Pittsburgh overcame a 12 point deficit, out scoring the Buckeyes 6-1 in the final 16 seconds of overtime, hitting a long three from the top just before the horn to defeat Ohio State in the Schottenstein Center 91-90 dropping Ohio State to 5-2. The visiting Panthers improved to 7-1 with the win and likely will find themselves in the Top 25 when the polls are released on Monday. Ohio State looked to be firmly in control early in the second half, leading by 12 before a 17-1 run over a near 9 minute stretch put the Panthers in front. Ohio State regained control with a 13-4 run of their own, but Pittsburgh scored the final 5 of regulation to get it to overtime and ultimately won it in dramatic fashion. The Buckeyes shot it at a 51.7% clip for the game, knocking down 11 of 20 three’s, while holding Pitt to 44.8% shooting, including 8 of 24 from long range, but the big one at the end was the difference. Ultimately the free throw line was the biggest downfall on this night, with Ohio State making just 19 of 29 of their attempts, including a couple late in overtime that could have sealed it, and Pitt hit on 23 of 30 of theirs. Ohio State was led by Bruce Thornton who dropped in 24 points and 9 assists, while Devin Royal added 18 and Micah Parrish added 15. Pittsburgh was led by a game high 28 from Jaland Lowe and 21 from Ishmael Leggett. 

Ohio State opened the scoring off a baseline inbounds play where Meechie Johnson took a pass in the right corner and buried a three. Four straight Pitt points put the Panthers ahead, but Bruce Thornton went back door and took a Johnson pass and scored off the window putting the Buckeyes back in front. The lead changed hands again after 5 straight Panther points, but Micah Parrish knocked down a three from the right wing putting the Buckeyes back in front and at the first media timeout, Ohio State led Pittsburgh 10-9. Out of the timeout, Pitt split a pair of free throws to tie it, but Ohio State answered when Sean Stewart posted on the right block and scored off the window. Pitt went back ahead after 3 free throws on two separate trips fell as Ohio State had picked up 7 fouls in less than 13 minutes. The Buckeyes took the lead again when Austin Parks scored on a reverse lay-in and on the next possession, Johnson took the ball off the dribble with a hesitation move and got to the rim and scored off the glass. A Johnson three from the left wing increased the lead, but a Pitt triple answered, stopping the Ohio State 7-0 run and at the under 12 media timeout, Ohio State led 19-16. The Buckeyes added to their lead when John Mobley, Jr. and Parks executed a perfect pick and roll with Parks rolling to the bucket, taking the Mobley pass and finished with a dunk. A quick Pitt jumper answered but a Evan Mahaffey score off a dribble drive and a logo three by Mobley from deep left point forced Pitt to take a timeout with Ohio State leading 26-18. A Thornton jumper increased the lead to 10, but a Panther step back three stopped the 7-0 run and cut into the lead. Royal spun to the rim and scored to answer, but a Pitt bucket off a dribble drive kept the Buckeye lead at 7. Thornton quickly the other way got into the lane and lobbed to Royal for a dunk but Pitt again answered with a jumper of their own and at the under 8, Ohio State led 32-25. Out of the timeout, Thornton went to the stripe and buried the pair and off a turnover, Mobley drilled a transition three from the left corner, taking a Thornton feed. Pitt outscored Ohio State 6-2 over the next couple minutes with the Ohio State bucket coming off a Thornton dribble drive. Royal scored in the paint with a short jumper, but four straight by Pitt cut back into the lead. Ohio State stopped the mini run when an interior pass from Parks to Royal for two led to the final media timeout of the half with Ohio State leading Pittsburgh 43-35. After a Mahaffey steal, a feed to Thornton in transition led to a three from the top and the Buckeyes led by 11. An offensive rebound created a second chance and the Panthers took advantage, hitting a short jumper in the middle of the lane and Jake Diebler took a timeout with 42 seconds remaining in the first half. A Mahaffey jumper mid lane fell increasing the Ohio State lead and after Pittsburgh knocked down a pair of free throws with 5 seconds to play, a long jumper by Thonrton just inside the half court line at the horn banged off target and Ohio State took a 48-39 lead into the locker room. Both teams shot it extremely well in the first 20 minutes, with the Buckeyes knocking down 69% of their attempts, including 6 of 9 from beyond the arc. Pittsburgh hit on 56% of their shots and 3 of 7 from long range. There weren’t many rebounds to be had with both teams shooting it so well, but the Panthers led in that department, out rebounding the Buckeyes 14-7. The Buckeyes had 10 assists on the 18 made buckets, leading by as many as 12, while out scoring the Panthers in the paint 28-18. Bruce Thornton led Ohio State with 11 points and 5 assists, while Devin Royal added 10. Pittsburgh was led by a game high 12 from Jaland Lowe. 

Ohio State showed zone opening the second half and changed to man, forcing a Panther turnover and on the other end, facing a Panther zone, Thornton came off a Stewart screen with Stewart rolling to the bucket, taking a Thornton feed and scoring as he was fouled. The ensuing free throw dropped to complete the three point play matching Ohio State’s largest lead. After a Pittsburgh bucket, a Thornton runner answered, but quickly the other way, the Panthers scored at the rim. After Parrish hit a step back jumper from above the stripe, Pittsburgh drilled a three from the right wing. Ohio State came right back as Thornton lobbed to Stewart for a jam electrifying the crowd and at the under 16 media timeout, Ohio State led 57-46. The Panthers were not going away though, scoring 10 straight to force Jake Diebler to call a timeout with 12:56 to play and Ohio State’s lead cut to 57-56. The Buckeyes turned it over out of the timeout and the run continued with an old-fashioned three point play on the other end putting Pittsburgh in front and at the media timeout with 11:56 to play, Pittsburgh now led 59-57. The run went to 15-0 before Royal split two free throws ending an over 7 minute Buckeye scoring drought. After a Pitt bucket at the rim, Parrish buried a three while being fouled and the free throw dropped to complete a four point play and cut the deficit to 1. After a pair of defensive stops, Mahaffey grabbed a loose ball under the rim and flushed it home to put Ohio State back in front. Pitt answered with a straight on three and with a timeout called with 6:02 to play, Pittsburgh led Ohio State 66-64. A Thornton 3 shifted the Buckeyes back ahead and after an offensive foul gave the ball back to Ohio State, Royal split a pair of free throws and Ohio State led by 2. Pitt split a pair of free throws, cutting the lead to 1, but a Parrish triple from the right wing increased the lead and at the final media timeout of the game with 3:39 to play, Ohio State led Pittsburgh 71-67. Out of the timeout, the Panthers went to the stripe and split the pair, cutting the lead to 3. Two Royal free throws bumped the lead to two possessions, but four straight Pitt points trimmed the lead back to just 1.  Parrish took a Jonson feed for a three from the left corner to answer and Johnson split two free throws to put the Buckeyes up 5 with 1:35 to play. Pittsburgh drained a three from the top and the Panthers took a quick timeout with 1:21 to play with the Buckeyes leading 77-75. The Buckeyes failed to score on their possession and a wild shot dropped for the Panthers and Ohio State took a timeout with 25.8 left to play and the game tied. Thornton’s runner fell off target and a shot clock issue stopped gameplay with the ball in Pitt’s possession with 2.3 seconds left and Pitt inbounding along the Ohio State baseline after a Panther timeout. A Three quarter court shot attempt clanged off the board as time expired sending the game to overtime. 

Pittsburgh got the tip to open the extra session and promptly turned it over and Ohio State made them pay when Thornton drilled a three from the right point. After Pitt split a pair of free throws, Royal bagged a pair to put the Buckeyes up 4. Pitt cut into the lead, scoring off a dribble drive, but a pair of free throws by Thornton kept the Panthers down two possessions with just over 2 to play.  A foul on the other end going for a rebound walked the ball to the other end where Thornton went right back to the line and he calmly buried the pair extending the Buckeye lead to 6. A questionable foul call put Pitt on the stripe for three and two dropped, cutting the lead to 4 with 1:31 left in overtime. Royal was fouled on the other end attacking the offensive glass and he split the pair, but another poor foul call created an old–fashioned three point play with under a minute to play and the Buckeye lead trimmed to just 2. Thornton split a pair of free throws with 34 seconds to play and after Pitt badly missed a three, Ohio State got the ball in the front court and Jake Diebler took a timeout with 17.1 on the game clock and Ohio State leading 88-85. A quick foul on the inbounds pass put Mobley on the stripe and he missed the first, but nailed the second to make it a two possession game with 16 seconds left. A foul on the other end on a shot beyond the arc put Pitt to the line for three and they all dropped, cutting the Buckeye lead to 1 with 7 seconds left. A foul put Royal on the line where he split the pair. Pitt raced the ball up the floor and a long three just before the horn dropped with .4 seconds left. A long inbound pass was intercepted ending the game.  

No need to sugar coat this one, it was a devastating loss for the home Buckeyes. They looked to be firmly in control for 25 minutes and had their chances to close it out not only late in regulation but in overtime as well, but some ill-timed missed free throws and fouls, allowed the visitors all the opportunity they needed to pull out a miraculous win. Pittsburgh is a solid team, but there is no way, if Ohio State plays well, they come into Columbus and get a win, but unfortunately that’s exactly what happened. The Panthers adjusted in the second half and took advantage of a size mismatch in the post and the Buckeyes had no answers. Ohio State just didn’t execute well enough to win a game against a good team and some of the issues inside defensively and on the perimeter were exposed in this game. It’s clearly extremely disappointing to lose a game they had won, but they will have to learn from it and get ready for the next one. The schedule is extremely difficult moving forward over the next few weeks so they will have to adjust quickly and not let this happen again.  Buckeye fans can turn to the gridiron and a big one in the ‘Shoe tomorrow before switching gears back to the hardwood next week after hopefully a big win on the football field.

Ohio State opens Big Ten play on Wednesday evening, heading to College Park, Maryland for a matchup with the Terps.  Game time is scheduled for 6:30 PM and airing on BTN. 

-Jason Harris