Ohio State returned to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in four years, but the stay was short-lived. In the opening game of the Round of 64, TCU overwhelmed Ohio State in the first half with suffocating halfcourt defense and an uncharacteristically hot performance from beyond the arc in the first 20 minutes to build a big lead and hung on, downing Ohio State 66-64 to end the Buckeyes’ season with a 21-13 record. TCU will move on to the Round of 32 to play on Saturday against the Duke/Siena winner.

The Buckeyes led very early, scoring 5 of the first 7 points, but TCU scored the next 8 points, to grab a lead. Entering the game ranked 224th nationally in three-point shooting, the Horned Frogs caught fire, closing the first half on an 11–0 run fueled by three triples to take a 15-point lead into the locker room.

Ohio State stormed back with a 26-5 run midway through the second half to lead by 5 before TCU regained the lead forcing an Ohio State timeout with just under 4 minutes left. Ohio State would get it even with 36 seconds left but a short TCU jumper with 4 seconds left proved to be the game winner as Bruce Thornton’s long three clanged off target at the horn ending Ohio State’s season.

Ohio State shot 42% from the floor, but just 6 of 23 from long range, while TCU hit on 40.7% and cooled off to make 9 of 22 from three. TCU controlled the glass, out rebounding Ohio State 38-31, although the Buckeyes out scored the Horned Frogs 34-24 in the paint.

John Mobley led Ohio State with 15 points and 6 assists, while Devin Royal added 14 points and 5 rebounds. Amare Bynum chipped in 12 points and 9 rebounds, while in his last game as a Buckeye, Bruce Thornton scored 10 points to go along with 4 rebounds and 4 assists. Christoph Tilly contributed 8 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists in a losing effort.

TCU was led by Micah Robinson’s 18, including 4 of 6 from three, while Xavier Edmonds and David Punch scored 16 each with Punch adding 13 rebounds.

1^st Half

An offensive rebound gave Ohio State its first scoring chance, and Bruce Thornton made it count, knocking down a three-pointer off a pass from Christoph Tilly. After TCU answered with a runner, Amare Bynum drew a foul on a baseline drive and converted both free throws. The Horned Frogs responded with six straight points to take an 8–5 lead at the first media timeout.

TCU extended its run to eight unanswered before John Mobley ended a nearly five-minute scoring drought with a baseline floater. Following another TCU basket on a dribble drive, Thornton answered with a shot in the mid-paint. TCU countered again, but Tilly finished at the rim, and Devin Royal capitalized on a Tilly feed, rolling off a screen for a bucket that forced TCU to call timeout, with the Horned Frogs still holding a narrow 14–13 lead.

TCU pushed its lead with back-to-back three-pointers before Amare Bynum followed a miss from John Mobley with a transition tip-in. The Horned Frogs knocked down another three, but Mobley answered with one of his own, and at the under-8 media timeout, TCU held a 23–18 advantage.

After TCU split a pair at the free throw line, Devin Royal cut backdoor and finished a layup off a feed from Christoph Tilly. TCU responded with a mid-range jumper, but Bynum attacked the lane and scooped in a layup to keep pace. Following another TCU basket, Tilly converted at the rim, though the Horned Frogs answered once again with a three to stretch the lead.

Out of an Ohio State timeout, the Buckeyes turned it over, leading to an uncontested dunk on the other end. TCU followed with a pair of three-pointers and closed the half on an 11–0 run, taking a commanding 39–24 lead into the locker room.

The Horned Frogs lead was fueled by their hot shooting, knock down 7 of 13 from deep and shot 47% overall. Ohio State, meanwhile, connected on just 35% from the field and went 2 of 11 from three-point range. TCU also held a 19–15 edge on the glass and capitalized on six Buckeye turnovers, turning them into 10 points.

Amare Bynum paced Ohio State with six points, while Micah Robinson led TCU with 13 and Xavier Edmonds added 10.

2^nd Half

Ohio State opened the second half with a bucket at the rim from Mobley off a feed from Tilly. Tilly followed with a score on a dribble drive as the Buckeyes looked to build momentum, but after several missed chances to further cut into the deficit, TCU answered and carried a 41–28 lead into the first media timeout.

A transition dunk from Bynum trimmed the margin, but a questionable shooting foul sent the Horned Frogs to the line, where they converted both free throws. Mobley responded with a deep three from the top of the key, forcing a TCU timeout with 14:10 remaining and the Frogs holding a 43–33 advantage.

Ohio State came out of the timeout with a forced turnover, and after Devin Royal grabbed an offensive rebound to extend the possession, John Mobley knocked down a three. Christoph Tilly added a pair of free throws, and Royal followed with a runner to continue chipping away at the deficit. The Buckeyes’ 10–0 run was snapped when TCU answered with a three, but by the under-12 media timeout, the Horned Frogs’ lead had been trimmed to 46–40.

TCU answered with an old-fashioned three-point play to push the lead back out before Tilly stopped the 6–0 run with a finish inside. A defensive stop sparked a transition opportunity, where Mobley converted a runner, and the Buckeye defense followed by forcing a 10-second backcourt violation.

Ohio State capitalized on the extra possession as Gabe Cupps knocked down a three from the left wing, prompting TCU to call timeout with 8:40 remaining and its lead trimmed to 49–47.

TCU halted the 7–0 Buckeye run by splitting a pair at the free throw line, but on the other end Royal drew a foul and calmly knocked down both, trimming the deficit to just one. Moments later, Bynum came up with a steal and in the half court, finished an acrobatic layup at the rim to give Ohio State the lead. After a TCU foul on the ensuing possession, the under-8 media timeout was called with the Buckeyes holding a 51–50 advantage.

A slip screen led to Bynum finding Royal for a dunk to extend the lead, and after a defensive stop, Royal scored again at the rim. TCU responded with an old-fashioned three-point play to cut the Buckeye advantage to two, but Bynum answered emphatically with a powerful dunk and drew a foul, though he missed the ensuing free throw.

The Horned Frogs kept pace, converting a bucket and splitting a pair at the line to trim the margin to one. Another TCU basket gave them the lead back, forcing a Buckeye timeout with 3:45 remaining, as the Horned Frogs moved ahead 58–5

Thornton helped put Ohio State back in front at the 2-minute mark, drawing a foul in transition and knocking down both free throws. However, the lead changed hands again as TCU answered with an old-fashioned three-point play.

The Buckeyes tied it once more when Devin Royal converted a pair at the line with 1:16 remaining. TCU then regained the advantage with a three-pointer, but Thornton responded with a clutch three of his own. With 26 seconds left, TCU burnt their final timeout with 26 seconds to play and the game tied at 64.

TCU scored at the rim with 4 seconds remaining and Ohio State called a timeout. Ohio State inbounded under their own bucket where Thornton fed Tilly who gave the ball back to Thornton and his jumper clanged off the mark ending the Buckeyes season.

Game Wrap

Ohio State demonstrated tremendous toughness and resilience, battling all the way back into the game and even seizing control in the late stages. However, TCU answered the challenge, regrouped, and delivered the decisive final basket to bring a heartbreaking end to the Buckeyes’ season. What once looked like a comeback poised to send Ohio State into the next round ultimately slipped away, as a stretch of empty possessions down the stretch—combined with the inability to secure key defensive stops—proved costly in the closing minutes.

With the season now complete, attention turns to the future. Ohio State will say goodbye to Bruce Thornton, who leaves a lasting legacy on the program. A rare four-time captain, Thornton departs as the program’s all-time leading scorer, ranks third in assists, and becomes just the second player in Big Ten history to accumulate 2,000+ points, 500+ rebounds, and 500+ assists. His consistency, leadership, and production have firmly etched his name throughout the record books and will be forever remembered as an all-time Buckeye.

The Buckeyes also bid farewell to Christoph Tilly, who, despite being with the program for just one season and dealing with injuries for much of the year, played a meaningful role in helping guide Ohio State back to the NCAA Tournament. Brandon Noel also exits the program after an unfortunate season impacted by injury that limited his availability during conference play, preventing him from making the full impact many expected. Additionally, although his time on the floor was limited, Puff Johnson concluded his collegiate career as well.

While the loss is difficult to process, the foundation laid by this group—both in leadership and in flashes of high-level play—provides a platform for Ohio State to build upon as the program moves forward into the next chapter.

While retention will once again be critical moving forward. Ohio State will bring in a pair of heralded recruits led by McDonald’s All-American, 5-star forward Anthony Thompson. They will need to supplement the roster via the portal but the foundation is there to show more improvement next season and make a deeper run into March.

Box Score

*Official statistics provided courtesy of ESPN.

Ohio State will return to the court in early November for the 2026–27 season, blending returning talent with new additions as the Buckeyes aim to build on their upward momentum and position themselves as contenders for a Big Ten championship and a deep run in March.

-Jason Harris