Eric Boggs
If Ohio State wanted to take a real step toward securing an NCAA tournament berth, this was the type of game it simply had to have. Coming off a split on the West Coast and sitting squarely on the bubble, the Buckeyes needed to defend their home floor, beat a fellow Big Ten contender, and prove they could deliver under pressure. On Saturday afternoon, they did exactly that, knocking off UCLA 86-74 in front of a national CBS audience at the Schottenstein Center.
The win moved Ohio State to 12-5 overall and 4-3 in conference play, and it came in convincing fashion. After a back-and-forth opening stretch, the Buckeyes seized control and led by double figures for more than 18 minutes of game time, showing the kind of composure and offensive balance that has sometimes eluded them this season.
At the center of it all was John Mobley Jr., who delivered the best performance of his career when Ohio State needed it most. Mobley poured in 28 points and buried six 3-pointers, repeatedly answering UCLA runs and, at times, single-handedly swinging momentum back to the Buckeyes. Every time the Bruins threatened, Mobley seemed to have a response ready, whether it was a deep pull-up, a contested catch-and-shoot three, or a tough midrange jumper late in the shot clock.
The first half belonged to him. With UCLA forward Tyler Bilodeau catching fire early and keeping the Bruins within striking distance, Mobley refused to let Ohio State lose control. After trading runs for much of the opening 15 minutes, he closed the half in spectacular fashion, first scoring through contact and then drilling a 3-pointer from just beyond the half-court logo as the buzzer sounded. That shot gave Ohio State a 42-36 lead and sent a jolt of energy through the building, a moment that felt like a turning point.
From there, Ohio State took over as a team. The Buckeyes opened the second half with a 12-0 run that stretched the lead to 54-36, as Devin Royal found space to score and Bruce Thornton began asserting himself downhill. Royal finished with 21 points on a perfect 3-of-3 shooting night from beyond the arc, while Thornton added 22 points and eight rebounds, providing the steady senior presence Ohio State has leaned on all season. When UCLA made its inevitable push, the Buckeyes calmly answered, extending the lead to as many as 19 and never letting the Bruins truly threaten down the stretch.
Bilodeau did everything he could to keep UCLA alive, scoring 30 points and hitting four 3-pointers, but Ohio State’s balance was too much. The Buckeyes shot with confidence, shared the ball, and played with the urgency of a team that understood what was at stake.
Beyond the result itself, the afternoon also carried some added significance. Ohio State debuted its scarlet throwback uniforms from the Jim Jackson era, a subtle reminder of a time when Buckeye basketball was a national force and a standard this group is trying to reclaim. With the win, Ohio State now holds an 8-7 all-time edge over UCLA and snapped the Bruins’ long absence from Columbus, their first visit since 1968.
As the Buckeyes move forward, the importance of this victory cannot be overstated. It was a résumé win, a confidence builder, and a reminder that when this team is connected offensively, it can compete with anyone in the league. Ohio State will try to build on that momentum when it wraps up its homestand against Minnesota, but Saturday already felt like a moment where the season tilted in the right direction.
One final note adds even more intrigue to what lies ahead. Earlier this weekend, Ohio State officially added sixth-year senior Puff Johnson to the roster after a court granted him temporary eligibility in his ongoing case against the NCAA. Johnson, who has battled injuries throughout his career at North Carolina and Penn State, represents a potential boost to Ohio State’s thin depth on the wing. He did not play in the win over UCLA and is still working his way into the program, but his long, winding journey to this point is a story Buckeye fans will be rooting hard to see rewarded in the weeks to come.
