John Mobley Jr. gets back on defense after making a three-pointer. Ohio State beat Indiana 91-78 Saturday at the Schottenstein Center. Photo Credit: Liam Ahern | Sports Photo Editor
It was a historic evening at the Schottenstein Center.
On Senior Day, Bruce Thornton’s 3-pointer with 44 seconds left in the first half pushed him atop Ohio State’s all-time scoring list.
But beyond the milestone moment, the stakes were just as significant. With NCAA Tournament implications looming for both teams, a balanced Ohio State performance powered the Buckeyes to a 91-78 win over Indiana in front of a sold-out crowd.
“We are peaking at the right time,” Head coach Jake Diebler said.?
Five Buckeyes scored in double figures for the second consecutive game: Thornton led the way with 25 points, while John Mobley Jr. and Amare Bynum each added 18. Devin Royal finished with 12 points and Taison Chatman contributed 11.
“Everybody’s willing to celebrate each other’s accomplishments at a very high level,” Thornton said. “When you have that type of unselfishness on your team during this time, it can be very dangerous.”
Ohio State jumped out to a 22-14 lead midway through the first half, behind eight quick points from Mobley Jr. and seven from Bynum.?
After the Buckeyes extended their lead to 28-17, Indiana seized momentum, going on an 8-0 run to cut the deficit to three with 7:39 remaining.?
But the rest of the half, it seemed like Ohio State could do no wrong.?
With the Buckeyes leading 37-29, Bynum blocked a shot, which led to a 3-pointer by Mobley Jr., electrifying the crowd.??
“Buckeye nation showed up in a huge way and it felt different, you felt it the whole game,” Diebler said about the crowd.?
The arena would only get louder.
Thornton, who was just three points away from breaking the all-time scoring record, dribbled up the court with under a minute to play in the first half with the Buckeyes leading 47-33.
Thornton launched a step-back 3-pointer to make history.
Nothing but net.?
“[The way] the crowd reacted, I knew I got it,” Thornton said. “It was a great feeling. I was so caught up in the game I couldn’t really set down to take it all in, but I will after the game.”
Thornton’s 12th point of the game put him as Ohio State’s all-time leading scorer, passing Dennis Hopson, who set the record nearly four decades ago, and pushed the Buckeyes ahead 50-33 at the break.?
Out of the break, Ohio State kept its foot on the gas.
Behind Mobley Jr.’s third 3-pointer of the game, the Buckeyes went ahead 61-38, for their largest lead of the game.? In need of a spark, Indiana used a full-court press, leading to an 11-2 Hoosiers run.
The run had cut Indiana’s deficit to within 15 for the first time since 15 seconds remained in the first half, with 8:22 to play.?
Taison Chatman stopped the bleeding with a mid-range jumpshot, scoring his 11th point to become the fourth Buckeye to score in double figures.?
With both teams exchanging baskets and free throws over the next few minutes, Ohio State led 81-64 with 5:37 to go.?
Then Indiana went on a 6-0 run.
With the crowd’s energy plummeting, Diebler called a timeout with under four minutes remaining.?
A few possessions later, Devin Royal hit a 3-pointer, plus the foul, to convert on a four-point play, putting Ohio State ahead 87-73. Royal became the fifth Buckeye to score in double figures.?
Ohio State’s lead was safe from there.
With NCAA Tournament implications on the line, the Buckeyes likely punched their ticket to the big dance with the win over the Hoosiers.?
The Buckeyes will enter the Big Ten Tournament in Chicago on a three-game winning streak.??
“We’re not done yet,” Diebler said. “We can’t change now. We can’t change our approach or our focus.”?
