The Brandon Noel Game.
In a back-and-forth affair in Evanston, Ohio State leaned on Noel to provide a much-needed spark for the Buckeyes on Saturday afternoon. The sixth-year senior notched a season-high 29 points and seven rebounds while leading OSU to an 86-82 win on the road at Northwestern.
| TEAM | 1 | 2 | FINAL |
|---|---|---|---|
| OHIO STATE | 40 | 46 | 86 |
| NORTHWESTERN | 44 | 38 | 82 |
Ohio State utilized its ability to get to the basket throughout the game, as the Buckeyes scored a staggering 62 points in the paint. They also scored 18 points off the Wildcats' 14 turnovers.
While OSU shot 57.4% from the field, they made just four of 14 3-pointers and were a dismal 12 of 20 (60%) from the free-throw line. That, paired with allowing 13 offensive rebounds to Northwestern, was the main reason the game remained close.
Along with Noel, Bruce Thornton (17 points), Amare Bynum (11) and Devin Royal (10) also reached double digits in the scoring column. Nic Martinelli led the way for Northwestern with 32 points,
| OHIO STATE | STAT | NORTHWESTERN |
|---|---|---|
| 86 | POINTS | 82 |
| 35-61 (57%) | FGM-FGA (PCT.) | 29-61 (48%) |
| 4-14 (29%) | 3PM-3PA (PCT.) | 8-24 (33%) |
| 12-20 (60%) | FTM-FTA (PCT.) | 16-18 (89%) |
| 11 | TURNOVERS | 14 |
| 29 | TOTAL REBOUNDS | 34 |
| 9 | OFFENSIVE REBOUNDS | 13 |
| 20 | DEFENSIVE REBOUNDS | 21 |
| 18 | BENCH POINTS | 8 |
| 2 | BLOCKS | 2 |
| 5 | STEALS | 4 |
| 24 | ASSISTS | 21 |
First Half
It was a fast-paced start, as Northwestern led took a 15-13 lead into the first media timeout with just under 15 minutes remaining in the first half. Five minutes into the game, all five OSU starters had already scored.
After trailing 19-13, the Buckeyes went on a 14-2 run – including two separate 7-0 runs – to take a 27-21 lead 11 minutes into the game.
Ohio State then caught the turnover bug late in the first half, as the Buckeyes had three turnovers in the final two minutes. It allowed Northwestern to go on a 12-2 run to end the half as OSU trailed, 44-40, at halftime.
After scoring zero points in Ohio State's previous game, Brandon Noel had a team-high 10 points and four rebounds in the first half. Northwestern outrebounded OSU, 18-12, in the first 20 minutes of the game, as the Wildcats had eight rebounds in the opening half.
Second Half
In a back-and-forth start to the half, Ohio State took its first lead of the second half at 62-61 with just over 10 minutes remaining. Noel and Thornton had 10 of OSU's first 22 points of the half.
Bucks take the lead
— Ohio State Hoops (@OhioStateHoops) December 6, 2025
: @BigTenNetwork pic.twitter.com/tgSnY58ERo
Ohio State didn't trail after that, leading by as many as eight points in the game in the second half.
Much like he was throughout much of the entire game, Noel was unstoppable in the second half, taking over at times on the offensive end of the floor. Noel had 19 points in the game's final 20 minutes while Thornton had 13. Royal (eight points), Bynum (four) and Tilly (two) were the only other Buckeyes who scored in the second half.
YEAHHHH DEVIN
— Ohio State Hoops (@OhioStateHoops) December 6, 2025
: @BigTenNetwork pic.twitter.com/h36XrFeDD6
What's Next?
Ohio State returns to Columbus to host Illinois for an early-week Big Ten matchup Tuesday night. Tipoff is at 7:30 p.m. on Peacock.
Game Notes
- Christoph Tilly and John Mobley Jr. both started the game after being listed as questionable on the availability report after suffering separate injuries in OSU's last game against Pittsburgh on Nov. 28.
- Noel's 29 points were his most since Jan. 12, 2023, when he scored a career-high 32 points.
