Ohio State
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UCLA
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Mobley Jr. Leads the Way in 86-74 Win over UCLA
1/17/2026 4:56:00 PM | Men's Basketball
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Behind a career game from John Mobley Jr. (Reynoldsburg, Ohio), Ohio State led from start to finish and secured an 86-74 victory over UCLA Saturday afternoon at the Schottenstein Center.
The Buckeyes, who are now 12-5 on the season and 4-3 in the Big Ten, never trailed and built their lead to as many as 19 points in the second half.
Mobley Jr. finished with 28 points, knocking down a career-high six three-pointers. He also dished-out three assists while committing zero turnovers.
Ohio State carried a 42-36 lead into halftime after Mobley Jr. buried a three-pointer at the horn. The Buckeyes came out of the break with energy, opening the half on a 12-0 run to stretch the margin to 50-36 and force an early UCLA timeout.
The Buckeyes continued to apply pressure midway through the second half, pushing the lead to 62-43 behind strong defensive possessions and efficient offense. Ohio State answered every UCLA push and maintained control throughout the final 10 minutes.
Devin Royal (Pickerington, Ohio) added 22 points and nine rebounds, while Bruce Thornton (Fairburn, Ga.) finished with 21 points and eight rebounds, giving Ohio State three players with at least 20 points. UCLA was led by Tyler Bilodeau’s 30-point effort.
Ohio State shot 52.8 percent from the field, went 21-of-25 at the free-throw line and held a 37-27 rebounding advantage to close out the win.
Up Next
The Buckeyes remain at home and will host Minnesota on Tuesday night. Tip-off is set for 6:30 p.m. and the game will be televised on BTN.
#GoBucks
