Eric Boggs
Ohio State basketball fans will get one more opportunity to see a program legend in action, as Bruce Thornton suits up in scarlet and gray for a final time.
Ohio State’s all-time leading scorer has been selected to compete in the annual College 3-Point Championship, part of the festivities surrounding NCAA Final Four weekend. The event will take place at Hinkle Fieldhouse, offering Thornton a national stage to showcase the shooting ability that defined his Buckeye career.
Thornton’s inclusion comes as no surprise. He closed his Ohio State career with a school-record 2,164 points, cementing his place among the program’s all-time greats. This past season, he shot an efficient 40 percent from beyond the arc while averaging 19.9 points per game—the highest single-season scoring mark for a Buckeye since Evan Turner averaged 20.4 during the 2009-10 campaign.
The competition will be stiff. Thornton will square off against a talented group of shooters, including Chase Johnston of High Point Panthers men’s basketball, Donovan Atwell from Texas Tech Red Raiders, Anthony Roy of Oklahoma State, Boopie Miller representing the SMU Mustangs and Jadin Booth from the Samford Bulldogs men’s basketball team.
For Ohio State fans, the moment carries added significance. Thornton’s NCAA Tournament exit marked what many assumed was the end of his collegiate career, but this event provides a fitting encore—one more chance to watch a record-breaking Buckeye compete on a big stage.
He also continues a recent Ohio State presence in the event. Jamison Battle represented the Buckeyes in the 2024 edition, and now Thornton follows as the second participant in three years, further reinforcing the program’s reputation for producing elite perimeter scorers.
While it won’t impact the standings or extend Ohio State’s season, Thornton’s appearance is a celebration of one of the most productive careers in program history. And for Buckeye fans, it’s one last opportunity to watch a familiar shot—high arc, smooth release—find the bottom of the net.
