Thornton scores 25 points to lead Ohio State to an 88-61 victory over Central Michigan

AP
Nov 29, 2023

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) Bruce Thornton scored 25 points to lead five in double-figure scoring and Ohio State beat Central Michigan 88-61 on Wednesday night.

Felix Okpara added 14 points and nine rebounds for Ohio State (6-1). Jamison Battle scored 12 points and Roddy Gayle Jr. and Devin Royal each had 11.

Ohio State never trailed and pulled away on a 15-7 surge to end the first half for a 41-29 advantage. Thornton scored 19 points on 7-of-9 shooting and made three 3-pointers, and Okpara put up 10 points as the Buckeyes shot 15 of 27 (56%) by the break.

Ohio State opened the second half on a 20-2 run and had a 30-point lead with 12:18 remaining.

Jemal Davis scored 15 points to lead Central Michigan (2-5). Brian Taylor and Paul McMillan IV added 12 points apiece.

The Buckeyes were coming off winning the Emerald Coast Classic, beating then-No. 17 Alabama and topping Santa Clara 86-56 in the championship game. Ohio State will look for its sixth straight win on Sunday in a Big Ten opener against Minnesota at home.

Central Michigan hosts Valparaiso on Dec. 6.

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1st Half
CMU
Chippewas
29
OSU
Buckeyes
41

Time		Play	Score
20:00		Brian Taylor vs. Felix Okpara (Jamison Battle gains possession)
19:41		Evan Mahaffey misses two point jump shot
19:39		Brian Taylor defensive rebound
19:17		Anthony Pritchard misses two point jump shot
19:15		Roddy Gayle Jr. defensive rebound
18:58	+2	Roddy Gayle Jr. makes two point layup (Bruce Thornton assists)	0-2
18:41	+2	Anthony Pritchard makes two point layup	2-2
18:25	+2	Felix Okpara makes two point dunk (Roddy Gayle Jr. assists)	2-4
18:04		Brian Taylor misses three point jump shot
18:00		Bruce Thornton defensive rebound
17:33		Devin Royal turnover (lost ball) (Anthony Pritchard steals)
17:26		Cayden Vasko misses two point jump shot
17:24		Cayden Vasko offensive rebound
17:18		Cayden Vasko misses two point layup
17:16		Jamison Battle defensive rebound
17:10	+3	Bruce Thornton makes three point jump shot (Devin Royal assists)	2-7
16:51		Hunter Harding offensive foul
16:51		Hunter Harding turnover (offensive foul)
16:27		Brian Taylor personal foul
16:23		Bruce Thornton misses three point jump shot
16:21		Felix Okpara offensive rebound
16:19		Anthony Pritchard shooting foul (Felix Okpara draws the foul)
16:19		Felix Okpara misses regular free throw 1 of 2
16:19		Felix Okpara misses regular free throw 2 of 2
16:19		Anthony Pritchard defensive rebound
16:06		Felix Okpara blocks Brian Taylor's two point jump shot
16:04		Bruce Thornton defensive rebound
15:50		Felix Okpara offensive foul
15:50		Felix Okpara turnover (offensive foul)
15:50		TV timeout
15:33	+3	Anthony Pritchard makes three point jump shot (Jemal Davis assists)	5-7
15:09		Dale Bonner misses three point jump shot
15:07		Cayden Vasko defensive rebound
15:02		Anthony Pritchard turnover (out of bounds)
14:44		Dale Bonner turnover (bad pass) (Anthony Pritchard steals)
14:38		Anthony Pritchard turnover (bad pass) (Evan Mahaffey steals)
14:28	+2	Dale Bonner makes two point layup (Evan Mahaffey assists)	5-9
14:18	+2	Brian Taylor makes two point jump shot (Anthony Pritchard assists)	7-9
14:03		Jamison Battle misses three point jump shot
14:01		Zed Key offensive rebound
13:54	+2	Zed Key makes two point hook shot	7-11
13:36	+2	Jemal Davis makes two point jump shot (Anthony Pritchard assists)	9-11
13:00		Buckeyes turnover (shot clock violation)
12:40	+3	Jemal Davis makes three point jump shot (Cayden Vasko assists)	12-11
12:28	+3	Bruce Thornton makes three point jump shot (Roddy Gayle Jr. assists)	12-14
12:06		Cayden Vasko misses two point jump shot
12:04		Roddy Gayle Jr. defensive rebound
11:50	+2	Bruce Thornton makes two point layup	12-16
11:29		Dale Bonner shooting foul (Shaedon Simpson draws the foul)
11:29		TV timeout
11:29		Shaedon Simpson misses regular free throw 1 of 2
11:29		Shaedon Simpson misses regular free throw 2 of 2
11:29		Roddy Gayle Jr. defensive rebound
11:07		Jamison Battle misses three point jump shot
11:05		Brian Taylor defensive rebound
10:49		Anthony Pritchard misses two point jump shot
10:47		Chippewas offensive rebound
10:32		Shaedon Simpson turnover (traveling)
10:16		Roddy Gayle Jr. turnover (bad pass) (Cayden Vasko steals)
10:11		Cayden Vasko offensive foul (Dale Bonner draws the foul)
10:11		Cayden Vasko turnover (offensive foul)
9:56		Roddy Gayle Jr. misses three point jump shot
9:54		Zed Key offensive rebound
9:48	+2	Bruce Thornton makes two point jump shot	12-18
9:33		Jamison Battle blocks Anthony Pritchard's two point layup
9:33		Buckeyes defensive rebound
9:13		Zed Key misses two point jump shot
9:11		Hunter Harding defensive rebound
9:03		Brian Taylor turnover (lost ball) (Roddy Gayle Jr. steals)
8:55		Hunter Harding shooting foul (Jamison Battle draws the foul)
8:55	+1	Jamison Battle makes regular free throw 1 of 2	12-19
8:55	+1	Jamison Battle makes regular free throw 2 of 2	12-20
8:40		Shaedon Simpson misses three point jump shot
8:38		Brian Taylor offensive rebound
8:30		Anthony Pritchard misses three point jump shot
8:28		Felix Okpara defensive rebound
8:21		Roddy Gayle Jr. turnover (lost ball) (Jemal Davis steals)
8:15		Jamison Battle personal foul
8:04	+2	Paul McMillan IV makes two point jump shot	14-20
7:50		Taison Chatman turnover (bad pass) (Brian Taylor steals)
7:43	+2	Brian Taylor makes two point dunk	16-20
7:31	+2	Felix Okpara makes two point dunk (Roddy Gayle Jr. assists)	16-22
7:19	+2	Jemal Davis makes two point jump shot	18-22
6:59		Taison Chatman misses three point jump shot
6:57		Brian Taylor defensive rebound
6:51		TV timeout
6:37	+2	Cayden Vasko makes two point jump shot	20-22
6:36		Bruce Thornton shooting foul (Cayden Vasko draws the foul)
6:36	+1	Cayden Vasko makes regular free throw 1 of 1	21-22
6:19	+2	Bruce Thornton makes two point jump shot	21-24
6:00		Paul McMillan IV misses two point layup
5:58		Dale Bonner defensive rebound
5:55		Shaedon Simpson personal foul
5:44	+2	Bruce Thornton makes two point jump shot	21-26
5:22		Jemal Davis misses two point jump shot
5:20		Jamison Battle defensive rebound
5:16	+3	Bruce Thornton makes three point jump shot	21-29
5:16		Chippewas 30 second timeout
5:02		Anthony Pritchard misses two point layup
5:00		Hunter Harding offensive rebound
5:00		Hunter Harding misses two point layup
4:58		Felix Okpara defensive rebound
4:57		Hunter Harding personal foul (Felix Okpara draws the foul)
4:57	+1	Felix Okpara makes regular free throw 1 of 2	21-30
4:57	+1	Felix Okpara makes regular free throw 2 of 2	21-31
4:45		Cayden Vasko misses three point jump shot
4:43		Evan Mahaffey defensive rebound
4:23		Bruce Thornton misses three point jump shot
4:21		Felix Okpara offensive rebound
4:16	+2	Felix Okpara makes two point dunk (Roddy Gayle Jr. assists)	21-33
3:50		Shaedon Simpson turnover (bad pass) (Dale Bonner steals)
3:46		Shaedon Simpson shooting foul (Dale Bonner draws the foul)
3:46		TV timeout
3:46	+1	Dale Bonner makes regular free throw 1 of 2	21-34
3:46	+1	Dale Bonner makes regular free throw 2 of 2	21-35
3:28		Brian Taylor misses two point jump shot
3:26		Brian Taylor offensive rebound
3:13		Jemal Davis turnover (bad pass)
3:01	+2	Felix Okpara makes two point dunk (Evan Mahaffey assists)	21-37
2:45	+2	Anthony Pritchard makes two point jump shot	23-37
2:45		Dale Bonner shooting foul (Anthony Pritchard draws the foul)
2:45		Anthony Pritchard misses regular free throw 1 of 1
2:45		Chippewas offensive rebound
2:24		Anthony Pritchard misses three point jump shot
2:22		Bruce Thornton defensive rebound
2:13		Jamison Battle misses three point jump shot
2:11		Chippewas defensive rebound
1:57	+3	Derrick Butler makes three point jump shot (Anthony Pritchard assists)	26-37
1:34		Evan Mahaffey misses three point jump shot
1:32		Zed Key offensive rebound
1:21	+2	Jamison Battle makes two point layup (Evan Mahaffey assists)	26-39
1:02		Jamison Battle personal foul
0:45		Shaedon Simpson misses three point jump shot
0:43		Anthony Pritchard offensive rebound
0:41		Anthony Pritchard misses two point layup
0:39		Zed Key defensive rebound
0:19		Anthony Pritchard personal foul (Bruce Thornton draws the foul)
0:19	+1	Bruce Thornton makes regular free throw 1 of 2	26-40
0:19	+1	Bruce Thornton makes regular free throw 2 of 2	26-41
0:06	+3	Brian Taylor makes three point jump shot (Anthony Pritchard assists)	29-41
0:01		Buckeyes 30 second timeout
0:01		Brian Taylor blocks Evan Mahaffey's two point jump shot
0:01		Evan Mahaffey offensive rebound
0:00		End of period

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Thornton scores 25 points to lead Ohio State to an 88-61 victory over Central Michigan

1st Half
CMU
Chippewas
29
OSU
Buckeyes
41

TV Provider

Thornton scores 25 points to lead Ohio State to an 88-61 victory over Central Michigan

1st Half CMUChippewas29OSUBuckeyes41

1st Half
CMU
Chippewas
29
OSU
Buckeyes
41