Justice Sueing scored 19 points and No. 23 Ohio State scored the first 22 points en route to a 94-67 win over Illinois State on Wednesday in the season opener for both teams.

The Buckeyes created their own energy as Sueing, making his Ohio State debut after transferring 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 since leaving California, where he averaged 14 points and six rebounds as a sophomore in 2018-19.

E.J. Liddell had 16 points while Duane Washington and freshman Zed Key each scored 12 for the Buckeyes. Key also had five rebounds. 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 six minutes left.

Liddell moved into a starting spot at power forward for Ohio State after serving as a backup last year. He opened the game with a jam and then completed a three-point play, scoring both off passes from his teammates. Liddell fed Sueing for back-to-back jams midway through the second half as the Buckeyes pulled away.