Ohio State took a 66-60 loss to Michigan State on Sunday. It was not the best game for Michigan State, filled with turnovers, but Ohio State also played well, led by Bruce Thornton.
After the game, Ohio State head coach Jake Diebler had some high praise for his senior guard, per Emmett Matasovsky of Spartan Shadows.
“I think yes, Bruce Thornton (made his case to be first team All-Big Ten) did. He plays the game the right way. He plays with toughness. Against an elite defense, an elite defensive guard, it says a lot about who he is. This MSU team is a big-time team,” Diebler said after the contest.
Thornton had a massive game against Michigan State, playing 40 minutes, and scoring a season high 32 points. He also added four rebounds, two assists, and two steals. It was his fourth straight game with 20 or more points. Even as he was the focal point of the defense for Michigan State, he performed.
“The whole gameplan was to keep Bruce Thornton out of the paint, and that did not happen,” Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo said after the contest.
He is averaging 19.9 points per game this year, while adding 3.4 rebounds and 3.9 assists. Thornton also recently recorded his 2,000th point in college, placing him as one of the most prolific scorers in Ohio State history.
Ohio State is currently a team in the bubble, sitting at 17-10 on the season. If Thornton is going to play in the NCAA tournament for the first time in his career, the Buckeyes may need some big wins down the stretch. They will have a chance for a big win on Wednesday as the Buckeyes hit the road to face Iowa.
