The Ohio State basketball team finally got the win it desperately needed against Wisconsin at home. That win gave them their first Quad 1 win of the season, as well as their first ranked win. It was a win that seemed to put them on the right side of the bubble. Another ranked win would help, though.
If the Ohio State Buckeyes are able to beat a second ranked team, they would essentially punch their ticket into the NCAA Tournament. As the Buckeyes played Michigan State on Sunday, they faced a tall task to get that second ranked win. Without Juni Mobley and Devin Royal, it looked to be impossible.
Yet, Bruce Thornton gave the Buckeyes all he had in order to try to will Ohio State to a win. He was the best player on the court for either team, scoring 32 points. Still, it was not enough, as Ohio State ran out of steam in the second half and lost 66-60 in a game they could really have used.
The Ohio State basketball team loses after another brilliant performance from Bruce Thornton
Thornton got absolutely no help from his teammates on Sunday. He outscored the rest of his teammates, trying his best to get a big-time win. He was the only one who could generate any kind of offense. While he was making shots while being tightly guarded, his teammates were missing open shots.
After this loss, Ohio State will now have only one more opportunity to beat a ranked team. They will take on Purdue, which is currently ranked seventh. Thornton needs some help if they are going to get that win, which would certainly punch their ticket into March Madness.
Had Ohio State made its free throws, it could have beaten Michigan State. They made just 59 percent of their shots from the charity stripe. Shooting better from the free-throw line is going to be necessary for them to win the key games they have left down the stretch.