John Mobley Jr.

In one of their most dramatic victories of the season, the Ohio State men’s basketball team overcame a 13-point halftime deficit to defeat No. 11 Purdue, 73-70, in a pulsating Big Ten showdown at Mackey Arena. The Buckeyes, led by standout performances from Micah Parrish and Devin Royal, delivered a statement win that snapped Purdue’s 26-game home winning streak and injected new life into Ohio State’s season.

The Buckeyes trailed 41-28 at halftime after a sluggish first half marked by turnovers and defensive lapses. Purdue’s Trey Kaufman-Renn dominated early, scoring 14 of his game-high 26 points and grabbing six rebounds in the opening 20 minutes. Ohio State, on the other hand, struggled to find offensive rhythm, with only Royal in double figures by halftime.

Ohio State emerged from the locker room with renewed energy, igniting a 17-2 run to seize a 45-43 lead just six minutes into the second half. Bruce Thornton, held to three points in the first half, sparked the surge with five quick points, while Parrish began heating up from beyond the arc. The Buckeyes shot a blistering 66.7% from the field in the second half, a stark contrast to their struggles before the break.

Purdue fought back, using a 14-8 run to regain a six-point advantage midway through the half. However, the resilient Buckeyes answered with a 12-0 run fueled by Parrish, who drained back-to-back three-pointers and capped the spurt with another long-range bomb to give Ohio State a 68-59 lead with under three minutes to play. Parrish’s career-high 22 points included a stellar 6-of-8 shooting from three-point range, with 17 of his points coming in the second half.

As the clock wound down, Purdue clawed back with an eight-point burst to cut the deficit to one. With the game hanging in the balance, John Mobley Jr. delivered a clutch jumper with 29 seconds remaining, extending Ohio State’s lead to 70-67. Devin Royal then sealed the victory at the free-throw line, converting three of his final four attempts to secure the win. Royal finished with 16 points and six rebounds in a strong return from a wrist injury.

Thornton contributed 11 points, six rebounds, and five assists, while Ohio State’s defense held Purdue to under 40% shooting in the second half. The win marked Ohio State’s first road triumph at Purdue since 2018 and snapped a three-game losing streak, improving the Buckeyes to 11-8 overall and 3-5 in Big Ten play.

“This was a complete team effort,” said head coach Jake Diebler. “We knew we had to come out of halftime with a different mindset, and the guys responded in a big way. This is a tough place to win, and I couldn’t be prouder of how we executed down the stretch.”

For Purdue, Kaufman-Renn’s 26 points and seven rebounds were not enough to overcome Ohio State’s second-half blitz. Freshman guard CJ Cox added 11 points, but the Boilermakers’ inability to maintain their first-half efficiency proved costly.

Ohio State now looks to build on this momentum as they prepare to host Iowa on Monday at Value City Arena. The game, set for an 8 p.m. tip-off on FS1, represents another crucial test for a Buckeye team eager to solidify its standing in the Big Ten race.