Bruce Thornton will end his record-breaking Ohio State career as an honorable mention All-American.
Thornton earned honorable mention All-American recognition from the Associated Press on Tuesday, adding another accolade to a stellar senior season as he prepares to lead the Buckeyes into their first NCAA Tournament appearance in four years later this week.
Greenville bound #GoBucks | #FightToTheEnd pic.twitter.com/BNqCPJhPaz
— Ohio State Hoops (@OhioStateHoops) March 17, 2026
The three-time All-Big Ten guard has been phenomenal all season, averaging 20.2 points per game — the highest mark by a Buckeye since Evan Turner averaged 20.4 in 2009-10. Thornton has also contributed 5.1 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game while shooting an efficient 55.8% from the field and 40% from 3-point range.
In Ohio State’s regular-season finale, Thornton added another milestone to his résumé, breaking Dennis Hopson’s program scoring record on Senior Day. It stands as his most notable achievement to date, though his distinction as the program’s first four-time captain underscores his lasting impact just as much.
Thornton and the No. 8-seeded Buckeyes will face No. 9-seeded TCU in Greenville, South Carolina, at 12:15 p.m. Thursday. As Ohio State looks to make a postseason run, head coach Jake Diebler made it clear where his confidence lies.
“You guys know how important retention was to me,” Diebler said. “I was very transparent about that as we built this roster. Bruce, Juni, and Devin, that’s where we started. And we built out from there and built around those guys. So I think those three on the perimeter for us, and Devin’s versatility with what he can do on the interior, it’s been a huge part of our success this season. And it’s going to play a major role in how the rest of the season plays out.”
The winner of Ohio State vs. TCU will likely face No. 1 seed Duke in the Round of 32. The Blue Devils are 27.5-point favorites over No. 16-seeded Siena, which earned its tournament bid by winning the MAAC championship.
