Ohio State ratcheted up its intensity to start the second half and overcame a slow start en route to a 64-44 victory over Mercer in a nonconference game Tuesday night at Value City Arena in Columbus, Ohio.

The Buckeyes (7-5), playing more like the team that knocked off then-No. 4 Kentucky on Saturday rather than the one that lost four straight games earlier in the season, expanded a one-point halftime lead to 10 in the first four minutes after halftime and dominated the Bears in the second half.

Freshman guard JaQuan Lyle had 18 points to lead Ohio State, whose largest lead in the final 20 minutes was 20 points. Sophomore forwards Jae'Sean Tate and Keita Bates-Diop added 13 and 12 points, respectively. Bates-Diop and sophomore center Trevor Thompson each grabbed eight rebounds.

Forward Desmond Ringer was the only player for Mercer (9-3) to score in double figures, finishing with 18 points. Guard Jestin Lewis, the Bears' leading scorer this season, managed only six points.

The Buckeyes overcame 16 turnovers, 3-of-22 shooting on 3-pointers and 53 percent free-throw accuracy (nine of 17) by holding Mercer to 34.7 percent from the field (17 of 49), including three of 18 from 3-point range, and forcing 25 turnovers.

In a sloppily played first half, each team had 12 turnovers and both teams struggled to get into an offensive rhythm.

Ohio State started the game 1-for-11 from the field and warmed up to finish the half at 37.9 percent (11 of 29). However, the Buckeyes were 0-for-9 on 3-pointers.

Mercer, which won at Arkansas on Saturday, shot 42 percent from the floor and was 2-for-10 from 3-point range in the opening 20 minutes.

The Bears' largest lead was seven points on a dunk by forward Stephon Jelks with 7:32 to go before halftime. The Buckeyes overcame the deficit to lead 25-24 at intermission, but the neither team scored in the final 2:15 after Bates-Diop's dunk.

Freshman forward Mickey Mitchell made his debut for the Buckeyes after being ruled eligible by the NCAA late last week. He did not score.

Ohio State played its second game without freshman guard Austin Grandstaff, who announced he was transferring after a win over Northern Illinois last Wednesday.