Ohio State left its final preseason tune-up with a win over Butler, but the game did more than just pad the record. The Buckeyes came away from the 82-73 victory with a few clear early-season clues as they get ready to open the regular season on the road against No. 25 BYU.
Bruce Thornton? No-this one belonged to John Mobley Jr. and a revamped supporting cast around him, with freshman LJ Smith adding a burst off the bench and Meechie Johnson looking like a player ready to take on more responsibility. Ohio State’s offense had enough firepower to separate, but the night also showed where the rough edges still are.
Bynum was the headline scorer, playing 31 minutes and finishing with 23 points, two made three-pointers and six rebounds. He also showed up on the defensive end with one steal and one block. More than the numbers, he looked different - leaner, quicker and carrying himself with more confidence than he did last season as a freshman.
“I think from freshman year to sophomore year, I think I’ve got a different look to me now. I’m more serious this year, I think it's been good,” Bynum said.
That growth matters because Ohio State is going to need him. After coming off the bench last year and eventually working his way into the starting lineup, Bynum is now one of the Buckeyes’ key returners. He’s expected to do plenty: score, rebound and defend.
Smith gave the Buckeyes another jolt. The freshman, who reclassified from the 2027 recruiting class and graduated high school a year early, came off the bench and scored all 12 of his points from deep, drilling four three-pointers. It was exactly the kind of instant offense Ohio State can use.
“It felt good, you know, seeing the shots go in … giving my team a spark off the bench. It just feels good,” Smith said.
Mobley finished with 17 points, and he and Bynum both drew a familiar comparison: Smith reminds them of themselves as freshmen. Mobley liked what he saw from the young guard’s readiness.
“It's good seeing the work he put in all translating over,” Mobley said. “He's supposed to be a high schooler now, so him doing that, being ready out of the gate, that's big time.”
For all the good signs offensively, the Buckeyes still have some cleanup to do defensively. They held Butler to 38% shooting, but that didn’t tell the full story. Ohio State gave up 19 offensive rebounds, allowed 18 second-chance points and surrendered 30 points in the paint.
Junior transfer Justin Pippen, who has his sights set on Defensive Player of the Year honors, said the fix starts with finishing the possession.
“I would say as a team, we can get better defensively,” Pippen said. “And then most importantly, just finishing out the play with the rebound.”
Ohio State now turns the page to the real thing. The Buckeyes open the regular season Monday, Nov. 2, against No. 25 BYU at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City.
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Former coach Urban Meyer has already raised the question many around the program are asking, wondering why five-star prospect Tavien St. Clair is not in position to back up Sayin despite his obvious talent. It is the kind of quarterback situation that can feel manageable in September and suddenly become a real concern if the Buckeyes need answers in a hurry, especially with a room made up mostly of true freshmen, redshirt freshmen and a senior transfer who has limited starting experience. [Read more 🡒]
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The night also carried a healthy dose of program history. Jon Diebler was back around the team, and former head coach Thad Matta was honored at halftime, adding some extra weight to an exhibition that already felt like more than just a warmup. For Ohio State, the performance offered reasons to feel encouraged, even if the bigger questions about how this group will mesh are still waiting to be answered when the games start counting. [Read more 🡒]