16-02-2025
Ohio State basketball drops tough contest to Michigan at home
The Ohio State basketball team is in an extremely important stretch of its schedule with the season winding down. A loss or win here or there could mean the difference between remaining squarely on the bubble, and getting off it and away from the slippery slope it has seemingly lived on through the last few years.
Enter in the game against arch-rival Michigan on Sunday. The Wolverines were in great position as the No. 20 ranked team in the country sitting on top of the Big Ten standings coming into the contest at the Schott. A win would have been huge, but that didn't quite happen despite a great effort against a varied and well-coached Wolverines squad.
It was a nip-and-tuck affair throughout, and Ohio State had plenty of chances to knock off Michigan, it just didn't make enough plays down the stretch to get it done, losing a hard-fought battle 86-83 in front of a sell-out crowd in Value City Arena. The game was decided when Bruce Thornton had a shot to tie it in the lane but came up well short with a subsequent foul on the Wolverines with 0.2 seconds left.
The game was more or less lost on the boards. Michigan, with its size and effort, controlled the paint, winning the rebounding battle by a 45-29 margin, resulting in extra possessions for the Maize and Blue. Ohio State had a decisive advantage at the free throw line but failed to take advantage, making just 18-of-27 from the line to Michigan's 14-of-17. That all spelled doom in a game this close.
Devin Royal led the Buckeyes in scoring with 26 points on 10-of-16 from the field. Thornton (17) and John Mobley Jr. (16) were the only other OSU players in double figures.
Final at the 83U❌: 86Buckeyes back in action Thursday Night vs. Northwestern at 6:30. #GoBucks
— Ohio State Hoops (@OhioStateHoops) February 16, 2025
The loss puts Ohio State in a more precarious position when it comes to the NCAA Tournament. The Buckeyes' overall record now falls to 15-11, and the conference record moves to 7-8. It was clearly and opportunity lost and now there is some significant work to do.
The Buckeyes will next be in action on Thursday, as they host Northwestern at home.
This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: Ohio State basketball drops close contest to Michigan at home
