The Ohio State basketball team looked like they had punted on the season. After yet another close loss, this time to Indiana, it looked like this was another lost year for the Buckeyes. They have missed the NCAA Tournament in each of the last two seasons, and look destined to do it again.
Then, the Ohio State Buckeyes took on Purdue. It was the day after the Ohio State football team beat another school from Indiana for the national championship. 11th-ranked Purdue wasn't supposed to have an issue beating the Buckeyes. In fact, they had the lead up to 16 at one point.
The Buckeyes rallied and somehow got the win, taking down the Boilermakers 73-70 in West Lafayette. It's the kind of win that keeps a glimmer of hope alive that this team can string together some wins and make the NCAA Tournament despite their poor star.
The Ohio State basketball team upsets Purdue thanks to Micah Parrish
One of the biggest reasons why the Buckeyes won this game is because of Micah Parrish. He led the team in scoring with 22 points on 8-10 shooting, including a blistering 6-8 from downtown. Every time the Ohio State basketball team needed a big shot, they turned to him.
John Mobley Jr. hit the biggest shot of the game, though. He hit a long two from the corner that gave the Buckeyes a three-point lead with 29 seconds left. The freshman just keeps playing solid basketball, even if he's hit some speed bumps along the way.
This was a very important win for Jake Diebler. He has let a few of these games slip away in recent weeks. Had the Buckeyes held on to win even two of the four games that have slipped away, this season would look very different. Perhaps this is the win that teaches the team how to close better.
It's a tough week to be a team from Indiana taking on the Buckeyes.