Ohio State
17-10,9-7Big Ten
#15 Michigan State
22-5,12-4Big Ten
Thornton Scores 32 as Shorthanded Buckeyes Come Up Short at No. 15 MSU
2/22/2026 4:49:00 PM | Men's Basketball
EAST LANSING, Mich. – Ohio State battled to the final seconds but came up just short in a 66–60 setback at No. 15 Michigan State on Sunday afternoon at the Breslin Center.
The Buckeyes are now 17–10 overall and 9–7 in Big Ten play, while the Spartans improve to 22–5 overall and 12–4 in conference action.
Senior guard Bruce Thornton nearly willed the Buckeyes to the win, scoring 32 points. Thornton shot 12-of-22 from the field and added four rebounds and two assists while moving into sole possession of second place on Ohio State’s all-time scoring list early in the first half. He played the full 40 minutes and committed zero turnovers.
Christoph Tilly added 10 points and eight rebounds, while Ivan Njegovan finished with six points and three rebounds off the bench.
The Buckeyes were without their second and third leading scorers in the game as John Mobley Jr. was out with a hand injury and Devin Royal was out due to illness.
Ohio State set the tone early defensively, holding Michigan State to just 29.6 percent shooting in the opening half and taking a 26–23 lead into the locker room. Thornton carried the offense with 16 first-half points as the Buckeyes scored 22 points in the paint and limited the Spartans to their fewest points in any half this season.
The Buckeyes extended the lead to six early in the second half, but Michigan State responded with an 8–0 run to take the lead midway through the period. The Spartans used second-chance opportunities and timely free-throw shooting to build a 10-point advantage with under two minutes to play.
Ohio State continued to fight down the stretch. Thornton scored eight points in the final minute, and a late layup from Tilly cut the deficit to five before the Spartans closed the game at the free-throw line. The Buckeyes trimmed the margin to three in the final seconds but were unable to complete the comeback.
Michigan State was led by Carson Cooper, who finished with 20 points and 11 rebounds. Jordan Scott added 12 points, while Jeremy Fears Jr. contributed 11 points and eight assists.
Ohio State finished the game shooting 44.2 percent from the field and scored 34 points in the paint. Michigan State held a 43–26 rebounding advantage and converted 16 second-chance points, helping offset 10 Buckeye forced turnovers.
Up Next
The Buckeyes remain on the road this week when they head to Iowa City on Wednesday to take on Iowa in the only meeting between the two teams this season. Tip-off is set for 9 p.m. ET and the game will be televised on BTN.
#GoBucks
