Ohio State, finally healthy for essentially the first time all season, gave top-seeded and No. 3-ranked Michigan all they could handle before falling 71–67 in a Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal. With the loss, the Buckeyes drop to 21–12 on the season, while the Wolverines improve to 30–2.

Michigan built a first-half lead as large as 11 points, only to see Ohio State cut it to four by halftime. The Buckeyes evened the score by the first media timeout of the second half, taking a lead when Devin Royal buried a three with 5:40 remaining. Michigan regained control during a 5–1 run that included a highly controversial goaltending call. Ohio State closed to within one late, but could not generate enough offense down the stretch to pull the upset.

Michigan’s elite defense held Ohio State to just 38 percent shooting, including 8 of 24 from three-point range, while the Buckeyes limited Michigan to 45 percent shooting and 5 of 17 from long range. Michigan held a slight edge on the glass, 34–32, and converted 10 Ohio State turnovers into a 19–8 advantage in points off miscues. A 22–6 edge in transition points also proved pivotal in the Wolverines’ third win in three tries over Ohio State this season.

Bruce Thornton led Ohio State with 22 points and 4 assists, while also grabbing 3 rebounds—becoming only the second player in Big Ten history to surpass 2,000 points, 500 rebounds, and 500 assists. Devin Royal added 13 points to surpass 1,000 career points and also posted 11 rebounds for a double-double. John Mobley contributed 12 points.

Michigan was led by 17 points from Aday Mara, with Elliott Cadeau adding 15, Trey McKenney scoring 12, and Morez Johnson chipping in 11.

1st Half

Michigan hit its first three shots to jump out to a quick 7–0 lead before Bruce Thornton sparked Ohio State, grabbing an offensive rebound and finishing in the paint to get the Buckeyes on the board. After Michigan split a pair of free throws, Devin Royal knocked down a three from the top of the key to cut into the deficit. The Wolverines answered with a basket at the rim, and by the under-16 media timeout Michigan held a 10–5 advantage.

An Ohio State turnover led to a Michigan three-pointer, and the Wolverines added a pair of free throws to push their lead to 10 just over five minutes into the game. Christoph Tilly stopped the run with two free throws, and Devin Royal followed with a short jumper to trim the deficit. After a Michigan turnover, Bruce Thornton converted a runner in transition to cap a 6–0 Buckeye spurt.

Michigan quickly halted the momentum with a three-pointer and added a basket inside before Tilly attacked the paint and drew a foul. At the under-12 media timeout, the Wolverines held a 20–11 lead.

Out of the timeout, Christoph Tilly went to the line and split the pair, and John Mobley followed with a pull-up basket off the bounce. Michigan answered by getting out in transition for a dunk after an Ohio State turnover and then knocked down a three, forcing Jake Diebler to call timeout with the Wolverines leading 25–14.

Devin Royal briefly stopped the run with two free throws, but Michigan countered with a score on a dribble drive. Mobley responded with a runner, and after a Michigan turnover, the under-8 media timeout arrived with the Wolverines holding a 27–18 advantage.

Another Ohio State turnover led to a Michigan dunk on the other end, but John Mobley answered by burying a long three from the top of the key. Michigan responded with a score from the right block before Brandon Noel, seeing his first action since early January, tipped in a Gabe Cupps miss. After a Michigan miss, Bruce Thornton pushed the ball in transition and finished at the rim. On the next possession, a Wolverine turnover led to Thornton drawing a foul again in transition. At the under-4 media timeout, Michigan held a 31–24 lead.

Coming out of the timeout, Bruce Thornton went to the line and knocked down both free throws to pull the Buckeyes within four. Michigan answered with a jumper—appearing to get away with a clear offensive foul on the play—but Amare Bynum responded with a three-pointer.

Michigan grabbed an offensive rebound and converted, only to see Thornton answer again with a three as Ohio State trimmed the deficit to two. A missed call on the offensive end followed when Devin Royal was clearly fouled while attempting to catch a lob from Thornton, leading to a transition dunk for Michigan that drew the ire of the Buckeye bench.

Another Ohio State turnover sent Michigan to the free-throw line, where both attempts were converted. Thornton, however, had the final word of the half, sinking a runner just before the horn to cut the Wolverines’ lead to 39–35 at the break.

Ohio State shot 40 percent from the floor in the first half, connecting on 4 of 12 attempts from three-point range. Michigan, after its hot start, finished the half shooting 50 percent overall and went 4 of 8 from beyond the arc.

The Buckeyes held a 19–14 advantage on the glass and converted 7 of 8 free throws, compared to 5 of 6 for the Wolverines. Michigan owned a slight 20–16 edge in points in the paint, however, and capitalized on Ohio State’s turnovers. The Buckeyes committed eight first-half turnovers compared to five by Michigan, which translated into a 15–6 advantage in points off turnovers for the Wolverines.

Bruce Thornton led all scorers with 13 points at the break, while Michigan was paced by Trey McKenney, who scored 10 points off the bench in the first half.

2nd Half

Mobley opened the second-half scoring with a 12-foot jumper. After another questionable foul call went against Ohio State—one that appeared it could have been ruled offensive—Michigan capitalized with a basket at the rim. Mobley answered right back with another mid-range jumper, but the Wolverines responded with a three-pointer.

Mobley continued his strong stretch by drilling a three of his own, and after an Ohio State steal, he found Christoph Tilly at the rim for an easy finish. At the under-16 media timeout, the game was tied at 44.

Michigan broke the tie with a basket on a dribble drive and then added five more points to extend the lead before Gabe Cupps drilled a three from the right wing. The Wolverines answered with a runner, but Cupps came right back with a score off the bounce on the other end.

Bruce Thornton then knocked down a three to continue the Buckeye push before a Michigan dunk halted the run. At the under-12 media timeout, the Wolverines held a 55–52 lead.

Michigan scored the first four points out of the timeout to extend its advantage, but Christoph Tilly stopped the run with a runner off the glass. Moments later, Thornton was fouled while attempting a short jumper in the lane, and the under-8 media timeout arrived with Michigan clinging to a 59–54 lead.

Bruce Thornton knocked down both free throws out of the timeout to further trim the deficit, and after Michigan split a pair at the line, Amare Bynum answered with two free throws of his own. Following a Michigan miss, Devin Royal buried a three from the top of the key to give Ohio State its first lead of the game.

Christoph Tilly later split a pair at the line to push the Buckeye advantage to two, but Michigan responded with two free throws on the other end to tie the game once again. The Wolverines then took the lead on a transition basket that appeared to include a false goaltending call that went unreviewed, giving Michigan a 64–62 edge at the under-4 media timeout.

Michigan opened the sequence at the free-throw line, splitting a pair, but Bruce Thornton responded on the other end by knocking down both of his free throws, cutting the deficit to just one with just over three minutes remaining. Michigan then capitalized on a fortunate bounce on a loose ball, finishing at the rim, which forced Ohio State to call a timeout with 1:59 left and the Wolverines holding a 67–64 lead.

Michigan extended their lead by one more after splitting two free throws, while Devin Royal split a pair for the Buckeyes on the opposite end. A backcourt foul sent Michigan back to the line with 20 seconds remaining, and they again split the pair. With six seconds left, Royal drove the lane for a basket, cutting Ohio State’s deficit to 69–67 and Ohio State took a quick timeout. Ohio State quickly fouled in the backcourt putting Michigan back on the line where they hit the pair to seal the game. 

Game Wrap

Ohio State made it clear they belong among the nation’s elite. When healthy—which has been rare for much of the season—the Buckeyes have the look of a top-15 team, and they pushed one of the country’s best programs to the very end, falling just short despite still playing short-handed with the injured Taison Chatman, who has been a critical piece off the bench the latter half of the season for the Buckeyes. From start to finish, the Buckeyes displayed relentless toughness and determination on both ends of the floor. Limiting the conference player of the year, Yaxel Lendeborg to only six points highlighted the strides this team has made defensively.

While Michigan benefited from a few crucial calls and non-calls in key moments, Ohio State battled for all 40 minutes and had a real opportunity to pull off the upset in the closing moments. Though the loss ended a four-game winning streak, the timing couldn’t be better: the Buckeyes are peaking at the right moment and will be a formidable opponent in the NCAA tournament next week.

Seeding remains uncertain, with most projections placing them between 7 and 10, but the team’s current form suggests they are stronger than that line indicates. If Ohio State can maintain this level of play, they have a real chance to make a deep March run. The three-year tournament drought is over, and now the Buckeyes turn their focus to preparation for the NCAA tournament, with the ultimate goal of contending for a national championship. While that may sound ambitious, today was a reminder of what this team is capable of—and after this performance, there isn’t a team in America that would want to face the Buckeyes in a one-and-done scenario.

 

Box Score

 

Official Statistics provided by The Big Ten Conference and StatBroadcast

Ohio State will be back on the floor in the NCAA tournament, playing either Thursday or Friday. Time, Opponent and television coverage TBD. 

 

-Jason Harris