NEW YORK — Bruce Thornton delivered an impressive performance, scoring 22 of his career-high 30 points in the second half, leading Ohio State to an 85-65 triumph over No. 4 Kentucky during the CBS Classic held at Madison Square Garden.
John Mobley Jr. contributed 15 points, while Aaron Bradshaw added 11 points for Ohio State (8-4), which showcased a remarkable shooting percentage of 56.6% and dominated the paint with 36 points.
For Kentucky (10-2), Otega Oweh was a standout, making a career-best 13 free throws and finishing with 21 points. However, the Wildcats had a disappointing shooting performance, hitting just 29.8% of their attempts, resulting in their lowest points total of the season. Andrew Carr and Jaxson Robinson chipped in 13 and 10 points, respectively.
The Buckeyes had a much-improved showing in their second neutral-court game against a top-five opponent within a week, recovering from a 91-57 loss to No. 2 Auburn on December 14 in Atlanta.
After struggling with just one basket in seven attempts against Auburn, Thornton found his rhythm against Kentucky, making 8 of 13 shots from the field. His highlight moment came when he hit an off-balance jumper in the lane with the shot clock winding down, extending Ohio State’s lead to 64-51 with around nine and a half minutes remaining. Thornton also excelled at the free-throw line, connecting on 13 of 14 attempts.
Notable developments included Bradshaw’s return to the lineup following a six-game absence due to an investigation involving a possible domestic incident at his off-campus residence. In contrast, third-leading scorer Micah Parrish left the game early in the second half due to a knee injury.
Kentucky’s Lamont Butler, who recently had a career night with 33 points against Louisville, struggled significantly in this contest, managing only four points on a 1-of-7 shooting performance before foul trouble forced him out of the game.
The pivotal moment occurred when Ohio State surged ahead, leading 39-30 at halftime. They outscored Kentucky 19-9 over the final nine minutes of the first half, limiting the Wildcats to just one basket during that stretch.
One striking statistic was Kentucky’s inability to convert near the rim, as they missed 16 of their 23 layup attempts throughout the game.
Looking ahead, Ohio State will host Indiana State on December 29, while Kentucky will face Brown at home on December 31.