Against one of the best defenses in the Big Ten, Ohio State leaned on Bruce Thornton to lead the point for 39 minutes, including making the biggest pass of the game in its win over Rutgers last Thursday.
Bruce Thornton is the lone true point guard on Ohio State's roster. Players such as Justice Sueing and Isaac Likekele have filled in as hybrid point guards/forwards at different points, but Thornton is the only Buckeye who exclusively plays the point guard position.
With Likekele out indefinitely due to personal/family reasons, Thornton has become even more important to the Buckeyes as their starting point guard. That's quite a huge responsibility considering Thornton – the No. 10 point guard (No. 49 overall) in the 2022 recruiting class – is only a true freshman. Just nine games into his college career, he has quickly become a big part of Ohio State's offense, all while being the “quarterback” on that side of the ball and a key part of the defense‘s success as well.
The buzzer-beating game-winner by Tanner Holden to beat Rutgers last Thursday night was what everyone remembers, and deservedly so, but what led up to that shot – Thornton getting the ball up the court to allow Holden to get a decent look following a missed free throw – deserves to be talked about as well.
“Give it to our point guard, he's our best decision-maker,” Chris Holtmann said after the game. “You wanted your most poised guy in that situation with the ball and Bruce is that for us.”
With Caleb McConnell – one of the best defenders in the Big Ten – picking him up full court with exactly five seconds left, Thornton had the poise and patience to find Holden. Instead of rushing and putting up a bad shot, Thornton gave it to the senior, who was in a much better position and a bit closer to the basket.
That play was the most important one of the night given the situation and outcome, but Thornton had already had a good game prior to that. In a career-high 39 minutes (tied with his 39 minutes against Texas Tech on Nov. 23), the 6-foot-2, 215-pounder was tasked with leading the Buckeyes' offense, all while having to go against a defender like McConnell.
The Alpharetta, Georgia native struggled to find his shot against Rutgers, making just 3-of-9 shots (1-of-4 three-pointers), but still finished with 10 points, a team-high five assists and two steals. Even though he couldn't find his rhythm offensively, the freshman made some huge plays on the defensive end of the floor that were key moments in the game.
“The plays he made defensively,“ Holtmann said of Thornton's performance that included things that won't show up in a box score. “The loose ball recovery timeout. The charge. They were as good of game-changing plays by a freshman that I've seen, that I've coached. You talk about the guts of the game, those are two critical plays.”
That alone shows Holtmann and company the type of player Thornton is, something that they have learned to love ever since they started recruiting him.
“Bruce didn't score it that well tonight and he was engaged the entire game,“ Holtmann said. “He's mature, understands playing to win, and that's why I've said that he's hard to take out of the lineup right now.”
Thornton is certainly young, but it appears he is the right man to lead Ohio State from the point guard position. He is averaging 9.9 points (fifth on the team), 2.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists (second) per game while shooting 49.2 percent from the field (third), 46.7 percent from beyond the arc (third) and 92.9 percent from the free-throw line (second) in 28.8 minutes per game (first).
He will be forced to lead the offense most of the time as long as Likekele is away from the team. But with the high praise Thornton continues to receive from Holtmann, the Buckeyes will likely be in good hands with the true freshman as their point guard on both ends of the floor.
“He really does have great poise. He's used to winning and as much as anybody I've ever coached at a young age, he plays to win and never every kid plays to win or understands what playing to win looks like,“ Holtmann said. “He was extremely well coached in high school and he understands what playing to win is and those two plays that he made embody that.”
