Thornton Goes Nuclear Scoring CareerHigh 30 Points As Ohio State Destroys No 4 Kentucky

Bruce Thornton scored 22 of his careerhigh 30 points in the second half and Ohio State cruised to an 85-65 victory over No. 4 Kentucky on Saturday in the CBS Classic at Madison Square Garden.

John Mobley Jr. added 15 points as the Buckeyes improved to 4-0 this season, led by coach Chris Holtmann who outmaneuvered his counterpart John Calipari to hand the Wildcats their first loss of the season.

The first half was a closely contested affair, with both teams trading baskets and playing tough defense. However, things took a dramatic turn in the second half as Thornton caught fire, hitting shot after shot to lead the Buckeyes on a 25-8 run that put the game out of reach for the Wildcats.

Thornton, a sophomore guard, was unstoppable in the second half, hitting 7 of 10 shots from the field, including 3 of 5 from beyond the arc. He also added 5 rebounds and 2 assists to his impressive stat line, cementing his place as one of the top players in the country.

The Buckeyes' dominating performance was not limited to Thornton, as the team as a whole shot 53% from the field and 44% from three-point range. They also outrebounded the Wildcats 35-29 and forced 16 turnovers, which they converted into 20 points.

Kentucky, on the other hand, struggled to find their rhythm on offense, shooting just 42% from the field and 29% from three-point range. The Wildcats were led by Anton Watson, who scored 18 points and grabbed 6 rebounds, but it was not enough to overcome the dominant performance by the Buckeyes.

The win is a significant one for Ohio State, as it marks their first win over a top-5 team since 2019. It also sets up a big matchup next week against another top-10 team, as the Buckeyes look to continue their strong start to the season.

The loss is a disappointing one for Kentucky, who had been playing well to start the season. The Wildcats will look to bounce back next week against a tough opponent, as they try to regain their footing in the highly competitive SEC.