Ohio State guard Malaki Branham was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week on Monday after scoring a career-high 35 points in the Buckeyes’ 87-79 overtime win at Nebraska on Sunday evening.
The former four-star prospect from Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary was 13-of-19 from the floor, including 6-of-10 from three-point range. He also tied a career high with six rebounds and two assists in 42 minutes.
Branham’s 35 points are the most by an Ohio State freshman since since former forward Jared Sullinger scored 40 points in a win over IUPUI in 2010.
It’s also the most of any Buckeye freshman in a conference game, topping the 33 points scored by former guard D’Angelo Russell in a win at Northwestern in 2015, and ties former forward Keita Bates-Diop (Illinois, 2018) for the most of any Ohio State player in Big Ten play since 2000.
Prior to Sunday, Branham’s previous career high was 11 points. He is the first Buckeye to earn Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors since former guard D.J. Carton in 2019, when he scored a team-high 15 points in a six-point win over Kentucky in the CBS Sports Classic.
Ohio State returns to action this Thursday at Indiana. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. ET on FS1.
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