Bruce Thornton, John Mobley Jr. Earn Big Ten Honors After Kentucky Win 

A pair of Ohio State players were recognized by the Big Ten for their efforts in the Buckeyes’ 85-65 upset win over No. 4 Kentucky on Monday, with junior guard Bruce Thornton taking home Big Ten Player of the Week honors and Mobley winning Big Ten Freshman of the Week. 

Starting with Thornton, the Buckeyes’ unquestioned team leader and three-time team captain put together perhaps the best game of his already accomplished Ohio State career against the Wildcats, guiding his team to their largest win over an AP Top Five opponent in 13 years with a career-high 30 points on 8-of-13 shooting along with four rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block. He also went a season-best 13-of-14 from the free throw line. 

Thornton, who also scored 14 points and dished out a game-high six assists in Ohio State’s 95-73 win over Valparaiso on Tuesday night, is Ohio State’s first Big Ten Player of the Week honoree since former Buckeyes forward and current Chicago Bull E.J. Liddell took home the honor on Dec. 13, 2021. 

Mobley also shone under the bright lights of Madison Square Garden against Kentucky, scoring 15 points, three assists, three rebounds and two steals on the night. The freshman guard did not have his best shooting outing of the season, going just 5 of 13 from the field and 1 of 7 from three, but he still managed to impact the game in many ways and find his way to the rim, making each of his four attempts from the free throw line. 

Despite making just one three pointer on the day — that coming on an impressive logo triple on Ohio State’s first offensive possession — Mobley still ranks 12th in the nation and first in the Big Ten in three-point field goal percentage at 49.2 percent (31 of 63). 

Mobley, who also scored nine points and five assists against Valparaiso, became the last Buckeye to take home Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors since former OSU and now-Utah Jazz guard Brice Sensabaugh on Jan. 23, 2023. 

The last time Ohio State swept the weekly Big Ten awards was on Feb. 2, 2015, when D’Angelo Russell earned both awards. This was also only the second time two Buckeyes combined to sweep the awards, the first coming on March 7, 2011, when Jon Diebler won player of the week and Jared Sullinger freshman of the week.