throw, and on the Hoosiers' next possession, he was fouled again and made both with 9 seconds left to give Indiana a 37-36 lead. 

Ohio State's Zed Key was fouled at the buzzer and made two free throws, and the Buckeyes went to the locker room with a 38-37 lead. Johnson and Kel'el Ware led the Hoosiers with eight first-half points each. Indiana had only three turnovers in the first half, a great improvement over their 19-turnover disaster in the loss to Nebraska on Wednesday night. 

Ohio State opened the second half with an 8-0 run to go up 46-37, and there was some rumblings in the crowd of uneasy fans.But just three minutes later, Indiana tied it at 48 on a Reneau 3-pointer, and then stayed hot. They built the lead to 57-52 with 6:46 to go, getting a break with Ohio State makiung just one of their first 11 threes in the second half. 

The worry was that Ohio State's guards would dominate, but Bruce Thornton and Roddy Gayle Jr. both had rough shooting nights. Thornton was 4-for-17 and Gayle was 3-for-17. They were a combined 0-for-12 from three-point range, and Gayle had five turnovers. Ohio State had 14 as ateam.

Johnson gave Indiana an eight-point lead at 62-54 on a scoop shot in the lane and his free throws in the final minute sealed the deal.

His teammates were happy for him, because they've seen the grind he's gone through during his rehab.

"He's been working hard every single day, and he's hungry for this. We're counting him. He's our captain, our guard, our leader. We all look to him for leadership, and he's done absolutely amazing doing that, and we're counting on him to lead us through the Big Ten.''

Indiana allowed 22 offensive rebounds, but won anyway. ''Their bigs kicked our butt,'' Woodson said. But they also had some answers on the offensive end. Reneau finished with 23 points, including 19 in the second half. 

Assembly Hall has been a house of horrors recently for Ohio State coach Chris Holtmann, who lost three straight games here, all by double digits, before Saturday night. Now it's four in a row. 

Indiana is back on the road next, taking on Rutgers on Tuesday night in New Jersey. The game starts at 7 p.m. ET. This is one of five Indiana games this season that's on the Peacock streaming service. 

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