Here are three quick takes from Ohio State’s 91-78 win against Indiana.
Bruce Thornton earned this moment
Everything leading into this game seemed to be about the one player who least often makes it about himself. Senior day at Ohio State. A shot at history. Bobblehead day with the first 2,000 fans receiving Bruce Thornton bobbleheads. All-time scoring leader Dennis Hopson in the stands.
Thornton, the first four-time captain in program history, met the moment.
The seminal moment came with 44 seconds left in the first half when he buried a 3-pointer from the left wing, giving Thornton 12 points for the night and 2,097 for his career. That’s more than anyone who has ever suited up in the history of Ohio State men’s basketball, and it set off a joyous celebration the likes of which haven’t been seen in Columbus in years. It was a no-doubt-about-it shot in front of the Indiana bench, and it ignited a sellout crowd that had been counting down the points with each made field goal.
The entire game seemed geared around Thornton. He got his own video during pregame senior day festivities while Christoph Tilly and Brandon Noel shared one. Scarlet-painted students in the Nuthouse spelled out “BRUUUCE” in the white paint across their chests.
Perhaps most telling: Ohio State’s fans stuck around to the end, long after the game had been decided. They chanted Thornton’s name in the final minutes and cheered raucously when he was subbed out with 56.3 seconds remaining.
With the win, Thornton has now beaten every Big Ten team at least once. He had gone winless against the Hoosiers in his first three seasons.
Ohio State is rolling
This isn’t just the team’s longest winning streak since opening the season 6-0 against mostly mid-major competition; it’s the best the Buckeyes have consistently played this season.
Indiana led for 2:16, and once Ohio State took the lead at 6-5, it would never trail again. During their current three-game winning streak, Ohio State has trailed for a total of 11:09.
They have reached 20 regular-season wins and have established themselves firmly on the right side of the NCAA Tournament bubble entering the Big Ten Tournament.
This is the most positive momentum Ohio State has had all season, and it comes as the postseason looms.
Amare Bynum is growing into a consistent problem for opponents
Ohio State’s freshman forward has shown flashes of being a high-level impact player throughout the season, but he’s now scored in double figures in three straight games for only the second time this season.
It’s not just that he’s scoring. Bynum is consistently throwing down highlight-reel dunks while attacking the glass and handing out a few powerful blocks on the defensive end as well. He’s also worked on his 3-point shot, making him a three-level scorer and a consistent scoring option for the Buckeyes.
Ohio State men’s basketball beat writer Adam Jardy can be reached at ajardy@dispatch.com, on Bluesky at @cdadamjardy.bsky.social or on Twitter at @AdamJardy.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Jardy: Three quick takes from Ohio State’s win against Indiana
Reporting by Adam Jardy, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
