GRAM

OHIOST

John Mobley Jr., Bruce Thornton help Ohio State cruise past Grambling 89-63

AP
Dec 23, 2025

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) John Mobley Jr. had 20 points and Bruce Thornton scored 18 to propel Ohio State Buckeyes to an 89-63 victory over Grambling on Tuesday.

Mobley made 6 of 10 shots with five 3-pointers for the Buckeyes (9-3), who are 7-1 at home. Thornton shot 6 for 10 from the floor and 6 for 7 from the free-throw line.

Devin Royal scored 16 for Ohio State and Amare Bynum added 12 points and nine rebounds. Christoph Tilly had 10 points as all five starters reached double figures.

Antonio Munoz had 19 points to lead the Tigers (5-7), who are 1-7 on the road. Derrius Ward added 12 points, and Jamil Muttilib and Jimel Lane both scored 10.

All five Buckeyes' starters scored in a 10-0 run for a 14-5 lead. Ward scored four and Rickey Ballard hit a 3-pointer in a 7-0 Tigers' run that followed. Grambling hung with Ohio State until a 16-6 run over the final 4:23 gave the Buckeyes a 39-24 lead at halftime.

Ohio State made 13 of 14 shots from inside the arc but just 2 of 8 from outside before the break. Grambling shot 32% overall and missed 10 of 13 from distance in the first 20 minutes.

Ohio State upped its lead to 20 in the first five minutes of the second half. Grambling closed within 12 with 12:23 remaining, but Mobley hit back-to-back 3-pointers and the Buckeyes pulled away.

Ohio State: At Rutgers on Jan. 2 in a Big Ten Conference matchup.

Grambling: Hosts Centenary (Louisiana) on Dec. 30.

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1st Half
GRAMB
Tigers
24
OSU
Buckeyes
39

Time		Play	Score
20:00		(Tigers gains possession)
19:45		Antonio Munoz misses two point dunk
19:43		Amare Bynum defensive rebound
19:15		Amare Bynum misses three point jump shot
19:13		Devin Royal offensive rebound
19:06		John Mobley Jr. misses three point jump shot
19:04		Roderick Coffee III defensive rebound
19:00		Jamil Muttilib misses three point jump shot
18:58		John Mobley Jr. defensive rebound
18:52	+2	Christoph Tilly makes two point layup	0-2
18:39		Christoph Tilly personal foul
18:29	+2	Antonio Munoz makes two point jump shot	2-2
18:15		Amare Bynum turnover (bad pass)
17:57		Roderick Coffee III turnover (lost ball) (Bruce Thornton steals)
17:36	+2	Devin Royal makes two point layup	2-4
17:28		Christoph Tilly blocks Rickey Ballard's two point jump shot
17:26		Tigers offensive rebound
17:20	+3	Roderick Coffee III makes three point jump shot	5-4
17:07		Antonio Munoz personal foul
17:04	+2	Devin Royal makes two point layup	5-6
16:33		Derrius Ward misses three point jump shot
16:31		Buckeyes defensive rebound
16:19		Bruce Thornton turnover (bad pass) (Antonio Munoz steals)
16:10		Antonio Munoz misses two point dunk
16:08		Bruce Thornton defensive rebound
16:00		Devin Royal misses three point jump shot
15:58		Buckeyes offensive rebound
15:58		TV timeout
15:54		Amare Bynum turnover (lost ball) (Antonio Munoz steals)
15:43		Antonio Munoz misses two point jump shot
15:41		Amare Bynum defensive rebound
15:21		Brandon Noel turnover (bad pass) (Rickey Ballard steals)
15:00		Richard Amaefule turnover (lost ball) (John Mobley Jr. steals)
14:51	+2	Amare Bynum makes two point layup (John Mobley Jr. assists)	5-8
14:22		Roderick Coffee III misses three point jump shot
14:20		Buckeyes defensive rebound
14:20		Richard Amaefule personal foul
13:59		Bruce Thornton misses three point jump shot
13:57		Jimel Lane defensive rebound
13:47		Jimel Lane turnover (bad pass)
13:27		Jimel Lane shooting foul (Christoph Tilly draws the foul)
13:27	+1	Christoph Tilly makes regular free throw 1 of 2	5-9
13:27	+1	Christoph Tilly makes regular free throw 2 of 2	5-10
13:04		Devyn Franklin misses three point jump shot
13:02		Bruce Thornton defensive rebound
12:55		Gabe Cupps turnover (bad pass)
12:40		Jimel Lane turnover (lost ball)
12:30	+2	Bruce Thornton makes two point jump shot	5-12
12:14		Jamil Muttilib misses three point jump shot
12:12		Rickey Ballard offensive rebound
12:12		Roderick Coffee III offensive foul
11:59		Roderick Coffee III turnover (offensive foul)
11:59		TV timeout
11:33	+2	John Mobley Jr. makes two point layup (Devin Royal assists)	5-14
11:07		Brandon Noel shooting foul
11:07	+1	Derrius Ward makes regular free throw 1 of 2	6-14
11:07	+1	Derrius Ward makes regular free throw 2 of 2	7-14
10:48		Devin Royal turnover (lost ball) (Rickey Ballard steals)
10:48		Bruce Thornton personal foul
10:22		Rickey Ballard misses three point jump shot
10:20		Derrius Ward offensive rebound
10:12		Derrius Ward misses three point jump shot
10:10		Roderick Coffee III offensive rebound
10:04		Derrius Ward turnover (lost ball)
9:51		Derrius Ward blocks Bruce Thornton's two point layup
9:49		Antonio Munoz defensive rebound
9:32	+3	Rickey Ballard makes three point jump shot (Roderick Coffee III assists)	10-14
9:31		Tigers 30 second timeout
9:15		John Mobley Jr. misses three point jump shot
9:13		Tigers defensive rebound
8:53		Antonio Munoz misses three point jump shot
8:51		Buckeyes defensive rebound
8:39		Christoph Tilly turnover (bad pass) (Derrius Ward steals)
8:26	+2	Derrius Ward makes two point jump shot	12-14
8:11	+3	Amare Bynum makes three point jump shot (John Mobley Jr. assists)	12-17
7:40		Antonio Munoz turnover (lost ball)
7:40		TV timeout
7:30	+2	Devin Royal makes two point dunk (Brandon Noel assists)	12-19
7:10		Rickey Ballard misses three point jump shot
7:08		Taison Chatman defensive rebound
7:03		Amare Bynum turnover (bad pass)
6:47	+2	Rickey Ballard makes two point layup	14-19
6:37		Derrius Ward personal foul
6:25	+2	Devin Royal makes two point jump shot	14-21
6:01		Antonio Munoz turnover (lost ball) (Brandon Noel steals)
5:55		Brandon Noel turnover (Derrius Ward steals)
5:43	+2	Mekhi Fitts makes two point layup (Rickey Ballard assists)	16-21
5:35		Rickey Ballard personal foul
5:19		Bruce Thornton misses three point jump shot
5:17		Christoph Tilly offensive rebound
5:12	+2	Bruce Thornton makes two point jump shot	16-23
4:45		Devin Royal personal foul
4:45	+1	Antonio Munoz makes regular free throw 1 of 2	17-23
4:45	+1	Antonio Munoz makes regular free throw 2 of 2	18-23
4:24	+2	Christoph Tilly makes two point layup (Amare Bynum assists)	18-25
3:59		Antonio Munoz misses two point jump shot
3:57		Amare Bynum defensive rebound
3:49		Amare Bynum turnover (lost ball) (Antonio Munoz steals)
3:42		Roderick Coffee III turnover (lost ball)
3:42		TV timeout
3:18		Rickey Ballard shooting foul (Christoph Tilly draws the foul)
3:18	+1	Christoph Tilly makes regular free throw 1 of 2	18-26
3:18	+1	Christoph Tilly makes regular free throw 2 of 2	18-27
2:55		Rickey Ballard misses three point jump shot
2:53		Tigers offensive rebound
2:52		Christoph Tilly personal foul
2:45		Devin Royal personal foul
2:33		Derrius Ward misses two point layup
2:31		Amare Bynum defensive rebound
2:23		Derrius Ward personal foul
2:23	+1	Bruce Thornton makes regular free throw 1 of 2	18-28
2:23	+1	Bruce Thornton makes regular free throw 2 of 2	18-29
1:52		Tigers turnover (shot clock violation)
1:42	+2	Colin White makes two point layup (Brandon Noel assists)	18-31
1:18	+3	Jamil Muttilib makes three point jump shot (Roderick Coffee III assists)	21-31
1:06	+2	Amare Bynum makes two point dunk (Bruce Thornton assists)	21-33
0:47		Colin White shooting foul (Antonio Munoz draws the foul)
0:47		Antonio Munoz misses regular free throw 1 of 2
0:47	+1	Antonio Munoz makes regular free throw 2 of 2	22-33
0:37	+2	Bruce Thornton makes two point layup	22-35
0:37		Rickey Ballard shooting foul (Bruce Thornton draws the foul)
0:37	+1	Bruce Thornton makes regular free throw 1 of 1	22-36
0:29		Colin White blocks Jamil Muttilib's two point layup
0:27		Tigers offensive rebound
0:19	+2	Antonio Munoz makes two point jump shot	24-36
0:05	+3	John Mobley Jr. makes three point jump shot (Bruce Thornton assists)	24-39
0:00		End of period

2nd Half
GRAMB
Tigers
39
OSU
Buckeyes
50

Time		Play	Score
19:47	+2	Amare Bynum makes two point layup (John Mobley Jr. assists)	24-41
19:28	+2	Antonio Munoz makes two point jump shot	26-41
19:13		Christoph Tilly turnover (lost ball) (Antonio Munoz steals)
19:03		Christoph Tilly shooting foul (Antonio Munoz draws the foul)
19:03	+1	Antonio Munoz makes regular free throw 1 of 2	27-41
19:03	+1	Antonio Munoz makes regular free throw 2 of 2	28-41
18:51	+2	Bruce Thornton makes two point layup	28-43
18:29		Antonio Munoz misses two point jump shot
18:27		Brandon Noel defensive rebound
18:10	+3	John Mobley Jr. makes three point jump shot (Amare Bynum assists)	28-46
17:41		John Mobley Jr. shooting foul (Rickey Ballard draws the foul)
17:41	+1	Rickey Ballard makes regular free throw 1 of 2	29-46
17:41		Rickey Ballard misses regular free throw 2 of 2
17:41		Amare Bynum defensive rebound
17:23		Jamil Muttilib shooting foul (Bruce Thornton draws the foul)
17:23	+1	Bruce Thornton makes regular free throw 1 of 2	29-47
17:23		Bruce Thornton misses regular free throw 2 of 2
17:23		Buckeyes offensive rebound
17:18		Devin Royal misses three point jump shot
17:16		Amare Bynum offensive rebound
17:10		Amare Bynum misses two point layup
17:08		Brandon Noel offensive rebound
17:08		P.J. Edwards shooting foul (Brandon Noel draws the foul)
17:08		Brandon Noel misses regular free throw 1 of 2
17:08	+1	Brandon Noel makes regular free throw 2 of 2	29-48
16:46	+3	Derrius Ward makes three point jump shot (Roderick Coffee III assists)	32-48
16:33	+2	Brandon Noel makes two point layup (John Mobley Jr. assists)	32-50
16:06	+2	Derrius Ward makes two point layup	34-50
15:47	+2	Devin Royal makes two point dunk (Brandon Noel assists)	34-52
15:36		Tigers 30 second timeout
15:36		TV timeout
15:30		Antonio Munoz misses two point layup
15:28		Devin Royal defensive rebound
15:19	+2	Bruce Thornton makes two point jump shot	34-54
15:06	+3	Derrius Ward makes three point jump shot	37-54
14:53	+2	Bruce Thornton makes two point jump shot	37-56
14:34	+3	Jamil Muttilib makes three point jump shot (Roderick Coffee III assists)	40-56
14:18		Devin Royal turnover (traveling)
14:18		TV timeout
14:07		Brandon Noel personal foul
13:59		Derrius Ward misses three point jump shot
13:57		Bruce Thornton defensive rebound
13:43		Brandon Noel misses two point layup
13:41		Devin Royal offensive rebound
13:37		Mekhi Fitts blocks Devin Royal's two point layup
13:35		Derrius Ward defensive rebound
13:15		Antonio Munoz misses three point jump shot
13:13		Christoph Tilly defensive rebound
13:02		Bruce Thornton misses three point jump shot
13:00		Roderick Coffee III defensive rebound
12:49	+2	Antonio Munoz makes two point dunk (Derrius Ward assists)	42-56
12:29		Christoph Tilly turnover (lost ball) (Roderick Coffee III steals)
12:23	+2	Jamil Muttilib makes two point layup (Roderick Coffee III assists)	44-56
12:06		Devin Royal misses three point jump shot
12:04		Antonio Munoz defensive rebound
11:43		Derrius Ward turnover (out of bounds)
11:43		TV timeout
11:31	+3	John Mobley Jr. makes three point jump shot (Christoph Tilly assists)	44-59
11:12		Tigers turnover
10:57	+3	John Mobley Jr. makes three point jump shot (Devin Royal assists)	44-62
10:40		Richard Amaefule misses two point jump shot
10:38		Devin Royal defensive rebound
10:32		Rickey Ballard personal foul
10:22		Amare Bynum misses three point jump shot
10:20		Jimel Lane defensive rebound
10:11		Jamil Muttilib misses three point jump shot
10:09		Bruce Thornton defensive rebound
10:02	+2	Devin Royal makes two point layup (Amare Bynum assists)	44-64
9:49		John Mobley Jr. personal foul (Antonio Munoz draws the foul)
9:41		Antonio Munoz offensive foul
9:41		Antonio Munoz turnover (offensive foul)
9:30	+2	Amare Bynum makes two point layup (Christoph Tilly assists)	44-66
9:30		Mekhi Fitts shooting foul (Amare Bynum draws the foul)
9:30	+1	Amare Bynum makes regular free throw 1 of 1	44-67
9:16		Antonio Munoz misses two point jump shot
9:14		Mekhi Fitts offensive rebound
9:14		Amare Bynum shooting foul (Mekhi Fitts draws the foul)
9:14		Mekhi Fitts misses regular free throw 1 of 2
9:14		Mekhi Fitts misses regular free throw 2 of 2
9:14		Amare Bynum defensive rebound
9:04	+3	John Mobley Jr. makes three point jump shot (Devin Royal assists)	44-70
8:50	+2	Jimel Lane makes two point jump shot (Rickey Ballard assists)	46-70
8:31		Rickey Ballard shooting foul (John Mobley Jr. draws the foul)
8:31	+1	John Mobley Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 3	46-71
8:31	+1	John Mobley Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 3	46-72
8:31	+1	John Mobley Jr. makes regular free throw 3 of 3	46-73
8:21		Christoph Tilly blocks Antonio Munoz's two point layup
8:19		Tigers offensive rebound
8:18		Amare Bynum shooting foul (Antonio Munoz draws the foul)
8:18	+1	Antonio Munoz makes regular free throw 1 of 2	47-73
8:18		Antonio Munoz misses regular free throw 2 of 2
8:18		Amare Bynum defensive rebound
8:01		Devyn Franklin personal foul (Christoph Tilly draws the foul)
8:01	+1	Christoph Tilly makes regular free throw 1 of 2	47-74
8:01	+1	Christoph Tilly makes regular free throw 2 of 2	47-75
7:43		Derrius Ward misses three point jump shot
7:41		Jimel Lane offensive rebound
7:37	+2	Jimel Lane makes two point layup	49-75
7:21		John Mobley Jr. misses three point jump shot
7:19		Brandon Noel offensive rebound
7:19		Devyn Franklin personal foul
7:19		TV timeout
7:19	+1	Brandon Noel makes regular free throw 1 of 2	49-76
7:19		Brandon Noel misses regular free throw 2 of 2
7:19		Devyn Franklin defensive rebound
7:00		Brandon Noel personal foul
7:00	+1	Jimel Lane makes regular free throw 1 of 2	50-76
7:00	+1	Jimel Lane makes regular free throw 2 of 2	51-76
6:46		Devin Royal turnover (bad pass)
6:34		Derrius Ward misses two point layup
6:32		Devyn Franklin offensive rebound
6:19	+2	Antonio Munoz makes two point layup	53-76
6:19		Ivan Njegovan shooting foul
6:19	+1	Antonio Munoz makes regular free throw 1 of 1	54-76
6:10		Antonio Munoz blocks Christoph Tilly's two point layup
6:08		Jimel Lane defensive rebound
5:59		Antonio Munoz misses two point dunk
5:57		Derrius Ward offensive rebound
5:47		Derrius Ward turnover (lost ball)
5:36	+2	Devin Royal makes two point dunk (Christoph Tilly assists)	54-78
5:19	+2	Jimel Lane makes two point jump shot	56-78
4:53	+2	Devin Royal makes two point jump shot	56-80
4:40		John Mobley Jr. shooting foul (Jimel Lane draws the foul)
4:40	+1	Jimel Lane makes regular free throw 1 of 2	57-80
4:40	+1	Jimel Lane makes regular free throw 2 of 2	58-80
4:37		Roderick Coffee III personal foul (Bruce Thornton draws the foul)
4:37	+1	Bruce Thornton makes regular free throw 1 of 2	58-81
4:37	+1	Bruce Thornton makes regular free throw 2 of 2	58-82
4:15		Antonio Munoz misses two point jump shot
4:13		Tigers offensive rebound
4:00		Christoph Tilly shooting foul (Devyn Franklin draws the foul)
4:00		TV timeout
4:00		Devyn Franklin misses regular free throw 1 of 2
4:00	+1	Devyn Franklin makes regular free throw 2 of 2	59-82
3:43	+2	Brandon Noel makes two point layup (Bruce Thornton assists)	59-84
3:21		Amare Bynum blocks Derrius Ward's two point layup
3:19		Amare Bynum defensive rebound
3:11		Devin Royal misses two point jump shot
3:09		Roderick Coffee III defensive rebound
3:04		John Mobley Jr. shooting foul (Antonio Munoz draws the foul)
3:04	+1	Antonio Munoz makes regular free throw 1 of 2	60-84
3:04	+1	Antonio Munoz makes regular free throw 2 of 2	61-84
2:37		John Mobley Jr. misses two point jump shot
2:35		Antonio Munoz defensive rebound
2:27		Antonio Munoz turnover (lost ball) (Taison Chatman steals)
2:27		Antonio Munoz personal foul (Taison Chatman draws the foul)
2:27	+1	Taison Chatman makes regular free throw 1 of 2	61-85
2:27	+1	Taison Chatman makes regular free throw 2 of 2	61-86
2:06	+2	Jamil Muttilib makes two point dunk	63-86
1:39	+2	Taison Chatman makes two point jump shot	63-88
1:15		Roderick Coffee III misses three point jump shot
1:13		Gabe Cupps defensive rebound
1:05		Buckeyes 30 second timeout
0:52		Gabe Cupps misses three point jump shot
0:50		Colin White offensive rebound
0:43		Devyn Franklin shooting foul (Ivan Njegovan draws the foul)
0:43		Ivan Njegovan misses regular free throw 1 of 2
0:43	+1	Ivan Njegovan makes regular free throw 2 of 2	63-89
0:31		Chancellor Perkins misses two point layup
0:29		Taison Chatman defensive rebound
0:00		End of period

Taison Chatman defensive rebound