Ohio State now has a new all-time leading scorer. With 44 seconds remaining in the first half, Bruce Thornton drilled a three-pointer from the left wing to surpass Dennis Hopson and etch his name atop the program’s scoring record and was awarded the game ball from Hopson himself at the half.

Beyond the historic milestone, Thornton and the Buckeyes finished their home schedule in strong fashion, defeating visiting Indiana 91-78 to essentially secure their spot in the NCAA Tournament. The win snapped a five-game losing streak to the Hoosiers as Ohio State improved to 20-11 overall and 12-8 in Big Ten play. Indiana finished its regular season at 18-12overall and 9-11 in conference play and, barring a deep Big Ten Tournament run, likely saw its NCAA Tournament hopes fade after dropping five of its final six games.

Indiana briefly pulled within three points midway through the first half, but Ohio State responded with a dominant 22-8 run to close the half, opening a 17-point lead at the break. The Buckeyes extended their advantage to 23 points early in the second half and maintained control, with Indiana never getting closer than 10 points late in the game as Ohio State cruised to its third straight victory.

Ohio State shot 59% from the floor and connected on 11 of 24 three-point attempts. Indiana countered with strong second-half shooting, finishing at 55% overall, but was limited to 5-of-18 from three. The Buckeyes also held a rebounding edge 24-21 and were nearly perfect at the free throw line, making 22 of 25 attempts.

Thornton finished his record-setting night with 25 points and 7 assists, tying Shannon Scott for third all-time in Ohio State history in career assists. John Mobley and Amare Bynum each added 18 points, with Bynum also grabbing 9 rebounds. Devin Royal contributed 12 points, while Taison Chatman provided a spark off the bench, going 3-of-4 from three-point range to finish with 11 points.

Indiana was led by Lamar Wilkerson’s 18 points, while Tucker DeVries added 17, Sam Alexis scored 14, and Reed Bailey and Connor Enright each finished with 12 points.

1^st Half

Indiana opened the game on a 5–0 run before John Mobley got Ohio State on the board with a pair of free throws. Mobley then knocked down a 15-footer, and moments later Amare Bynum came up with a steal that led to a transition dunk, giving the Buckeyes their first lead. Indiana answered with a split at the free throw line to tie the game, but Ohio State quickly went back in front when Bynum spun into the lane and finished at the rim. After the Hoosiers evened the score again, Christoph Tilly attacked the right side of the lane and banked it in. On the ensuing inbound, Bruce Thornton jumped the pass and converted the steal into an easy layup. Indiana then committed another turnover on a wild pass, sending the game to the under-16 media timeout with Ohio State holding a 12–8 lead.

Ohio State pushed the lead further when Mobley knocked down a step-back three and was fouled on the play. Mobley calmly converted the free throw to complete the four-point play. Indiana responded with four straight points, but Taison Chatman answered by tracking down a long rebound and drilling a three from the left corner. After the Hoosiers scored on the other end, Amare Bynum connected from deep as well, burying a three from the right corner off a feed from Bruce Thornton. At the under-12 media timeout, Ohio State held a 22–14 lead.

Ohio State stretched its lead when Thornton and Tilly executed a give-and-go, with Tilly finishing through contact at the rim and converting the free throw to complete the three-point play. Indiana answered with a three-point play of its own, but Thornton responded by knocking down a three from the left wing. The Hoosiers then scored the next eight points, trimming Ohio State’s advantage to 28–25 heading into the under-8 media timeout.

Out of the timeout, Chatman buried a three from the left corner to stop Indiana’s run. Ohio State continued to build momentum when Thornton lobbed a pass to Bynum for a basket inside. Indiana answered with a bucket of its own, but Bynum responded by driving the lane and throwing down a powerful dunk, forcing the Hoosiers to call timeout with 5:30 remaining in the half and the Buckeyes ahead 35–27.

After Indiana converted a runner, Thornton answered with one of his own. On the defensive end, Bynum then soared for a blocked shot that led to a long three from Mobley in transition. By the under-4 media timeout, Ohio State had pushed its lead to 40–29.

Bynum knocked down a three from the top of the key, and after Indiana answered with a basket at the rim, Royal responded for Ohio State with a score from the left block. Bruce Thornton then added a runner, and following an Indiana miss, he buried a three-pointer that made him Ohio State’s all-time leading scorer. The shot also proved to be the final basket of the half, sending the Buckeyes into the locker room with a commanding 50–33 lead.

Ohio State shot 50% from the floor in the first half, including a scorching 8-of-13 from three-point range, while holding Indiana to 33% shooting and just 1-of-8 from beyond the arc. The rebounding battle was even at 13 apiece, but the Buckeyes forced eight Hoosier turnovers, converting them into nine points, and assisted on seven of their 19 made field goals.

Amare Bynum led Ohio State with 14 points, while Bruce Thornton added 12 points and six assists and John Mobley chipped in 11 points. Lamar Wilkerson paced Indiana with 10 points.

2^nd Half

Ohio State opened the second half with Royal knocking down a pair of free throws. After Indiana answered with a basket, Royal added a 12-footer in the lane to keep the Buckeyes rolling. The Hoosiers split a pair at the line, but Tilly responded by grabbing an offensive rebound and throwing down a powerful putback dunk. Indiana countered with a dunk of its own, before Bynum converted two free throws on the other end. Mobley then buried a three to cap the run, and by the under-16 media timeout, Ohio State had stretched its lead to 61–38.

Indiana went to the stripe out of the timeout and converted two and added a three before Mobley hit a floater in the paint. Chatman followed with a three and after an Indiana score, Thornton was fouled shooting a three and went to the line and buried all three to extend the lead. IU scored just before the under 12 with Ohio State firmly in control, leading 69-47.

Indiana came out of the timeout by converting a free throw to complete an and-one and then knocked down a three following an Ohio State turnover. Thornton responded with a runner in the paint, but the Hoosiers answered with another three-pointer. Indiana capped an 11–2 run with a basket before Chatman banked in a short jumper for Ohio State. After Indiana slipped past the Buckeye defense for a dunk, a foul on the other end stopped the clock, sending the game to the under-8 media timeout with Ohio State holding a 73–58 lead.

After Thornton split a pair of free throws, Ohio State forced a turnover and capitalized when Thornton drove the lane and drew another foul, splitting the second set of free throws. Indiana converted two free throws on the other end, but Thornton returned to the line and this time made both attempts. Following an Indiana basket, Mobley was fouled in the backcourt, walked to the other end, and sank both free throws. Indiana added two more points at the line, matched by Royal for Ohio State. The Hoosiers then scored six straight, forcing Jake Diebler to call a timeout with 3:55 remaining, as Indiana had closed the gap to 81–70.

Ohio State ended Indiana’s run out of the timeout when Thornton drove the right side of the lane and scored off the glass. The Hoosiers quickly responded with an old-fashioned three-point play, but Royal answered with a three-pointer and a free throw, completing a four-point play that effectively stifled Indiana’s comeback attempt. Bynum added a tip-in dunk before Indiana hit a late three and called a timeout with 2:13 remaining, as Ohio State maintained an 89–76 lead.

Thornton extended the lead with two free throws and with 56 seconds remaining, Bruce Thornton and Christoph Tilly exited the ballgame for their final Schottenstein Center appearance. Indiana would score just before the horn as Ohio State completed the win in the final regular season game of the year. 

Game Wrap

Ohio State appears to be hitting its stride at the perfect time, playing some of its best basketball of the season as the postseason approaches. Outside of the Iowa game, when the Buckeyes were shorthanded, Ohio State has been dominant in recent outings and looks fully in sync on both ends of the floor. The emergence of Amare Bynum, the steady leadership of Bruce Thornton, and the outside shooting of John Mobley have been complemented by strong bench contributions from Taison Chatman, along with the physical play inside from Christoph Tilly and versatility of Devin Royal.

The Buckeyes have become more efficient on the boards while their offense has grown more connected and explosive. That offensive improvement has been matched by a defense that has tightened up on the perimeter and controlled the glass, often limiting opponents to one-shot possessions and turning those stops into transition opportunities. As a result, Ohio State enters postseason play as one of the hottest teams in the Big Ten.

The Buckeyes are all but assured an NCAA Tournament berth regardless of what happens next week, but their focus now shifts toward making a deep run in the conference tournament. The win also secured a double-bye in the 18-team Big Ten Tournament in Chicago, with Ohio State now waiting to see its exact seed and game time.

If USC defeats UCLA tonight, Ohio State will earn the No. 7 seed and play Thursday at 6:30 p.m. ET. If UCLA wins, the Buckeyes will be the No. 8 seed and play Thursday at noon. Regardless of seeding or opponent, Ohio State will look to carry its momentum into the tournament and improve its NCAA Tournament positioning ahead of Selection Sunday.

On a night that will long be remembered as Bruce Thornton Night, in front of a near sellout crowd at the Schottenstein Center, Ohio State honored three senior players and its senior managers in their final appearance at the Schottenstein Center.

Brandon Noel, a Lucasville, Ohio native, realized a lifelong dream when he transferred from Wright State to Ohio State last summer. While his season didn’t unfold exactly as planned due to injury, Noel still delivered one of the Buckeyes’ biggest moments of the year, erupting for 29 points to lead Ohio State to a Quad 1 victory over Northwestern.

Christoph Tilly arrived in Columbus for his senior season after transferring from Santa Clara. The Buckeyes’ starting center has battled injuries of his own throughout the year, but when healthy he has been a difference-maker in the middle. With his length, ball-handling ability, and exceptional court vision for a seven-footer, Tilly has provided a unique presence for Ohio State and has been key to their 20 win season.

Finally, Buckeye fans said farewell to Bruce Thornton, the only four-time captain in program history. Thornton will leave Columbus with his name etched throughout the Ohio State record books. In addition to becoming the program’s all-time leading scorer, he will finish among the top 3 in assists and is just 7 rebounds away from becoming only the second player in Big Ten history to record 2,000 points, 500 rebounds, and 500 assists, joining Penn State legend and former Ohio State coach Talor Battle with that prestigious honor.

In an era defined by the transfer portal and NIL, Thornton remained fiercely loyal to Ohio State, even navigating a coaching change during his career. That loyalty, combined with his production and leadership, cements his legacy as one of the greatest players in Buckeye history. Now, alongside the individual accolades, he will have the opportunity to lead Ohio State to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in his career.

We want to offer our own thanks all the senior players and managers for their contributions, with hopes that their journey together still has many more games left to play. Also, we want to put out a huge congratulations to the “Voice of the Buckeyes”. Paul Keels for his election into the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame. Buckeye fans are lucky to have Paul call both basketball and football games all these years and he is much deserved of this prestigious honor. 

Box Score

*Official statistics provided courtesy of The Ohio State University and Sidearm Sports.

Ohio State will get back on the court on Thursday in Chicago for the Big Ten Tournament, time and opponent TBD.

-Jason Harris