Ohio State Bounces Back in Big Way, Takes Down USC in Crucial Big Ten Clash
After a humbling 21-point loss at home to Michigan on Sunday, Ohio State had two choices: let the season spiral or punch back. On Wednesday night at the Schottenstein Center, the Buckeyes chose the latter-and they did it with purpose.
Ohio State rallied from an early nine-point hole to take down USC 89-82 in front of a lively home crowd of 11,367. It wasn’t just a win-it was a statement.
With both teams entering the night tied for 10th in the Big Ten standings, this was a high-stakes matchup with postseason implications. The Buckeyes not only picked up a much-needed Quad 2 win in the NCAA NET rankings but also kept themselves in the thick of the race for a top-eight conference finish-and that coveted double-bye in the Big Ten Tournament.
“It feels very, very crucial,” head coach Jake Diebler said postgame. “A team with similar metrics, a home game, tied in the standings-results are critical right now. But more than anything, our guys responded in a big way.”
And respond they did.
Thornton Leads the Charge
Captain Bruce Thornton was the engine behind Ohio State’s second-half surge. With the Buckeyes clinging to a one-point lead in the final minute, Thornton delivered a dagger-converting a three-point play with 40.7 seconds left to stretch the lead to four. He followed that up with a pair of clutch free throws, and then, after a steal by Devin Royal, iced the game with two more from the line.
Thornton finished with 21 points, eight assists, and six rebounds-another all-around performance from the senior guard. The night also saw him pass Kelvin Ransey for fifth on the Buckeyes’ all-time scoring list, now sitting at 1,950 career points.
“A lot of guys stood out in this one, but Bruce in particular,” Diebler said. “He was a critical component when we built that lead. He read the game really well.”
Thornton’s leadership was evident not just in the box score, but in how the team responded after the Michigan loss.
“We stayed true to ourselves,” he said. “We owned up to the mistakes from Sunday.
That’s the first step-you’ve got to own it. We had two good days of practice, we bonded even more, and it showed today.”
Second-Half Surge
Ohio State trailed 43-40 at the half, but the second half belonged to the Buckeyes. They shot a blistering 60% from the field while holding USC to just 34%, outscoring the Trojans 49-39 in the final 20 minutes.
“We made some adjustments,” Diebler said. “They hit a few threes in the first half that we were okay with as long as they were contested.
But I thought our ball pressure was better in the second half, and we tweaked our ball screen coverage a bit. That helped.”
Diebler also hinted at a halftime reset that went beyond Xs and Os.
“We had one of those kind of nice conversations at halftime about how we were guarding the ball,” he said with a smile. “And our guys responded-like they have all year.”
Royal’s Steady Rise
Freshman forward Devin Royal continues to grow into a reliable presence for the Buckeyes. He scored 19 points on 8-of-11 shooting and pulled down seven boards. His off-balance mid-range jumper with under five minutes left was a momentum builder as USC tried to claw back.
“I’m just letting the game come to me,” Royal said. “Not doing anything out of body-just getting to my spots. That’s why I love the mid-range.”
When USC cut the lead to one in the final minute, Royal said the team leaned on its preparation.
“In the huddle, we just talked about staying together, having fun, not overthinking it,” he said. “We do end-of-game situations all the time in practice. We knew what we needed to do.”
Supporting Cast Steps Up
It wasn’t just the stars who delivered. Freshman guard John Mobley Jr. chipped in 13 points, while forward Amare Bynum added 11.
Center Christoph Tilly gave them nine solid points in the paint. And then there was Puff Johnson.
The veteran guard, who joined the team in late January, made the most of his minutes-scoring eight points on 2-for-2 shooting from deep and hitting both of his free throws.
“Puff’s been great,” Thornton said. “It’s crazy to adjust in February, but we brought him in, and he’s fit in perfectly. He understands our goals and what we’re about.”
USC’s Arenas Shines, But Trojans Fall Short
On the other side, USC got another big night from freshman Alijah Arenas, who poured in 25 points-his third straight 20-point game. Kam Woods added 14 points and six rebounds, while Jordan Marsh and Ezra Ausar chipped in 13 apiece. Ausar also pulled down nine boards before fouling out with four minutes to play.
The Trojans were playing without their top scorer, Chad Baker-Mazara, who missed his second straight game with a knee injury suffered against Indiana.
Looking Ahead
Ohio State now shifts gears for a rare February nonconference matchup against No. 15 Virginia in Nashville on Saturday night. It’s another chance to bolster the résumé-and more importantly, to keep building momentum.
As for the NCAA Tournament talk? Royal says the team is keeping it simple.
“We’re taking it one game at a time,” he said. “We’re not focused on what’s after. We just stay consistent, rewatch the game, get better, and move on.”
If Wednesday night is any indication, the Buckeyes are moving in the right direction-and doing it together.