Purdue's Matt Painter Has Classy Praise for Ohio State Star Who Avoided Transfer Portal Allure

Ohio State guard Bruce Thornton is a relative rarity in today’s college basketball: a senior who has spent all four years with the same program in the age of transfer portal madness.

And even rival coaches of Thornton’s Buckeyes realize it.

Purdue coach Matt Painter, in the aftermath of his program’s disappointing, 82–74 loss to Ohio State on Sunday—in which Thornton scored 20 points—was asked what he likes about the Buckeyes senior’s game.

“Yeah he's great, man,” Painter said. “A lot of young people aren't professional. He's a professional.”

Painter, who said he had ventured to Milton High School in Milton, Ga., “a handful of times” to recruit Thornton, joked that he had turned the soon-to-be Buckeye away from Purdue with his zeal.

“I went to Milton a handful of times. He liked it so much he went to Ohio State,” Painter deadpanned. “I have that effect on people. It's really helped our program.”

But the Purdue coach then got serious again and lauded Thornton for his commitment to staying with one program in the age of the portal, where greener NIL paydays are just a transfer away.

“No, he's great,” Painter continued. “He's what college basketball is all about. He could've ran. He could've transferred. He could have done all that stuff. He stayed. He competed. He's fought to be in this position. He has a lot of individual accolades but I know the way he's wired. I know his high school coaches. That's all they kept saying, that ‘This kid is the biggest winner. This kid is all about his team. All about Milton.’

“Now he's all about Ohio State. He just wants to win. Good for him. Good for him to be [nearly] the all-time leading scorer but I know he’d trade that for getting in the NCAA tournament. I know that.”

Painter isn't the only one impressed by Thornton’s loyalty to his program.

Longtime Michigan State men’s basketball coach Tom Izzo, following a Feb. 22 loss to the Buckeyes, told reporters the special message he shared to Thornton before the game.

“I talked to Thornton before the game, told him it’s been an honor and a privilege to coach against him for four years," Izzo said. “I said, ‘You stayed put. You didn’t run and leave like everybody does nowadays. You’ve been an incredible player, you’ve been an incredible person. I'm a big fan.’ And I told him even more after the game.”

Thornton, a two-time All-Big Ten honoree, has scored 2,067 points in his career, second all-time in Buckeyes program history behind only Dennis Hopson (2,096 points). It's a record well within the senior guard's reach. But, as Painter said, Thornton would likely much rather the Buckeyes make the NCAA tournament.

Entering play Sunday, Ohio State was considered one of the college basketball teams most firmly on the bubble, with Sports Illustrated’s Kevin Sweeney listing the Buckeyes as his final team in the field last week, before Ohio State’s Wednesday loss to Iowa. But, thanks to Thornton and company, that may have changed after the program's big victory over Purdue. The Buckeyes will conclude regular season play against Penn State and Indiana.

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