Jared Sullinger had 19 points and 16 rebounds as top-ranked Ohio State remained unbeaten, pulling away late for a 62-53 victory over Michigan on Thursday night in Columbus.

The Buckeyes' leading scorer, Sullinger was efficient from the floor and ravenous on the boards, shooting 7 for 10 from the field while pulling down more than 15 rebounds for the fourth time this season. He also saved his best for clutch time, helping Ohio State stay perfect despite an ugly opening half against the plucky Wolverines.

The Buckeyes (23-0, 10-0 Big Ten) scored the game's first seven points but fell asleep after that, finishing with 23 first-half points on 25 percent shooting to find themselves down three at the break. The result remained in doubt until Sullinger took charge, scoring eight points during a critical 10-3 run that turned a two-point lead into a nine-point advantage with 3:31 remaining.

William Buford had 13 points and hit three of the Buckeyes' five 3-pointers on the night after being held without a make from beyond the arc in last week's one-point win over Northwestern.

Despite remaining without a loss, a second straight single-digit victory – and seventh in the past nine games – may not inspire much confidence among Ohio State players and fans heading into the home stretch. Five of the Buckeyes' final eight games come against ranked teams.

Tim Hardaway Jr. led the way with 15 points for Michigan (13-10, 3-7), which shot 41.8 percent and lost to the Buckeyes for the fourth time in a row.