The Ohio State basketball team came into Sunday's game riding a three-game winning streak. They had to take on 18th-ranked Illinois on the road. Ohio State came in with a lot of momentum and a grand opportunity to get another Quad 1 win on the road.
It looked like they had a shot to do that early in this game. Devin Royal had 19 first-half points and even made some threes. The Buckeyes were keeping the Fighting Illinois off the glass and minimizing second-chance opportunities. That flipped in the second half.
The Ohio State Buckeyes had the lead as high as 11 before things started to come undone. Illinois had a 17-2 run late in the game that sealed it for them, as the Buckeyes blew the game 87-79. Not only did they blow this game, but they blew a big opportunity for themselves.
The Ohio State basketball team blows another game late
Unfortunately, this has become a pattern this season under Jake Diebler. They have blown games late against Pitt, Oregon, Wisconsin, Indiana, and now Illinois. It's clear that this team struggles to close, and they play tight when things get close late in the second half.
That's exactly what happened on Sunday. Despite Royal having those 19 first-half points, he finished with just 29. Juni Mobley was also wildly inefficient with his shooting, going just 6-21 from the field. The team in general shot poorly, shooting just 37% from the field.
Diebler has to find a way to get his team to close games out better. It's the only way they will be able to make the NCAA Tournament. Right now, they are projected to be in. That will change if they continue to lose close games like this. The good news for them is that the schedule is light from here on out.
The Buckeyes don't play a ranked team for the rest of the season as things stand right now. That gives them a great opportunity to stack wins and put themselves in a great spot to make the NCAA Tournament. Ohio State has to find a way to play better in close games.