The Ohio State basketball program notched its first Big Ten win against Northwestern on Saturday afternoon. It was a good start to what is going to be tough sledding in the conference. Until Tuesday, the Buckeyes' only loss was on a buzzer-beater to the Pitt Panthers.
The Ohio State Buckeyes took on Illinois at home on Tuesday night. They wanted to continue that winning streak and stay undefeated in the Big Ten. Senior leader Bruce Thornton did everything that he could to win this game, but Ohio State fell 84-78.
This loss is a microcosm of what this team has been under Jake Diebler. They are pretty good against inferior competition, but they can't get wins against really good teams. Ohio State had a chance for its first ranked win, and they failed to get it.
Ohio State basketball team loses first Big Ten game of the season
Thornton was the alpha once again for the Buckeyes. He scored 34 on a blazing-hot 13/17 shooting, including 6/9 from beyond the 3-point arc. He was the offensive engine for the Buckeyes in the first half. Without him, the Illini would have blown this team out.
It's clear Ohio State needs to get Thornton some more consistent offensive help. Juni Mobley was terrible, only making 4/11 from the field. His lack of 3-point shooting killed the Buckeyes. If he isn't making shots, he's not an effective player for the Buckeyes to have on the court.
This is where things will get tough for Ohio State. Diebler needs to get his team to play tougher in close games. This was the issue for them a year ago, and it seems to be an issue now. If they are going to break this NCAA Tournament drought, they need to play better in clutch time.
Ohio State needs to be better defensively early on in games, as well. That will put less pressure on their offense.