Eric Boggs
Ohio State returned from the West Coast with a split instead of the momentum-building sweep it had within reach. After the impressive road win at Oregon, the Buckeyes let a critical second-half surge from Washington flip the game and suffered an 81-74 loss in Seattle, dropping to 11-5 overall and 3-3 in Big Ten play. The defeat marked Ohio State’s first road loss in conference action this season and felt particularly painful given how much control the Buckeyes held for long stretches.
Washington, now 10-6 overall and 2-3 in the Big Ten, was led by a physical and poised performance from forward Hannes Steinbach, who finished with 21 points, and electric guard Zoom Diallo, who added 20. Center Franck Kepnang’s 11 points and seven rebounds provided steady interior support as the Huskies capitalized on Ohio State’s brief but decisive lapse after halftime.
The Buckeyes opened the night with confidence and energy, fueled by freshman Amare Bynum, who delivered a personal 7-0 run that turned a 6-4 deficit into an 11-6 Ohio State lead. Bynum showcased his expanding offensive arsenal, drilling a turnaround jumper in the paint and then stepping out for an open three. Bruce Thornton followed with a deep triple and a tough finish through contact, capping a 12-2 run that put Ohio State in front 18-10 less than seven minutes into the contest.
Bynum continued his strong start with another three to make it 21-12, but Washington found its rhythm from beyond the arc. Nikola Dzepina sparked the surge with a corner three, Courtland Muldrew added another, and Diallo buried two deep triples from well behind the line. Even with John Mobley Jr. and Ivan Njegovan answering, the Huskies trimmed the gap to 28-26 and fully reset the game.
From there, the first half became a physical, tightly contested exchange. Steinbach repeatedly scored through heavy contact, and the lead seesawed possession by possession until his free throws tied the game at 36. Devin Royal’s floater in the closing seconds sent Ohio State to the locker room with a slim 38-36 edge.
The Buckeyes came out of the break looking ready to seize control. An alley-oop from Mobley to Bynum electrified the floor, Thornton splashed a step-back three, and Ohio State stretched the lead to seven. Then the game unraveled.
Down 45-38, Washington ripped off a devastating 14-0 run that completely shifted the night. Steinbach powered through another finish and free throw, Quimari Peterson drilled a three, and Diallo slithered through the lane twice for acrobatic buckets that gave the Huskies their first lead since the opening minute at 52-47.
That stretch was made even more damaging by the loss of Christoph Tilly. The Buckeye center, who had eight points in the first half, aggravated a rib injury early in the second half and was forced to the locker room, never returning. His absence altered Ohio State’s interior presence and rotation, placing additional strain on Njegovan and the rest of the frontcourt.
Ohio State refused to fold. Crisp passing led to a Bynum dunk, Royal scored inside off a feed from Taison Chatman, Thornton knocked down an open three, and Njegovan finished a rebound at the rim to pull the Buckeyes within 60-59. But Washington responded immediately, with Peterson banking in a three that restored breathing room.
Thornton carried the fight late, slicing into the lane and then hitting two free throws to make it 71-67. Yet costly mistakes followed — a missed shot leading to a Husky runout and a poor Mobley pass that became a Bryson Tucker layup — and Washington suddenly had control again at 75-67 with under two minutes left. Ohio State never closed the gap to fewer than five the rest of the way.
Thornton finished with 28 points in another star-level performance, while Bynum poured in a career-high 20, though on inefficient shooting. The loss, however, overshadowed the individual efforts, as Ohio State let a winnable road game slip away.
Instead of a statement sweep, the Buckeyes leave the West Coast at 1-1, now sitting at .500 in Big Ten play. They return home after a six-day break to face UCLA, a game that now carries added importance as Ohio State looks to regain its footing and reassert its toughness as the conference grind intensifies.
