COLUMBUS (AP) — Bruce Thornton had 26 points, Jamison Battle sank four 3-pointers and scored 25, and Ohio State beat Minnesota 84-74 in an early Big Ten Conference opener on Sunday night.

Thornton sank 8 of 12 shots with a 3-pointer and 9 of 10 free throws for the Buckeyes (7-1), which have won six in a row.

He added five assists and three steals.

Battle missed just two from beyond the arc, and has made at least one 3-pointer in every game this season.

He was 7 for 7 at the foul line.

Roddy Gayle Jr. hit 2 of 3 from distance and scored 16.

Dawson Garcia scored a career-high 36 for the Golden Gophers (5-3).

The junior made 12 of 25 shots, 12 of 14 free throws, and grabbed 11 rebounds for his second double-double this season.

Cam Christie had 11 points off the bench and Elijah Hawkins scored 10.

Thornton had 12 first-half points, Battle and Gayle both scored 10, and Ohio State took a 42-28 lead into halftime.

Scotty Middleton hit a 3-pointer to give Ohio State its biggest lead at 54-34 with 15:22 left to play.

Minnesota got within six points twice, the final time at 72-66 on a jumper by Christie with 3:24 to go.

Battle and Thornton sandwiched 3-pointers around a basket by Garcia, and the Buckeyes maintained a two-score lead over the final 2:41.

Ohio State has 91 all-time victories in the series, 30 more than the Gophers.

The Buckeyes have won seven of their last eight to up their record in conference openers to 62-47.

Ohio State will host Miami of Ohio on Wednesday before traveling to Penn State for a Big Ten matchup on Saturday.