CLEVELAND (Interstat) — In a game defined by grit, missed opportunities and a final, breathtaking shot, Bruce Thornton’s pull-up jumper with two seconds left in the second overtime lifted Ohio State to a pulsating 89-88 victory over West Virginia in a nonconference men’s basketball thriller Saturday at Rocket Arena.

A crowd of 6,465 watched as the Buckeyes, who trailed by as many as 14 points in the first half, mounted a furious second-half comeback, survived a last-second West Virginia heave to force a second overtime, and finally secured the win on their home-away-from-home floor in Cleveland.

The most critical sequence of the game unfolded in the final 10 seconds of the second overtime. With the score tied at 87, West Virginia’s Honor Huff, who poured in a game-high 24 points, drove the lane and hit a tough floating jumper to put the Mountaineers ahead with 11 seconds remaining. Ohio State, out of timeouts, pushed the ball upcourt. Thornton, who logged a staggering 49 minutes, took the inbound pass, raced across the timeline, and pulled up from just inside the free-throw line, sinking the game-winner over a defender. West Virginia’s desperation half-court attempt at the buzzer was not close.

The contest was a stark contrast in styles and efficiency. West Virginia built its early lead on the strength of torrid three-point shooting, connecting on 12 of 26 attempts from beyond the arc. Ohio State, conversely, struggled immensely from deep, making only 4 of 21. The Mountaineers’ advantage from distance was largely negated by their troubles holding onto the ball and converting inside. They committed 15 turnovers to Ohio State’s 10 and shot just 39.7% from the field overall. The Buckeyes, while inefficient from three, pounded the paint, shooting 43.8% overall and converting a stellar 21 of 24 free throws.

West Virginia controlled the first half, leading 37-27 at the break behind 10 early points from Jasper Floyd. The Mountaineers extended their lead early in the second half before Ohio State began its methodical climb back. The Buckeyes’ second-half surge was powered by a more aggressive defense and the interior play of Amare Bynum and Christoph Tilly. Ohio State outscored West Virginia 41-31 in the period, forcing the first overtime at 68-68 when a last-gasp three-point attempt by the Mountaineers’ Chance Moore rimmed out at the regulation buzzer.

Both teams scored nine points in the first overtime, setting the stage for the decisive second extra period. The lead changed hands four times in the final two minutes of the second overtime before Thornton’s heroics.

Huff led all scorers with 24 points and added five assists for West Virginia. Brenen Lorient was a force for the Mountaineers with 18 points, while Floyd and Chance Moore each added 14. For Ohio State, Thornton’s clutch shot capped a 21-point, four-assist effort. Bynum was instrumental with 17 points, three assists and three blocks, and Tilly posted a unique line of 14 points and five assists. John Mobley also scored 17 for the Buckeyes.

The loss drops West Virginia to 8-4 on the season, while Ohio State improves to 8-2. The Buckeyes overcame a pregame projection that gave them a 60.4% chance to win, ultimately covering the spread as 3.5-point favorites. The combined score of 177 points sailed over the over/under line of 143.

West Virginia returns to action Dec. 22 against Mississippi Valley State. Ohio State faces a quick turnaround with a high-profile neutral-site game against North Carolina in Atlanta on Dec. 20.