Ohio State
13-5,5-3Big Ten
Minnesota
10-9,3-5Big Ten
Buckeyes Clutch Late, Defeat Minnesota 82-74 in Overtime
1/20/2026 11:23:00 PM | Men's Basketball
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State battled through a back-and-forth Big Ten contest Tuesday night, using timely stops, extra possessions and a strong overtime finish to secure an 82–74 victory over Minnesota at the Schottenstein Center.
The Buckeyes (13-5, 5-3) led 31–28 at halftime after holding Minnesota to just seven made field goals in the opening 20 minutes, but the Golden Gophers steadily applied pressure after the break. Minnesota leaned heavily on offensive rebounds and trips to the free-throw line to erase an early second-half deficit, turning the game into a possession-by-possession battle down the stretch.
The final minutes of regulation featured constant swings, with 10 lead changes in the closing stretch as neither team was able to create separation. Bruce Thornton’s late bucket gave the Buckeyes an edge, but Minnesota answered to force overtime at 67–67.
The extra period belonged to Ohio State. Devin Royal scored five of his 16 points in overtime, while Colin White delivered critical defensive plays, including a steal that led to a fast-break layup and helped swing momentum back to the Buckeyes. Ohio State outscored Minnesota 15–7 in overtime to close out the win.
John Mobley Jr. led Ohio State for the second consecutive game with 26 points, including five three-pointers. Thornton finished with 23 points, seven rebounds and four steals. Christoph Tilly had 11 points and five rebounds, highlighted by a second-half basket that marked the 1,000th point of his collegiate career.
Royal added 16 points and five rebounds, and Ohio State’s defense limited Minnesota to 39.7 percent shooting from the field while winning the rebounding battle 42–31.
Minnesota was led by Jaylen Crocker-Johnson, who finished with 26 points and eight rebounds on 11-of-19 shooting, while Isaac Asuma added 12 points and eight rebounds. Cade Tyson scored 15 points, but was held to 3-of-6 shooting, with seven of his points coming at the free-throw line.
Up Next
The Buckeyes will hit the road this Friday for a marquee matchup with No. 3 Michigan. Tip-off from Ann Arbor is set for 8 p.m. and the game will be televised on FOX.
#GoBucks
