COLUMBUS, Ohio (Interstat) — In a critical late-season Big Ten clash defined by efficiency and composure, the Ohio State Buckeyes delivered a decisive performance against the Purdue Boilermakers, securing an 82-74 victory before a sold-out crowd of 15,524 at Value City Arena on Sunday.

The game pivoted on Ohio State’s remarkable offensive precision and its ability to consistently draw fouls and convert at the free-throw line. While Purdue’s offense found moments of rhythm, it was ultimately overwhelmed by a Buckeye attack that scored 82 points on just 59 possessions, an elite offensive rating of 138.5. Purdue, by contrast, managed 74 points on 66 possessions.

The most important part of the game was Ohio State’s relentless second-half execution, which systematically dismantled Purdue’s attempts to rally. After taking a 36-31 lead into halftime, the Buckeyes opened the second period with a 9-2 run, punctuated by a John Mobley 3-pointer assisted by Bruce Thornton, to extend their advantage to 45-33. Purdue, led by Braden Smith and Trey Kaufman-Renn, would chip away, pulling within four points on multiple occasions. Each time, however, Ohio State answered, often from the charity stripe or with a timely basket from its backcourt duo.

The Buckeyes put the game away in the final minutes through a combination of defensive stops and clutch free-throw shooting. With Purdue trailing 77-74 and under a minute to play, a critical turnover by the Boilermakers’ Braden Smith led to a transition opportunity. Although Ohio State’s Christoph Tilly missed a dunk, the Buckeyes retained possession. In the ensuing scramble, Purdue was forced to foul repeatedly. Ohio State’s Bruce Thornton and Taison Chatman combined to make five of six free throws in the final 30 seconds to seal the eight-point win.

Thornton, a guard from Fairburn, Georgia, led all scorers with 20 points, adding two assists in 37 minutes. Mobley, a Reynoldsburg, Ohio native, was equally instrumental, scoring 21 points and dishing out three assists over 36 minutes. Their backcourt leadership proved the difference in a game where ball movement was scarce; Ohio State finished with only three team assists but compensated with individual shot-making and trips to the line.

For Purdue, Smith, a sophomore from Westfield, Indiana, posted 20 points and seven assists. Kaufman-Renn, from Sellersburg, Indiana, battled inside for 19 points. Fletcher Loyer of Fort Wayne, Indiana, added 15 points. The Boilermakers shot a respectable 44.4% from the field and 37.9% from 3-point range but were undone by a stark disparity in free-throw opportunities. Ohio State attempted 32 free throws, making 25, while Purdue went just 7 for 10 from the line.

The Buckeyes also won the rebounding battle 35-30 and capitalized on second chances with 10 offensive rebounds leading to 14 points. Purdue’s typically potent offense was held in check, committing six turnovers against only five assists as a team.

With the victory, Ohio State improves to 18-11 overall and gains a significant resume-boosting win as the conference tournament approaches. Purdue, which entered as a 5-point favorite and had a 67% win probability according to analytics, falls to 22-7. The loss marks Purdue’s second in its last three games following a defeat to Michigan State earlier in the week.

The total points scored, 156, surpassed the over/under line of 150.

Ohio State next travels to face Penn State on Wednesday. Purdue will look to rebound on the road at Northwestern, also on Wednesday.