Ohio State beat Wisconsin 86-69, with Thornton’s 27 points boosting their NCAA hopes.

Bruce Thornton scored 27 points, 24 in the second half, leading Ohio State to an 86-69 win over No. 24 Wisconsin, a crucial victory for the Buckeyes' NCAA Tournament hopes. Devin Royal had a season-high 25 points, including 16 in the first half, helping Ohio State build a 38-26 halftime lead. The Buckeyes, now 17-9 and 9-6 in the Big Ten, ended a 0-6 record against ranked teams and a 0-8 mark against Quad 1 opponents, trailing only 44 seconds. Thornton passed Jerry Lucas and William Buford for third on Ohio State’s all-time scoring list with 2,005 career points. Wisconsin, missing key player Austin Rapp due to illness, was led by Braeden Carrington’s 20 points and five 3-pointers. Ohio State’s John Mobley Jr. remained out with a hand injury.