Eric Boggs
The fact that an unranked and new look Ohio State men’s basketball team went on the road and defeated a top-25 ranked opponent to open the season shouldn’t shock anyone. Head coach Jake Diebler is the same guy who in his first game as interim head coach a season ago, took the same roster that former head coach Chris Holtmann struggled with and then shocked No. 2 ranked Purdue in his first game.
Now, Diebler is back, with a rebuilt team but with similar results, defeating No. 19 Texas 80-72 in Las Vegas. The win was the first time in Ohio State basketball history that they opened the season defeating a pre-season top 25 ranked opponent.
The Buckeyes showed poise, energy, and a lethal three-point game, leaving no doubt about their potential this season. With a mix of veteran leadership and standout freshman performances, Ohio State controlled the pace from the first tip and never looked back, treating fans to an impressive display of sharp shooting and relentless defense.
Veteran guards Bruce Thornton and Micah Parrish led the charge, putting up 20 and 17 points, respectively. Sophomore forward Devin Royal wasn’t far behind with 16 points, while freshman John Mobley Jr., in his Buckeye debut, stole the show with a perfect 4-for-4 from beyond the arc, racking up 14 points. Mobley, known as “the Sniper,” lived up to his nickname, launching threes with confidence in a city he knows well from his high school days at Bishop Gorman.
Ohio State came out firing right from the tip. They hit four of their first seven three-pointers, with Thornton starting things off by sinking a clean deep shot that set the tone for an 8-0 opening run. Diebler’s squad kept the pace relentless, rotating ten players within the first eight minutes. After an initial back-and-forth with Texas standout Tre Johnson, who scored 29 points, the Buckeyes took control with a 12-0 run, sparked by Mobley’s two deep threes. That surge pushed Ohio State’s lead to 33-18. Texas fought back with a 10-0 run of its own, but the Buckeyes managed to hold a 38-31 lead at halftime.
In the second half, Texas kept pressing, cutting Ohio State’s lead to just three points on multiple occasions. But every time the Longhorns threatened, the Buckeyes had an answer. Parrish’s clutch three-pointer at the 7:19 mark set off another Buckeye burst, and a late three from Royal helped stretch the lead to 71-59 with just over five minutes remaining. From there, Thornton took over, scoring five straight points to ice the game at 76-64 with under three minutes to play.
This was only the third time in program history Ohio State opened its season against a ranked opponent, and the Buckeyes made it count with an emphatic win. Ohio State shot an impressive 14-of-28 from three-point range, showcasing Diebler’s perimeter-focused offense. Mobley, Thornton, Royal, and Parrish each shot 50% or better from downtown, giving Texas trouble defending the arc all night.
Up next, the Buckeyes head back to Columbus for their home opener against Youngstown State on Nov. 11. After this big win, they’ll look to keep the momentum rolling in front of the home crowd at Value City Arena.
