Recap: Ohio State vs. Washington

Uncasville, CT (Sports Network) - Deshaun Thomas matched a career-high with 31 points as No. 4 Ohio State captured the Naismith Bracket championship of the Hall of Fame Tip-Off Classic with a 77-66 win over Washington from Mohegan Sun Arena.

Thomas made good on 12-of-20 shot attempts, including 3-of-7 from 3-point range, while Aaron Craft added 18 points for Ohio State (3-0), which held a slim 44-39 lead early in the second half before slowly pulling away down the stretch.

C.J. Wilcox scored 18 points and Abdul Gaddy netted 15 for the Huskies (2-2), who advanced to the tournament title game with Saturday's 84-73 overtime victory over Seton Hall.

Ohio State trailed 18-17 eight minutes in before putting together a 14-4 run that turned the 1-point deficit into a 31-22 advantage. The surge was led by Thomas, who poured in eight of his 21 first-half points over that stretch and capped the flurry with a long-range basket with 5:49 remaining in the opening stanza.

The Buckeyes shot 51.5 percent and compiled a splendid 11-to-1 assist- to-turnover ratio in building a 41-31 lead at the break, though the Huskies would cut into their deficit in the initial stages of the second half.

Back-to-back 3-pointers by Wilcox and Gaddy brought Washington within 44-39 with 17:29 to go, but Ohio State answered with an 8-0 sequence over the next two minutes to bring the margin back to double digits.

Thomas was again instrumental during that time frame, beginning the run with a 3-point play and ending it with a pass to Amir Williams that put the Buckeyes up 51-39. Williams was fouled on the play and converted the bonus shot for a 13-point cushion.

Washington got to within seven points down on two occasions, the last after Wilcox sank another triple to pull the Huskies within 63-56 with 7:30 left to play.

Ohio State answered by scoring 12 of the next 14 points, however, to keep the Huskies at bay.