Then-junior guard Bruce Thornton (2) moves the ball down the court during the Buckeyes’ Jan. 10 game against Oregon at the Shottenstein Center. Credit: Liam Ahern | Lantern Photographer
By the end of the first half, O-H-I-O chants were swirling around Value City Arena, with the Buckeyes cruising their way into the locker room at halftime, up 25 points.
From the opening tip, Ohio State controlled the tempo over Western Michigan, defeating the Broncos 91-58 Thursday. After fighting through inconsistencies throughout the first five games, Ohio State finally put together a complete performance for 40 minutes, continuing to score at a high clip while limiting the Broncos to a season-low 58 points.
“We haven’t played at a high level on both ends for significant stretches,” head coach Jake Diebler said. “I thought we did that tonight.”
Ohio State shot 49% from the field while also outrebounding Western Michigan 49-30, its largest rebound margin this year.
After a win over Notre Dame on Sunday, the Buckeyes knew they had to stay locked in and not let the emotions of a big victory get in the way of their next opponent.
“Our team handled Sunday’s win with great maturity,” Diebler said. “When we stepped on the floor next time for practice, [we] were laser-focused to get better.”
Here are three takeaways from Thursday’s game:
Depth showcase
Eleven total players scored points in the contest, displaying the depth the Buckeyes were missing in the 2024-25 campaign.
“Whether it’s foul trouble, injury, or sickness, you saw it all last year, it’s next man up,” Diebler said. “We have to be ready for situations like those.”
Seven minutes into the first half, Ivan Njegovan, Collin White, Amare Bynum and Gabe Cupps came off the bench and helped spark the runaway first half.
By the time the starters began to mix back in, the bench had extended the lead to 20-12, setting the table for the first group.
Not only did the bench score 30 of the Buckeyes’ 91 points, but they also understood that every second on the court is an audition for an expanded role down the line.
“We were committed to utilizing our bench earlier in the game,” Diebler said. “We’re evaluating who we can trust out there and what they can provide.”
Finding Identity
The complete effort on offense and defense was the driving factor behind Ohio State maintaining a lead for the entire 40 minutes, holding the Broncos to 34% shooting from the field.
For Diebler, it wasn’t about what the lead was but rather what he saw his players do on each possession.
“I wasn’t coaching the score, I was coaching possession by possession,” Diebler said. “We talk about winning those four-minute segments, and that was our focus today.”
The intensity the Buckeyes have played with has much to do with their approach of owning the game in four-minute intervals, but the energy also carries over from what they do in practice.
“This group has yet to have a full-blown bad practice,” Diebler said. “They adjust, come together, and find a way to make it right.”
Whether simulated in practice or not, Ohio State has already figured out part of who it is in five games, establishing an identity early.
“We don’t take anyone lightly coming in here, no matter who it is,” John Mobley said. “That’s just the mindset we’ve had since the summer.”
Amare Bynum collects his first career double-double
Through five games, including a breakout performance against the Broncos that saw the freshman forward put together 12 points and 10 rebounds.
Part of his quick development has been the approach that he takes in practice.
“He’s already becoming an all-time favorite player to coach because he plays with unbelievable joy,” Diebler said. “He loves the game and comes to work with a smile, but plays with toughness too.”
For Bynum, it’s the realization that the steady effort has already started to pay dividends early.
“It feels great. We put the work in every day, and the coaches and the team believed in me,” Bynum said.
