Ohio State revives NCAA Tournament hopes with 82-74 victory over No. 8 Purdue
Ohio State guard John Mobley Jr. (0) reacts after a three-point basket in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Purdue Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Columbus, Ohio. Credit: AP/Sue Ogrocki
COLUMBUS, Ohio — John Mobley Jr. scored 21 points to lead Ohio State to an 82-74 win over No. 8 Purdue on Sunday.
A crowd that included a loud contingent of Boilermakers fans watched the Buckeyes revive their fading NCAA Tournament hopes and beat Purdue for the third time in a row.
Purdue (22-7, 12-6 Big Ten) led by as many as seven in the first half, but Ohio State (18-11, 10-8) used a 14-3 run to open up a 23-19 lead on Amare Bynum’s 3-pointer with 6:44 to go.
The Buckeyes led by five at the half despite Purdue making 8 of 14 from 3-point range, a deficit Ohio State made up at the free-throw line. The Buckeyes made 8 of 11 from the charity stripe while Purdue was 1 for 2.
Ohio State took a 16-point lead on a pair of free throws by Devin Royal with 7:41 to go in the second half.
Purdue went on a 12-2 run to get within six, but Bynum hit a 3-pointer and Royal added a put-back slam to stop the bleeding and put the Buckeyes back up 11.
The Boilermakers got to within six again with 31 seconds left, but Bruce Thornton made a pair of free throws to give the hosts some breathing room.
Ohio State guard Bruce Thornton, front, passes in front of Purdue guard Gicarri Harris (24) in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Columbus, Ohio. Credit: AP/Sue Ogrocki
Thornton finished with 20 points while Bynum added 14 points and Royal finished with 12.
Braden Smith scored 20 to lead Purdue while Fletcher Loyer added 15.
Trey Kaufman-Renn had 19 points and was Purdue’s main offensive weapon in the second half as the Boilermakers went cold from the outside. They were 3 for 15 from beyond the arc in the second half, including one by Loyer just before the buzzer after OSU fans had started to celebrate.
Up next
Purdue: At Northwestern on Wednesday.
Ohio State center Ivan Njegovan (7) celebrates a dunk with teammate John Mobley Jr. (0) in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Purdue Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Columbus, Ohio. Credit: AP/Sue Ogrocki
Ohio State: At Penn State on Wednesday.
