Eric Boggs
Ohio State walked into Ann Arbor knowing the margin for error would be razor thin, and for nearly 32 minutes the Buckeyes proved they belonged on the same floor as the No. 3 team in the country. But when the game demanded one last surge, it was Michigan that found it. A 21-6 run over an eight-minute stretch of the second half turned a one-point game into a double-digit defeat, sending Ohio State home with a 74-62 loss and a reminder of how unforgiving life on the road can be in the Big Ten.
The Buckeyes fell to 13-6 overall and 5-4 in conference play, but this was not a night defined by a lack of effort. John Mobley Jr. was outstanding, finishing with 22 points and consistently answering Michigan’s runs with poise and shot-making. Christoph Tilly added 17 points and battled inside against a physical Wolverines frontcourt. Bruce Thornton, however, struggled to find his rhythm, scoring just 10 points on 3-of-11 shooting as Michigan’s length and pressure took their toll.
The opening half was a grind from the start. Michigan struck first with an alley-oop dunk on the opening possession, but Ohio State responded with toughness and composure. Mobley set the tone with a pair of difficult triples, including one at the shot-clock buzzer, while Thornton and Tilly found lanes off strong drives to the rim. The lead changed hands five times in the opening 10 minutes, and neither team could create real separation. Turnovers and missed shots defined the half, and by the break the Wolverines held a slim 33-30 edge in a game that felt very much in reach.
Ohio State came out of halftime with purpose, delivering its best stretch of the night. Mobley hit a step-back three, Tilly knocked down a rare triple and the Buckeyes ripped off an 8-0 run to take a 40-34 lead. For a moment, the upset felt possible. But Michigan responded like a top-three team should. The Wolverines forced turnovers, pushed the pace and answered with an 11-0 run that swung momentum permanently. Every time Ohio State clawed back, Michigan delivered a counterpunch, and when the Wolverines finally created real space, they did not let it go.
The decisive stretch came with the Buckeyes trailing by just one at 52-51. Michigan exploded with an 8-0 burst, fueled by back-to-back threes from Elliot Cadeau, and that run quickly snowballed into a 21-6 avalanche that put the game out of reach. Ohio State fought until the final horn, but the energy simply wasn’t there to match Michigan’s closing push in one of the toughest environments in the conference.
There were still moments to build on. Mobley continued his emergence as a go-to scorer, and Tilly’s physical presence kept Ohio State competitive inside for long stretches. The night also marked the first appearance of Puff Johnson in an Ohio State uniform after his long and winding road to eligibility, a quiet but meaningful step for a player whose perseverance has already become part of this season’s story.
The loss stings, but it does not define the season. Ohio State returns home with an opportunity to reset against Penn State, still very much alive in the Big Ten race and firmly in the hunt for March. Games like this, even in defeat, are the ones that reveal what a team must become to take the next step.
