Ohio State junior guard Bruce Thornton (2) dribbles the ball at half court during the Buckeyes’ game against USC. The Buckeyes defeated the Trojans 87-82 Wednesday. Credit: Ohio State Athletics
As USC forward Rashaun Agee sank a layup to tie the game at 80 with just under a minute left, Buckeye fans braced for another late-game collapse.
With the NCAA tournament hanging in the balance, Ohio State head coach Jake Diebler called a timeout with 56 seconds to play.
Desperate for a bucket, the Buckeyes turned to forward Devin Royal.
The sophomore, who has been clutch for Ohio State all season, came through yet again. He powered in an and-one with 41 seconds left to give the Buckeyes back a lead they would not relinquish.
Ohio State kept its NCAA tournament odds alive, as the Buckeyes went into the Galen Center Wednesday night to knock off USC 87-82 and snap a three-game losing streak.
The Buckeyes, who struggled tremendously from the floor in their past two games, broke free from their shooting slump in dominant fashion, putting on a first-half clinic from the field.
The team shot a stellar 72% from the field and made its first eight 3-pointers of the game.
Led by the backcourt trio of guards Bruce Thornton, Micah Parrish and John Mobley Jr., who combined for 38 first-half points, Ohio State matched its highest opening-half total of the year, scoring 52 points.
Even with the Trojans shooting 54% from the field, the Buckeyes went into halftime with a comfortable 14-point lead.
But comfort has been a rarity for the Buckeyes this season, and the second half was no different.
Leaning on the frontcourt, Royal and forward Sean Stewart combined for a quick 10 points to maintain a 13-point lead heading into the first TV timeout.
After the break, however, Royal quickly picked up his fourth foul, the shots stopped falling and USC produced stops and continued its offensive success.
Backed by an 11-3 USC run that lasted nearly five minutes, the Buckeyes found themselves clinging to a 5-point lead with just under eight minutes to play.
After another 6-0 Trojan run led by guard Wesley Yates III, who led all scorers with 27 points, the Buckeyes saw their once 17-point lead evaporate, going into a timeout with 3:50 left up just one.
Despite only hitting two field goals in the last 10 minutes, the Buckeyes used 11 free throws, including four straight, to end the game and hold on for a 5-point victory.
Ohio State returns home to take on Nebraska Monday at 9 p.m. The game broadcasts on Peacock.
This story was updated at 2:17 p.m. Feb. 28 to correct the score in its headline.
