- Today
- Holidays
- Birthdays
- Reminders
- Cities
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Baltimore
- Berwyn
- Beverly Hills
- Birmingham
- Boston
- Brooklyn
- Buffalo
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Cincinnati
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Dallas
- Denver
- Detroit
- Fort Worth
- Houston
- Indianapolis
- Knoxville
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Louisville
- Madison
- Memphis
- Miami
- Milwaukee
- Minneapolis
- Nashville
- New Orleans
- New York
- Omaha
- Orlando
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- Pittsburgh
- Portland
- Raleigh
- Richmond
- Rutherford
- Sacramento
- Salt Lake City
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- Seattle
- Tampa
- Tucson
- Washington
Ohio State Beats USC in Crucial Big Ten Matchup
Buckeyes head coach Jake Diebler discusses the team's 89-82 victory over the Trojans.
Published on Feb. 12, 2026
Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›
Ohio State head coach Jake Diebler met with the media after the Buckeyes' 89-82 win over USC on Wednesday night. Diebler discussed how crucial the victory was for Ohio State's NCAA Tournament hopes, as well as the standout performance of point guard Bruce Thornton, who had 21 points, 8 assists, and 5 rebounds.
Why it matters
This win was critical for Ohio State's chances of making the NCAA Tournament, as the Buckeyes and USC have similar metrics and standings in the Big Ten. Diebler praised his team's physicality, connection, and leadership down the stretch in securing the important home victory.
The details
Ohio State bounced back with an 89-82 win over USC on Wednesday night. Diebler highlighted the clutch play of point guard Bruce Thornton, who had 21 points, 8 assists, and 5 rebounds. Diebler noted that Thornton "played like an upperclassman, played like a leader, played like a really, really good player" throughout the game.
- The game was played on Wednesday, February 12, 2026.
The players
Jake Diebler
The head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes men's basketball team.
Bruce Thornton
The starting point guard for the Ohio State Buckeyes, who had 21 points, 8 assists, and 5 rebounds in the win over USC.
What they’re saying
“It feels very, very crucial. It's a team with similar metrics, it's a home game, similar standings in the Big Ten, all that stuff, right? Which, again, we're going to keep facing as the year goes on. I think most importantly, the results are critical right now. Let's take that aside. Most importantly, our guys responded in a big way, responded with good physicality, responded with utilizing each other to fix things during the game. I thought our connection was better than the last game.”
— Jake Diebler, Head Coach (Lettermen Row)
“I think, you know, the clutchness of a lot of those possessions in the last three, four minutes was important. I thought he was a critical component of when we were able to build a lead, which was a huge, huge response from our guys. He read the game really well. They do some things defensively that you typically don't see. So sometimes it can take time, even though you talk about it, you walk through it, you practice against it, but until you're out there. You've got a 7-5 guy, right in the middle of the lane, it just takes some time to make some adjustments. So I just think he played like an upperclassman, played like a leader, played like a really, really good player, really throughout the entirety of the game.”
— Jake Diebler, Head Coach (Lettermen Row)
What’s next
The Buckeyes will look to build on this crucial win as they continue their Big Ten schedule in the coming weeks, with key matchups against ranked opponents looming.
The takeaway
This victory was a critical one for Ohio State's NCAA Tournament hopes, as the Buckeyes and USC have similar metrics and standings in the Big Ten. The team's physicality, connection, and leadership down the stretch were key factors in securing the important home win.
