Eric Boggs
Ohio State kept its postseason momentum alive Thursday, surviving a dramatic late comeback from the Iowa Hawkeyes to secure a 72-69 victory in the third round of the Big Ten Tournament. The win pushed the Ohio State Buckeyes to 21-11 on the season and erased any lingering doubt about their place in the upcoming NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament.
Ohio State appeared in control for much of the second half after building a 16-point lead with roughly 14 minutes remaining. But Iowa stormed back behind a series of clutch shots and defensive stops, trimming the deficit to just one point in the final minute. The Buckeyes ultimately sealed the victory thanks to two clutch free throws from John Mobley Jr. and a missed three-pointer by Iowa’s Isaia Howard in the closing seconds.
As has often been the case this season, Bruce Thornton led the Buckeyes offensively. Thornton poured in 24 points while shooting an efficient 10-of-14 from the field, delivering a series of acrobatic finishes and timely jump shots that helped Ohio State maintain control for much of the game. Christoph Tilly added 16 points on 5-of-6 shooting, providing a strong presence inside as Ohio State dominated the paint for large stretches of the contest.
The Buckeyes’ interior scoring was particularly important early on. After a slow offensive start that saw Ohio State go nearly eight minutes without a field goal, the team began attacking the rim more aggressively. Amare Bynum sparked the turnaround with a pair of dunks and a double-clutch layup that briefly gave the Buckeyes the lead, while Gabe Cupps chipped in with a timely three-pointer. Ohio State closed the half on a surge fueled by its frontcourt, taking a 32-28 advantage into the locker room while holding a 22-8 edge in points in the paint.
Thornton took over after halftime. The junior guard erupted for a personal scoring run that included a mid-range jumper, a contested elbow shot through contact, and a pair of spectacular scoop layups. His scoring burst quickly stretched Ohio State’s lead into double digits and eventually helped push the margin to 51-35 as the Buckeyes appeared poised to cruise to victory.
But Iowa refused to go away. Star guard Bennett Stirtz spearheaded the comeback effort, finishing with 17 points while knocking down several difficult shots to keep the Hawkeyes within striking distance. Three-pointers from forwards Cooper Koch and Alvaro Folgueiras helped close the gap further, and a late surge brought Iowa all the way back to within 70-69 with under 40 seconds remaining.
The Buckeyes nearly saw the game slip away when Thornton’s contested layup attempt bounced off the rim in the closing seconds. However, the loose ball eventually found its way to Mobley, who drew a foul and calmly knocked down both free throws to restore a three-point lead. Iowa had two opportunities to tie the game with a three-pointer but came up empty on both attempts, allowing Ohio State to escape with the win.
The victory sends the eighth-seeded Buckeyes into a quarterfinal showdown with the top-seeded Michigan Wolverines in the next round of the Big Ten Tournament. Tipoff is scheduled for Friday afternoon on the Big Ten Network.
Beyond advancing in the conference tournament, the win carries additional significance for Ohio State’s postseason outlook. By improving to 21 wins and avenging an earlier loss to Iowa, the Buckeyes strengthened their résumé heading into March, giving fans even more confidence that Ohio State will hear its name called when the NCAA Tournament bracket is revealed.
