Where is Ohio State basketball in latest Big Ten standings? How Buckeyes stack up in conference

Posted by author February 7, 2025 Basketball

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Bruce Thornton’s last-second, banked-in 3-pointer did more than lift Ohio State back to .500 in Big Ten play.

Thornton’s game-winner Thursday night against No. 18 Maryland avenged a 24-point road loss to the Terrapins back on Dec. 4, making this the first time since the 1996-97 season that the Buckeyes took such a lopsided loss and defeated that same team in a rematch during the same season. After losing 83-59 at the Xfinity Center, the Buckeyes won on their home court 73-70 despite being shorthanded and digging a 17-point hole in the first half.

It also kept Ohio State slightly ahead of the middle of the pack in the 18-team Big Ten. After a three-game winning streak from Jan. 21-30, the Buckeyes led for the majority of last Sunday’s game at No. 18 Illinois but faltered in the final minutes and lost 87-79.

Ohio State has now won four of its past five after enduring a three-game losing streak by a combined five total points.

Ohio State men’s basketball in Big Ten standings

With the win against No. 18 Maryland, Ohio State improved to 14-9 overall and 6-6 in the Big Ten. That .500 record in conference play has the Buckeyes alone in eighth place in the league standings.

Ohio State is four games behind first-place Purdue, which is 10-2 in the Big Ten with one of its losses coming at the hands of the Buckeyes. On Jan. 21, Ohio State beat No. 11 Purdue 73-70 inside Mackey Arena after trailing by as many as 16 points.

Two other Big Ten teams also have six losses: No. 23 Illinois is 7-6 and USC is 5-6.

Ohio State goes to Nebraska on Sunday. The Cornhuskers are 5-7 in the Big Ten, one of four teams tied for 10th in the league standings, and 15-8 overall. After that, the Buckeyes host cellar-dweller Washington on Wednesday. The Huskies are 11-11 this season and 2-9 in the Big Ten.

The bottom three teams in the league will not qualify for the Big Ten Tournament, which will be held March 12-16 in Indianapolis. At No. 8, the Buckeyes would currently avoid the first day of the five-day event.

ajardy@dispatch.com

@AdamJardy