The shorthanded Buckeyes had ill health hit the program at absolutely the wrong time and UCLA took advantage, sending Ohio State down to their third straight loss, with a 69-61 final at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles. With Aaron Bradshaw missing his 2nd straight game and John Mobley  Jr., although playing, was clearly not right for a 2nd straight game, and nearly the entire team suffering with effects of illness, Ohio State is limping to the finish with their tournament hopes hanging in the balance. Although they showed grit and fight, the Buckeyes just didn’t have enough, especially in the paint to come away with a road win. Ohio State falls to 15-13, 7-10, while UCLA improves to 20-8, 11-6. The Buckeyes were led by Bruce Thornton’s game high 21 and Micah Parrish added 12. UCLA was led by Eric Dailey, Jr with 20. Skyy Clark added 13, Sebastian Mack scored 11 and Aday Mara chipped in 10. 

UCLA jumped ahead 6-2 in the opening two minutes due to a pair of three-point possessions, one of the old fashion varieties and one from the arc, with Ohio State’s score coming off a Sean Stewart score off a dribble drive. The Buckeyes outscored the Bruins 5-2 over the next couple minutes as Micah Parrish hit a pair of free throws and Devin Royal completed an old-fashioned three point play and at the under 16, the Buckeyes trailed the Bruins 8-7. Neither team would score for over 4 minutes until Parrish drilled a three from the right wing to give Ohio State their first lead. UCLA answered with a long three at the end of the shot clock to regain the lead, but Ohio State went back ahead when John Mobley picked the pocket of a Bruin and when his transition lay up fell off target, Evan Mahaffey cleaned up the offensive rebound for two. After a UCLA bucket, Bruce Thornton drilled a three from the top and the Buckeyes led by 2. UCLA scored the next four to go back in front and at the under 8 and with 6:37 remaining in the half, the Bruins led 17-15. A three by UCLA bumped the run to 7-0 and the lead to 5 before Thornton buried a three. Another Bruin triple was followed by a Thornton score at the rim and the UCLA lead sat at 3 with 4:30 left in the first half. A pair of UCLA buckets sandwiched a Ques Glover runner and at the under 4, UCLA led 27-22. A Thornton pull up jumper and a Bruin free throw completed the first half scoring as UCLA took a 28-24 lead into the locker room. Both teams struggled from the floor in the first 20 minutes with Ohio State hitting on just 27%, 3-12 from long range. UCLA hit on just 32% and 4 of 13 from deep. Each team turned it over 6 times while Ohio State held a 13-9 advantage in second chance points. UCLA was led by a game high 11 by Eric Dailey Jr, while Bruce Thornton led Ohio State with 10. 

The Buckeyes struck first in the second half when Austin Parks grabbed an offensive rebound and scored through contact. His ensuing free throw completed the three point play and cut the lead to 1. A UCLA three was answered by a Mobley three as the UCLA stood at 1 two minutes into the half. 6 straight UCLA points forced Ohio State to take a timeout at the 16:16 mark with UCLA now enjoying a 37-30 lead. The run went to 8-0 before Glover scored at the rim. A pair of Parrish free throws and after a flagrant 1 foul on UCLA, Glover split a pair. Glover, on the same possession, got to the rim for another two and the Buckeyes were on a 7-0 run. UCLA answered with a 5-0 run of their own before Thornton drilled a three to cut the lead to 4. The Bruins scored the next 4 and were on a 9-3 run at the under 12 media timeout with 10:24 to play and UCLA leading 48-40.  A transition runner by Thornton cut into the lead, but a three on the other end answered again. After Parrish bagged a pair of free throws, UCLA did the same and UCLA’s lead was 9 with 8:30 to play. UCLA bagged two free throws to build their largest lead before a Mobley bucket and a pair of Thornton free throws trimmed the UCLA lead to 7. UCLA stopped the mini OSU run with a bucket and with just 3:39 to play at the under 4, the Bruins led 57-48. The lead ballooned to 13 before Royal completed an old-fashioned three point play. After UCLA split a pair, Parrish finished off another and one opportunity for the Buckeyes to trim the lead to 8 with 2 minutes to play. A Thornton runner with 1:08 to play cut the Buckeye deficit to 6 and Ohio State took a timeout. UCLA nailed a dagger three at the end of the shot clock to all but end it with less than a minute to go. After Thornton hit 2 free throws, Ohio State fouled in the backcourt with UCLA leading 65-58 and just 34 seconds remaining. The Bruins hit both and on the other end Mobley buried a three and Ohio State took a timeout but with just 21 seconds to go, UCLA led 67-61. Ohio State put UCLA back on the line with a backcourt foul and they both fell, stymying any late comeback hopes for the Buckeyes and the scoring was complete with UCLA getting the win over the ailing Buckeyes. 

It’s clear health is an issue with this basketball team. Unfortunately the flu bug hit the program at the wrong time as they come down the stretch of the season. While they will never make excuses, the last couple games, they have just looked different and it’s 100% due to health. This game, like the previous game against Northwestern were games that were winnable if they were at full strength, but it was obvious to anyone watching with a basketball eye, that they just aren’t right physically. Devin Royal looked a step slow for a second straight game and Micah Parrish and John Mobley the same, and while Thornton did everything he could to carry the team, without a secondary scoring option, Ohio State to their credit, didn’t quit, but they just struggled to muster the energy needed on either end of the floor to get a win. They will have a few days to get right before the next one at USC, and at this point they probably need to win the last 3 to get into the tournament. They are certainly capable, but they will need as close to the full complement of the roster as possible. If they can’t rally in the last couple weeks, they will unfortunately be on the outside looking in when the NCAA tournament field is announced in a month. To all the Jake Diebler detractors out there, he is the absolute right guy to lead this program and he will right the ship, but don’t be quick to judge off a tough season where a number of factors contributed to the ultimate demise. The latest factor being health related, whether it’s an excuse or not, it’s a fact. We will have more on the season in review and there will be time for that later, but for now, there are games to play and still time to finish this season strong. 

The Buckeyes finish their trip to Los Angeles on Wednesday night, visiting USC for a 10:30 PM tip on BTN.

-Jason Harris