In a thrilling matchup in Columbus, Ohio, Bruce Thornton and Devin Royal combined for a scoring clinic, leading Ohio State to an impressive 86-69 victory over No. 24 Wisconsin. Thornton's standout performance saw him rack up 27 points, while Royal wasn't far behind with 25, as the Buckeyes secured their first win over a ranked opponent this season after six previous attempts.
Ohio State (17-9, 9-6 Big Ten) demonstrated their offensive prowess early, shooting a remarkable 51.7% in the first half. They found their rhythm from beyond the arc, sinking 6 of 13 three-pointers to establish a solid 38-26 lead at halftime. This shooting display set the tone for the game, as they continued to dominate with an 11 for 21 performance from downtown by the final buzzer.
Wisconsin (18-8, 10-5), entering the game on a hot streak with recent victories over top-ten teams Illinois and Michigan State, struggled to find their footing. Despite Braeden Carrington's valiant effort, scoring 20 points with five three-pointers in the second half, the Badgers couldn't recover from a first half where they shot just 40% from the field. Nick Boyd and John Blackwell contributed 14 points each, but it wasn't enough to close the gap.
The Buckeyes extended their lead to 18 points with just over 12 minutes remaining in the second half, maintaining their offensive momentum by hitting 57.1% from the floor after the break. Wisconsin never managed to cut the deficit to less than 12 points, as Ohio State's shooting clinic continued unabated.
On a personal note, Thornton's layup with 3:04 left in the game marked a significant milestone, pushing him past the 2,000 career points mark. He now sits third on Ohio State's all-time scoring list, trailing only Herb Williams and Dennis Hopson.
Looking ahead, Wisconsin will aim to bounce back as they host Iowa on Sunday.