Minnesota Falls To Ohio State 82-74 As Bruce Thornton and John Mobley Jr. Lead Team To Win
Minnesota is a basketball team that Ohio State should beat, particularly at home. That is why this 82-74 victory for Ohio State was so important if they want to make a run and go far in the NCAA Tournament.
John Mobley Jr. has developed into a viable scoring option for Ohio State, as evidenced by his performance in this game with Minnesota. With the win, Ohio State improved to 13-5 overall and 5-3 in the Big Ten Conference. Minnesota fell to 10-9 and 3-5 in the Big Ten Conference. Where do you think Ohio State will finish in the Big Ten Conference?
Minnesota and Ohio State Scoring Summary
This game was close the entire way, and it went to overtime. Last year, Ohio State and Minnesota played an overtime game. Ohio State scored the first 10 points of the game, but Minnesota came back. The game was back-and-forth. Were it not for the continued heroics from Mobley Jr., the Buckeyes would never have made it to overtime.
At halftime, it was 31-28 Ohio State. In the second half, Minnesota outscored Ohio State 39-36. In the overtime period, Ohio State outscored Minnesota 15-7 to win the game.
Turning Point
The turning point of this game was the three-point play by Thornton with 54.9 seconds left to play in regulation. Even though the game went to overtime, it was clear at this point that Ohio State was not going to lose. He is a good player, with experience and ice water in his veins. It is nice that he is complimented by Mobley Jr.
Most Valuable Player
Thornton of Ohio State is the star of the Buckeyes. However, for the second game in a row, Mobley Jr. was the most valuable player of the game. He finished with 26 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists in the game.
More Detailed Scoring Summary
In the first half, Ohio State had one of the best starts it has had in years. It was a 10-0 Ohio State run to start the game against the Golden Gophers. The next four minutes were the opposite. Ohio State missed four shots in a row, and Minnesota launched a 16-2 run to jump out to a 16-12 lead. Mobley Jr. stopped the bleeding with a three-pointer.
After the three-pointer, the first half became a bit of a slog. The game went back-and-forth, and Thornton Jr. finally drove to the basket to finish a floater and end the first half with a 31-28 Ohio State edge.
In the second half, the Buckeyes came out on a similar tear to what opened the first. They had a 7-0 run, then, like the first half, Minnesota surged back. Ohio State went 6:09 without scoring a single point. The Gophers’ run reached 10-0 before a Mobley Jr. three-pointer again calmed the momentum. A string of turnovers led to a 17-3 Golden Gopher run.
In overtime, Ohio State pulled away. Devin Royal stuck back a miss to open, then the teams went back-and-forth for a couple of minutes. Then, the Ohio State bench struck. Colin White swiped a ball from Langston Reynolds and weaved through two Gopher defenders to go coast-for-coast for a layup. Thornton extended that lead to 78-73 on a fadeaway jumper.
Frequently Asked Questions
The most valuable player of the game was Mobley Jr. He had a game-high 30 points. He was clearly the top scoring option for the Buckeyes. The game between Ohio State and Minnesota was close, so the turning point of the game was Thornton’s three-point play with 54.9 seconds remaining.
For Minnesota, Jaylen Crocker-Johnson was great. It seemed the Buckeyes could not guard him, particularly in the second half and overtime. He finished with a career high of 26 points.
Ohio State next plays at rival Michigan on Friday at 8 p.m. Minnesota next hosts number seven Nebraska on Saturday.
Parting Shots
Although Minnesota gave Ohio State a scare, this game did go to overtime, and this is a game Ohio State needed to win. Minnesota is weaker than Ohio State on paper, and this game was at Value City Arena in Columbus, Ohio. Ohio State needs to defend its home court.
