Bruce Thornton hit a lean-in jumper with 3.6 seconds left in double overtime to give Ohio State an 89-88 win over West Virginia at the Cleveland Hoops Showdown on Saturday.
Thornton led the Buckeyes (8-2) with 21 points, John Mobley Jr. and Amare Bynum each scored 17 points and Cristoph Tilly scored 14 points and had 11 rebounds. Devin Royal tallied 11 points and pulled down 10 rebounds.
Honor Huff led the Mountaineers (8-4) with 24 points. Brenen Lorient added 18 points, while Jasper Floyd and Chance Moore each racked up 14 points.
Thornton hit a jumper in double OT to give Ohio State an 85-83 lead with 59 seconds left, but
West Virginia answered on Lorient’s 3-pointer to take an 86-85 lead with 39 seconds to play. Then Thornton sank two free throws.
Huff’s corner jumper gave the Mountaineers an 88-87 lead with 12.3 seconds left, but Thornton’s game-winner put the Buckeyes back in the lead. After it, Lorient couldn’t gather a long pass and time ran out.
Corner threes from Lorient and Eaglestaff on consecutive Mountaineers possessions gave West Virginia a 28-19 lead and capped a 12-2 run at the 6:56 mark in the first half. Chance Moore hit a fadeaway-corner three to send the Mountaineers into halftime with a 37-27 lead.
A Bynum dunk was part of an 8-0 Buckeyes rally that pulled Ohio State within 55-52.
The Buckeyes took a 68-66 lead as Mobley Jr. hit a contested three with 1:03 remaining in regulation. A Fields layup tied the game at 68. Thornton then missed a half-court shot at the buzzer to send the game to overtime.
In overtime, a three from Huff gave West Virginia a 77-76 lead with 59 seconds left. Royal then split a pair of free throws and Huff missed a layup at the buzzer to send the game to double overtime tied at 77.
