Ohio State upsets No. 8 Purdue, boosts NCAA Tournament hopes

Buckeyes hand Boilermakers their third straight loss in the series

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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John Mobley Jr. scored 21 points to lead Ohio State to an 82-74 win over No. 8 Purdue on Sunday. The victory revived the Buckeyes' fading NCAA Tournament hopes and marked their third straight win over the Boilermakers.

Why it matters

Ohio State's victory over the highly ranked Boilermakers gives the Buckeyes a much-needed boost to their NCAA Tournament resume after a disappointing season. Purdue, on the other hand, has now lost three in a row to their Big Ten rival, raising questions about the Boilermakers' ability to maintain their high ranking and tournament seeding.

The details

Ohio State took down the eighth-ranked Boilermakers behind a strong performance from John Mobley Jr., who scored a team-high 21 points. The Buckeyes were able to overcome a loud contingent of Purdue fans in Columbus to secure the 82-74 victory and hand the Boilermakers their third straight loss in the series.

  • The game was played on Sunday, March 2, 2026.

The players

John Mobley Jr.

The Ohio State player who scored a team-high 21 points in the win over Purdue.

Purdue

The No. 8 ranked college basketball team that lost to Ohio State.

Ohio State

The college basketball team that upset the highly ranked Purdue Boilermakers.

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The takeaway

Ohio State's victory over Purdue gives the Buckeyes a much-needed boost to their NCAA Tournament hopes after a disappointing season, while the Boilermakers' third straight loss to their Big Ten rival raises questions about their ability to maintain their high ranking and tournament seeding.