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Bruce Thornton Scores 31 Points, Makes Game-Winning 3 to Will Ohio State Past No. 18 Maryland in 17-Point Comeback, 73-70

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Bruce Thornton Scores 31 Points, Makes Game-Winning 3 to Will Ohio State Past No. 18 Maryland in 17-Point Comeback, 73-70


No other man was taking the final shot for Ohio State.

Bruce Thornton caught an inbound pass in the backcourt with less than 30 seconds to play for the Buckeyes, legs aching after playing all 40 minutes and willing Ohio State to a ferocious second-half comeback.

Thornton dribbled down the shot clock to under five seconds, crossed over his defender and pulled up for a deep 3 as the clock ran under eight seconds in a tie game.

It banked in and the Buckeyes (14-9, 6-6 Big Ten) held on for a 73-70 win over No. 18 Maryland (17-6, 7-5).

TEAM 1 2 FINAL
#18 MARYLAND 41 29 70
OHIO STATE 32 41 73

For all the picturesque performances of Bruce Thornton’s Ohio State career, he painted his masterpiece on Thursday night in Value City Arena.

The Buckeyes’ star point guard willed his team back from a 17-point deficit against No. 18 Maryland to take their first lead with 2:02 to play, taking a silent Schottenstein Center crowd and making it one of the Buckeyes’ best atmospheres of the year. Thornton racked up 31 points, 21 of them in the second half.

Guard Micah Parrish followed with 13 points for Ohio State. Julian Reese and Rodney Rice led the way for Maryland with 24 and 18 points.

The win and comeback were a huge demarcation of the Buckeyes’ progress during the last three months of the season. The Terrapins shelled Ohio State 83-59 in the teams’ first meeting, a game Maryland led 50-17 at halftime.

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First Half

For the first five minutes, it felt like Ohio State was destined to get run off the floor by Maryland a second time this season.

The Terrapins opened on a 15-2 run, getting three baskets each from Reese and Rice, deadening the sparse crowd in Value City Arena.  But Mobley and Evan Mahaffey managed to resurrect it briefly, the former with an and-one floater and the latter with a coast-to-coast drive and-two handed slam through a defender.

Five straight points by Micah Parrish sliced the Maryland lead to 17-12, but the Terrapins launched another 12-3 run, catalyzed by makes on the inside by guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie and forward Derik Queen.

A silky turnaround jumper in the paint by Terrapin guard Selton Miguel and a way-too-easy layup by Reese pushed the Marlyand’s lead to 17, their largest of the game.

But Thornton wouldn’t let his team slip into the ether quite yet. The junior rattled off eight straight points for the Buckeyes, then found Mobley in transition to cut Maryland’s lead to single-digits at 41-32 entering halftime.

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Second Half

MARYLAND STAT OHIO STATE
70 POINTS 73
23-55 (41.8%) FGM-FGA (PCT.) 27-59 (45.8%)
3-13 (23.1%) 3PM-3PA (PCT.) 4-16 (25%)
21-30 (70%) FTM-FTA (PCT.) 15-18 (83.3%)
12 TURNOVERS 9
36 TOTAL REBOUNDS 30
11 OFFENSIVE REBOUNDS 8
25 DEFENSIVE REBOUNDS 22
2 BENCH POINTS 12
4 BLOCKS 5
2 STEALS 7
10 ASSISTS 11

A 6-0 Ohio State run early in the second period put the Buckeyes right back in the mix, down just 45-40 with less than 15 minutes to play. A steal and coast-to-coast layup by Sean Stewart had the Schottenstein Center the loudest it had been all evening at a 47-42 scoreline.

The Buckeyes had a shot to trim the lead even more in transition but Parrish missed a 3 and Rice answered with his own left-corner triple on the other end. Thornton and Ques Glover took turns cutting the edge to six but Reese and Miguel combined for five points to push it back to 11.

Trailing 61-50 with less than seven minutes to play, Thornton again took the reins to trot Ohio State back into the game. He converted two floaters, the second leading to a three-point play, then stole the ball from Queen on an offensive rebound and got to the free-throw line. He made his first and missed his second, but Royal skied for the rebound and slammed the ball back to pull Ohio State back within a possession for the first time since the game’s opening minutes.

Parrish finished strong through contact and got a friendly bounce to make it a 63-60 ballgame with 4:11 to play. Reese pushed the lead back to five and Parrish repeated his effort. Thornton cut it to 66-64 on a nasty stepback from mid-range.

Then Thornton canned a right-wing triple with two defenders attempting to corral him. The cheers in Value City Arena were ear-ringing as the Buckeyes took their first lead of the ballgame with 2:02 to play.

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Queen drew a foul on Stewart one minute later, fouling the forward out of the game. Queen hit both free throws to make it 68-67 Terrapins. But Thornton drove straight to the rack for a goaltending call and a foul as the lead swapped again to 70-68 Ohio State. O-H-I-O chants made their way around at the timeout but Rice equalized on the other end.

All it did was make way for Thornton’s game-winning 3-pointer.

What’s Next

Ohio State goes back on the road to face Nebraska in Pinnacle Bank Arena on Sunday. Tipoff is at 2 p.m. on Big Ten Network.

Game Notes

  • Forwards Stewart (illness) and Colin White (ankle) returned to Ohio State’s lineup against the Terrapins. Center Aaron Bradshaw (illness) and guard Meechie Johnson Jr. (personal reasons) missed the game vs. Maryland.
  • Ohio State evened its all-time record to 11-11 vs. Maryland.
  • The Buckeyes won despite tying their season-low for made 3-pointers with four.
  • The Terrapins shot 15-of-20 from 2-point range in the first half and only 5-of-22 in the second half.





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Ohio

Ryan Day explains Arthur Smith’s hiring as Ohio State coordinator

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8 hours ago

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March 3, 2026

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Ryan Day explains Arthur Smith’s hiring as Ohio State coordinator


Ryan Day explained the hiring process that led to former Falcons head coach and NFL assistant Arthur Smith becoming the offensive coordinator of Ohio State football.

Appearing as a guest on “The Jim Rome Show” March 3, Day emphasized the importance of hiring a someone with an extensive body of work to coach the Buckeyes’ offense.

More on Arthur Smith: 3 thoughts on Ohio State hiring Arthur Smith as offensive coordinator

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“When Brian [Hartline] moved on to South Florida [we] wanted to go bring in somebody with great experience,” Day said.

Day said the Buckeyes first looked at coaches with collegiate coordinator experience, then the NFL. Smith’s three-year tenure as a head coach in the NFL, along with his extensive time with the Tennessee Titans as an assistant and offensive coordinator, made him stand out as a candidate, Day said.

“…[I] had a chance myself to sit down and talk with him. It was excellent,” Day said. “He’s a great communicator, very intelligent, and really loves the game of college football. 
When you hear a story about growing up and how much time he spent around college football, you could just see it in his eyes.”

Day added that the new role has been almost “refreshing” to Smith when given the chance to work with college players and young talent.

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Smith has spent the majority of his coaching career in the NFL. He served a year as a graduate assistant at North Carolina, his alma mater, and brief stint with Ole Miss as an administrative assistant.

Smith was then hired by his hometown Titans in 2011 and spent the the rest of the decade with them, rising from quality control coach to assistant offensive line coach to tight ends coach. Promoted to offensive coordinator in 2019, he led Mike Vrabel’s Titans to proficient offensive seasons with running back Derrick Henry.

Day said hiring Smith will allow him to take a back seat on the offense.

“It was great to have Matt [Patricia] on defense, and Brian [Hartline] did a great job as well, but I think this year will allow me to even step back even more and try to do as much as I can from the head coaching seat,” Day said.

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After Hartline accepted the South Florida head coaching job, Day stepped in to call plays during the Cotton Bowl against Miami. Ohio State lost 24-14.

Smith joins Buckeyes defensive coordinator Matt Patricia as an Ohio State coordinator hire with previous NFL head coaching experience. Smith went 21-30 as the head coach of the Falcons for three years.



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Woman dies after saving grandchild playing in driveway from out-of-control car, Ohio officials say

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20 hours ago

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March 3, 2026

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Woman dies after saving grandchild playing in driveway from out-of-control car, Ohio officials say



/ CBS Pittsburgh

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A woman in Pickaway County, Ohio, died after moving a child out of the way of an out-of-control car, authorities said.

The Pickaway County Sheriff’s Office said in a post on Facebook that 52-year-old Laura J. Hammond of Mt. Sterling was fatally struck by the vehicle on Feb. 27 on Walnut Creek Pike in Circleville.

The sheriff’s office said officials were called to the area for a report of a crash around 10 a.m. At the scene, investigators learned that the driver of a Nissan Sentra was headed southbound on Walnut Creek Pike when they went off the west side of the road. The car then careened through two yards before hitting a Chevrolet Equinox parked in the driveway of a home, officials said. 

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The Nissan, at the same time that it smashed into the Chevrolet, hit Hammond, pinning her between the two vehicles. Before being hit, the sheriff’s office said Hammond moved a child out of the way, which “more than likely saved his life.” CBS affiliate WBNS reported that the young child Hammond saved was her grandson.

“Laura actually picked up the child and tossed him. At the end of the day, it saved his life,” Pickaway County Sheriff’s Office Capt. John Strawser told the news outlet. “And when Laura tossed him, very unfortunately, she took the brunt of the vehicle.”

Hammond was taken to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The young child was taken to a local hospital and treated for non-life-threatening injuries. 

The driver of the vehicle was also taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. 

The Pickaway County Sheriff’s Office and the Ohio State Highway Patrol are investigating the crash. The sheriff’s office did not release any additional information about the crash. 

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Auto parts maker to lay off 1,200 in Ohio amid fraud charges. Here’s where

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1 day ago

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March 2, 2026

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Auto parts maker to lay off 1,200 in Ohio amid fraud charges. Here’s where


First Brands closing corporate office in Cleveland, three other Ohio facilities amid bankruptcy. Its CEO is facing federal fraud charges

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  • Auto parts supplier First Brands is closing four Ohio facilities, including its Cleveland corporate office.
  • The closures will result in the permanent layoff of more than 1,200 workers by the end of April.
  • The company’s founder and former CEO and his brother are facing federal charges in an alleged multi-billion dollar fraud scheme.
  • First Brands, which supplies products like Fram oil filters, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in September 2025.

A major auto parts supplier is laying off more than a thousand workers and closing four facilities around Ohio, including its corporate offices in Cleveland.

First Brands, whose founder and former CEO is facing charges in multi-billion dollar fraud scheme, notified the state in late February of its intent to permanently close the facilities by April 30. The layoffs created by these closures are also permanent, according to the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act notices filed with Ohio Job and Family Services.

The company — which supplies Fram oil filters and Anco wiper blades, among others — filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in September 2025. In January, First Brands had started winding down some of its operations in North America while seeking a buyer, according to Reuters. However, several potential buyers “have suddenly and unexpectedly withdrawn or narrowed their bids” according to one of the recent WARN notices.

Which facilities are closing? And how many jobs are being lost? Here’s what to know.

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First Brands closing four Ohio locations, cutting more than 1,200 jobs

According to WARN notices, First Brands is closing the following facilities:

  • Corporate Office, 127 Public Square, Suite 5300, Cleveland. In the first round of layoffs here, 146 workers were cut on Feb. 23, according to a WARN notice sent that date. A second notice dated Feb. 27 for this address advises that the facility will close on April 30, and the remaining 110 workers will be laid off.
  • FRAM facility, 851 Jackson St., Greenville. According to a WARN notice sent Feb. 27, this facility will close April 30 and 302 jobs will be lost.
  • TMD facility, 1441 N. Maule Road, Tiffin. All 407 employees will be terminated when this facility is permanently closed on April 30, according to a Feb. 27 WARN notice.
  • TMD facility, 515 E. Gypsy Lane Road, Bowling Green. First Brands will also close this facility on April 30, laying off 302 workers, according to another Feb. 27 WARN notice.

In total, First Brands is laying off 1,267 workers in these four closures.

Papa Johns closing stores: Papa Johns to close 300 stores across US by 2027. Are any in Ohio?

Indictment alleges Cleveland auto supplier CEO, VP defrauded lenders. Both plead not guilty

First Brands Group founder and former CEO Patrick James and his brother, Edward, a senior vice president, are accused of defrauding lenders out of billions of dollars before the auto parts supplier fell into bankruptcy according to an indictment made public Jan. 29 in Manhattan federal court.

The nine-count indictment includes charges of running a continuing financial crimes enterprise, bank fraud, wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy. Both pleaded not guilty on Feb. 4, Reuters reports. A trial is set in July. Both could face decades in prison if convicted.

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Prosecutors said the defendants “perpetrated ​a series of fraudulent schemes” against First Brands’ lenders and financing partners, Reuters reported, including allegedly inflating invoices, double- and triple-pledging loan collateral, falsifying financial statements and concealing substantial liabilities.

“It is very much Mr. James’ intent to go into court and proclaim his innocence,” said Scott Hartman, a lawyer for Patrick James, according to Reuters.

Patrick James and Edward James are Malaysian-born U.S. citizens.

Seth DuCharme, a lawyer for Edward James, told Reuters that his client is not going to “run off to Southeast Asia where he allegedly has all this money.”

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What is First Brands Group? Company filed for bankruptcy in September

First Brands, founded in 2013, was one of the world’s largest suppliers of auto parts such as brakes, filters and ‍lighting systems, according to Reuters. It had $5 billion in sales last year.

Prosecutors say First Brands borrowed billions to finance its growth. Those loans were secured by inventory and physical assets like plants and equipment. Reuters reports that this left First Brands vulnerable to cash flow issues and dependent on its access to the capital from those loans.

The company filed for bankruptcy in September 2025. Patrick James stepped down as CEO that October, according to Crain’s Detroit Business.



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