Bruce Thornton Shines in Tight Loss to Virginia, Nears Buckeye Scoring Milestone
Ohio State may not have walked away with the win in the Nashville Hoops Showdown, but the Buckeyes didn’t go down quietly. Facing off against the 15th-ranked Virginia Cavaliers, Ohio State pushed the game to the wire, despite being without starting guard John Mobley Jr., who’s sidelined indefinitely with a hand injury.
The engine behind Ohio State’s fight? Senior guard Bruce Thornton, who delivered a performance that reminded everyone why he’s the heart of this team. Thornton poured in 28 points, grabbed four rebounds, swiped three steals, and dished out an assist-his 500th career dime-in a game that saw momentum swing back and forth all afternoon.
Thornton wasn’t alone early on. Freshman Amare Bynum chipped in 10 points in the first half, helping the Buckeyes keep pace with a Virginia team that’s now 22-3 on the season. But it was Thornton who consistently set the tone, controlling the pace, attacking the rim, and stepping up in big moments.
With Saturday’s showing, Thornton now sits fifth on Ohio State’s all-time scoring list with 1,978 career points. He’s just 12 points shy of tying Jerry Lucas and William Buford-both sitting at 1,990-for third place. One more game like Saturday’s, and Thornton will not only crack the 2,000-point mark but also cement himself among the program’s all-time greats.
One play in particular encapsulated Thornton’s impact. Early in the first half, with Ohio State leading 9-4, Virginia tried to set up its offense.
That’s when Thornton read the play like a seasoned pro, intercepting a poor pass from Cavaliers junior Sam Lewis. He turned the steal into a fast-break layup and drew a foul from Jacari White in the process.
The and-one gave the Buckeyes a 12-4 lead and sent a clear message-Thornton wasn’t just here to play; he was here to lead.
It’s moments like that-where instinct meets execution-that have NBA scouts paying close attention. Despite questions about his size at the next level, Thornton’s court vision, defensive anticipation, and ability to create in transition have him projected as a late first-round or early second-round pick in this year’s NBA Draft.
Now, the Buckeyes turn their attention to a pivotal matchup against No. 24 Wisconsin tonight in Columbus.
It’s the start of the final stretch of Big Ten regular season play, and both teams are jockeying for momentum heading into the conference tournament. Wisconsin enters riding high after back-to-back wins over top-10 opponents-No.
8 Illinois and No. 10 Michigan State-and they’re not in the business of giving up ground easily.
For Ohio State to snap the Badgers’ streak, they’ll need a full team effort. But if Thornton brings the same fire he showed against Virginia, not only could the Buckeyes pull off a statement win-they might also witness their senior leader etch his name even deeper into the Ohio State record books.