Hall of Fame Series: Ohio State topples No. 19 Texas, No. 1 South Carolina holds off Michigan
🏆 Ohio State upsets Texas, 80-72
Ohio State upset No. 19 Texas, 80-72, to pick up a statement win and start the 2024-25 season on a high note. Behind a 45% shooting performance from the field and 50% from three, the Buckeyes outpaced their counterpart in the big win. Additionally, it's coach Jake Diebler's first win as a head coach for OSU.
The Longhorns' loss marks the program's second loss in the last 23 season openers.
The Buckeyes were in a rhythm from the get-go, shooting 50% from deep in both halves. Five players knocked down at least two threes, including Mobley Jr.'s four-for-four outing. Bruce Thornton finished with 20 points, five rebounds and five assists.
One of Texas' kryptonite was its inability to hit the long ball consistently like Ohio State, shooting just 25% from deep.
Although they were without a potential starter in Houston transfer guard Tramon Mark, the biggest bright spot for the Longhorns was Tre Johnson, who finished with a game-high of 29 points along with five rebounds and four assists in his college debut.
Ohio State guard Bruce Thornton led the Buckeyes with 20 points on 7-10 shooting in a win over Texas 🔥
— B/R Hoops (@brhoops)
😬 Ohio State extends lead to double digits
Another Ohio State three, another Texas timeout.
Cutting the Buckeyes down to as little as three points twice, the Longhorns couldn't continue the momentum and left the door open for OSU to find their rhythm. And they did just that.
With a little over five minutes left, Meechie Johnson swung the rock crosscourt to Devin Royal for a right corner three. It was the team's fourth of the half and upped Ohio State's lead to 12 points — its first double-digit lead since the 8:29 mark in the first half.
👀 Can OSU hold on to complete upset?
After trading baskets in the first few minutes out of halftime, Ohio State and Texas hit a brick wall.
Both teams faced scoring droughts, keeping the Buckeyes from building on their lead, but coincidentally maintaining their position as well. Now, with less than eight minutes left to play, OSU currently leads 61-56.
If Texas loses, it would be the program's second loss in its last 23 season openers.
🌰 Ohio State leads 38-31 at halftime
The Buckeyes hold a 38-31 lead following the Longhorns late offensive surge.
Ohio State couldn't miss from deep, and arguably from the field, early. Forcing UT into numerous timeouts, OSU worked up a 54% clip and a 15-point lead midway through the first 20 minutes.
Texas and Tre Johnson punched back with authority, though, going on a 13-3 run to keep the Longhorns within distance. Ohio State cooled off in the final minutes, hitting two of its final 13 shots. Johnson, making his college debut, dropped 15 points and three rebounds.
👀 Texas making first half comeback, cuts OSU's lead to five
The Longhorns are chipping away at Ohio State, and are making major progress.
After a quiet first 15 minutes of play and down by as much as 15 points, Texas is currently on a 10-0 run and only down five points. Carried by buckets from Tre Johnson, Arthur Kaluma and Kadin Shedrick, its become a brand new ball game.
Johnson leads all scorers with 12 points and three of five from deep.
THROW IT DOWN 🔨🤘
— Texas Men’s Basketball (@TexasMBB)
🎯 OSU makes it rain from three, takes double digit lead
The Buckeyes continue to strike from deep.
Starting six of nine from three, OSU's John Mobley Jr. upped the ante with back-to-back threes to extend Ohio State's lead to double digits and force Texas into a timeout. And right after the quick break, Johnson continued the party with a right wing three, giving Ohio State a 31-18 lead.
OSU is currently nine for 12, while the Longhorns haven't scored in the last five minutes.
Buckeyes are dialed in from deep 3️⃣
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB)
🔥 Ohio State out to HOT start
The Buckeyes took the Las Vegas heat to a new level in the first half, shooting 54% from the field by the second media timeout and leading 21-16.
Knocking down six of nine threes, Ohio State thrived from deep. The Longhorns, on the other hand, were neck-and-neck with the Buckeyes in the early minutes, but slowed down after hitting a drought for over two minutes.
Both Bruce Thornton and Micah Parrish lead the way with six points each, while Texas' Tre Johnson leads all scorers with seven.
🔁 Texas - Ohio State Starters
🤘 Texas:
- G Jordan Pope
- G Chendall Weaver
- G Tre Johnson
- F Kadin Shedrick
- F Arthur Kaluma
🌰 Ohio State:
- G Meechie Johnson
- G Bruce Thornton
- F Aaron Bradshaw
- F Micah Parrish
- F Sean Stewart
🍿 Texas-Ohio State starting soon
After a down-to-the-wire Game 1 between No. 1 South Carolina and Michigan on the women's basketball side, No. 19 Texas and Ohio State men's basketball meet for the first time since 1986.
Two teams that lost key pieces from their 2023-24 campaigns, the Longhorns and Buckeyes' matchup possess numerous storylines that could be solved in the season debut. From Texas losing its top four scores from last year to Ohio State's Meechie Johnson transferring back to OSU after a year at South Carolina, Game 2 foreshadows an exciting affair on the hardwood.
As a reminder, here's how to watch the contest:
- ⏰ Time: 10:00 p.m. ET
- 📺 TV: TNT
- 📊 Live scores and stats
🏆 SCAR holds off Michigan, wins 68-62 and moves to 39-0
Following Swords' back-to-back threes to cut Michigan's deficit to two points with 22 seconds left, South Carolina's Raven Johnson put an end to the Wolverines' upset hopes, blocking the freshman's third straight three to hand the Gamecocks a 68-62 win.
Behind Kitts' double-double with 19 points and 14 rebounds, South Carolina ups its undefeated streak to 39, including 10 at neutral sites.
The Gamecocks got out to a sluggish start in the first quarter, missing their first six shots, while Michigan had the hot hand. Putting together a 7-0 run to start the game and Hobbs' first quarter buzzer beater, the Wolverines were able to go into halftime with a 38-37.
The two teams fought for position throughout the second half, as the Gamecocks went on a 12-5 run to start the third quarter while Hobbs and Swords took turns carrying the load for Michigan.
Although Swords finished with 27 points and 12 rebounds, alongside Hobbs' 19 and eight performance, it wasn't enough to overcome South Carolina's collective effort.
South Carolina's Chloe Kitts scored 19 and grabbed 14 rebounds to lead the Gamecocks to a TOUGH 68-62 win over Michigan
— B/R Hoops (@brhoops)
👀 Can UMICH mount the comeback?
Down eight with less than a minute remaining, the Wolverines fouled Raven Johnson at midcourt to stop the clock and give itself a chance to make a comeback against the reigning champions.
Enter Swords.
The freshman knocked down back-to-back deep threes to cut South Carolina's lead to a one-possession game with 22 seconds left.
SYLA. SWORDS.
— Crina Mustafa (@crinamm)
STEPBACK THREE
🥶 UMich, SCAR offenses gone ice cold
The Gamecocks and Wolverines haven't been able to buy a basket for most of the fourth quarter, and it couldn't have come at worse time.
With almost two minutes left and South Carolina up just 60-56, neither team has made a field goal in the past five minutes — SCAR for six minutes on the dot and Michigan since the 7:12 mark.
Both teams are shooting less than 35% from the field.
👀 SCAR leads 60-53 in Q4
Putting together a 5-0 run to start the fourth quarter, the Gamecocks are nearly six minutes away from a season debut victory. They lead 60-53 with 6:14 left in the game, but haven't scored since the 8:12 mark.
Swords is the only Michigan player to score in the quarter, with a second-chance layup. Johnson, MiLaysia Fulwiley and Sania Feagin have all scored two points as well.
She move her body like a cyclonnnneee 🔄
— South Carolina Women's Basketball (@GamecockWBB)
🔥 Gamecocks up 54-51 entering Q4
South Carolina outscored Michigan 17-13 in the third quarter, resulting in a three-point lead, 54-51, ahead of the final 10 minutes of play.
The Gamecocks spread the love in scoring with Kitts, Johnson and Bree Hall dropping five points each. The trio helped SCAR build as big as an eight-point lead in the quarter.
Michigan's Hobbs shined in the third, scoring 11 of the team's 13 points behind three three-pointers. Swords and Hobbs have been the main contributors for the Wolverines with 18 and 17 points, respectively, while the next-highest scorer for Michigan has five.
ANOTHA ONE, THANK YOU!! Tessa's got 13 pts on the night 😤
— South Carolina Women's Basketball (@GamecockWBB)
🐔 54 | 48 〽️
🐓 SCAR back in business, snags 51-46 lead
Johnson's three to end the first half was just enough momentum for South Carolina to start the third quarter with a bang. The Gamecocks went on a 12-5 run in the first four minutes of the third, highlighted by Kitts' and-one layup to give SCAR a six-point lead — the team's biggest lead of the game yet.
Michigan's done a good job of quieting the South Carolina crowd with timely baskets, but the tide has began to turn in the Gamecocks' favor. After a 16-point first half, Swords has just two points so far in the third.
Chloe Kitts 🗣️💪 |
— Hall of Fame Series (@hofseries)