Ohio State Upsets No. 8 Purdue
Ohio State shocked No. 8 Purdue 82-74 at home behind Mobley Jr.'s 21 points, moving into first four projections. The upset comes as Purdue struggles despite retaining 86% of scoring from last year — they've lost four home games and failed to beat top Big Ten rivals. Time is running out for Purdue seniors with just two regular season games left.
This victory marks the third consecutive time an unranked Ohio State team has defeated a top-15 ranked Purdue squad. The win moves the Buckeyes to an 18-11 overall record and 10-8 in the Big Ten, significantly boosting their NCAA Tournament chances. The win is a major development for Ohio State under head coach Jake Diebler. Since Diebler took over as interim coach in February 2024 and was later named head coach, he has guided the team to a significant turnaround. In his first full season, he has led the Buckeyes to a 17-15 overall record prior to this win. For Purdue, the loss is their second straight and continues a worrying trend. The Boilermakers have a record of 5-6 in their last 11 games and have now lost four games at home in Mackey Arena, an unusual occurrence for the program. This late-season slide comes after starting the season ranked No. 1 in the preseason polls for the first time in school history. The "first four projections" refer to Ohio State's potential inclusion in the NCAA Tournament's play-in round. This round, known as the First Four, features eight teams competing for the final four spots in the main 64-team bracket. These games involve the four lowest-ranked automatic qualifiers and the four lowest-ranked at-large teams. With the regular season winding down, this result has significant implications for the Big Ten standings. Purdue, now 12-6 in conference play, is fighting to maintain a top position, while Ohio State's 10-8 conference record keeps them in the conversation for a better seed in the Big Ten Tournament. Purdue will look to regroup in their final two regular-season games on the road against Northwestern and at home against Wisconsin. Ohio State closes out its regular season with a road game against Penn State before returning home to face Indiana.
