John Mobley Jr. scores 26 and Bruce Thornton adds 23 to help Ohio State beat Minnesota 82-74 in OT

By Canadian Press on January 20, 2026.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — John Mobley Jr. scored 26 points and made five 3-pointers, Bruce Thornton had 23 points, seven rebounds and four steals, and Ohio State beat Minnesota 82-74 in overtime on Tuesday night.

Devin Royal scored five of his 16 points in overtime and Christoph Tilly finished with 11 for Ohio State (13-5, 5-3 Big Ten), which improved to 15-2 all-time against Minnesota in the Schottenstein Center. Mobley, coming off a career-high 28 points and six 3-pointers against UCLA, was 9 of 19 from the field.

Jaylen Crocker-Johnson scored a career-high 26 points — his third straight game with 20-plus — for Minnesota (10-9, 3-5), which has lost four straight games. Cade Tyson, ranked second in the Big Ten in scoring at 20.8 points per game, finished with 15 points.

Crocker-Johnson was fouled while making a basket with 40.2 seconds left in regulation to tie it at 67-all, but missed the ensuing free throw. Mobley missed a long 3-pointer at the other end and Minnesota guard Langston Reynolds raced the other way for a layup that rolled off the rim. The Golden Gophers had another shot at a winner but Tyson’s 3-pointer just before the buzzer did not hit the rim.

Colin White’s steal and fast-break layup gave Ohio State a 76-71 lead in overtime. Thornton scored six points in the extra frame.

Last season, the Buckeyes edged Minnesota 89-88 in double overtime.

Up next

Minnesota: Returns home to play No. 7 Nebraska on Saturday.

Ohio State: Goes on the road to play No. 3 Michigan on Friday.

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The Associated Press

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