The Ohio State basketball program had a brilliant opportunity on Friday night. They had a shot to get a season-defining victory against a hated rival. Becoming the second team this season to beat Michigan, especially on the road, would have been huge for their NCAA Tournament hopes.
After one half of basketball, it looked like it was a possibility. They were down just three after the first half. John Mobley Jr. was fantastic in the first half, carrying the offense as Bruce Thornton struggled. With just over seven minutes left in the game, the Buckeyes were down just four.
That's when things got away from them. Instead of being able to pull off the big upset and get a massive win over TTUN, the Ohio State Buckeyes fell apart late in a game again. They lost the game 74-62, losing out on a major opportunity to get Jake Diebler a signature victory.
The Ohio State basketball team chokes down the stretch again
The Buckeyes wasted a fantastic offensive effort from Mobley Jr. He finished the game with 22 points on 9/17 shooting, becoming the only source of offense. Surprisingly, Thornton was the weak spot in the backcourt. He ended the game with just 10 points on 3/11 shooting. He was hurt with just under a minute left in the game, as well.
Had they gotten anything from Thornton, they may have had a shot. Instead, he wasn't able to get free for enough shots. Ohio State also fouled way too much in this game, as TTUN lived at the free-throw line. Fading late in games against good teams has become a theme in the Diebler era.
Unless Diebler can get his team to start playing better down the stretch, such as the game against Minnesota, they aren't going to make the NCAA Tournament. This loss won't hurt put them off the bubble, but that's where they will remain. A win would have put them firmly in the field at this point.