Santa Clara transfer Christoph Tilly commits to Ohio State

Tilly earned All-WCC second team honors as a junior with the Broncos

Santa Clara Broncos center Christoph Tilly (13) rebounds the ball against the Gonzaga Bulldogs in the first half at McCarthey Athletic Center. | James Snook-Imagn Images

Santa Clara Broncos transfer Christoph Tilly has committed to the Ohio State Buckeyes for his fourth year of college basketball.

Tilly, a 7-foot-tall center from Germany, spent the past three years honing his skills with Herb Sendek's program. After coming off the bench as a freshman, he earned a role in the Broncos' starting five the following season as a sophomore, followed by a breakout campaign that earned him a spot on the All-West Coast Conference second team.

In 31 starts this past season, Tilly averaged 12.5 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game. He shot 61.7% from inside the arc and 31.5% on 3-point attempts. Tilly scored a season-high 25 points on 10-of-15 shooting from the field in a 57-54 loss to the Loyola Marymount Lions on Jan. 16. He followed that up with 17 points and four rebounds to help guide Santa Clara to a rare win over the Gonzaga Bulldogs at the McCarthey Athletic Center in a 103-99 final from Jan. 18.

In his final game with the Broncos, Tilly recorded the third double-double of his career in a 17-point, 12-rebound effort in an 88-84 loss to Yaxel Lendeborg and the UAB Blazers in the second round of the NIT on March 23. Tilly also had 21 points and 12 rebounds in a 97-66 win over the Pacific Tigers in their regular season finale at the Alex G. Spanos Center on March 1.

Tilly was reportedly being recruited heavily by the Ohio State coaching staff upon entering the portal on March 24. According to 247Sports' transfer rankings, Tilly was the No. 7-ranked center available at the time of his commitment. He's the Buckeyes' second portal addition of the offseason, as Jake Diebler and his staff also landed former Indiana Hoosiers guard Gabe Cupps last week.

Conversely, Ohio State lost some of its frontcourt depth in 6-foot-10 sophomore Austin Parks and 7-foot-tall sophomore Aaron Bradshaw, as both entered their names into the portal. Sean Stewart, a 6-foot-9, 220-pound sophomore, started at the center spot for a majority of last season, though Tilly's presence offers Diebler and company more size and versatility to the position group.

With Tilly headed for Big Ten territory, there are just three players from last season's All-WCC first and second teams who still have eligibility in 2025-26 and haven't entered the transfer portal this offseason: Gonzaga's Graham Ike, Pacific's Lamar Washington and Saint Mary's Gaels forward Paulius Murauskas. From the All-WCC freshman team, San Francisco's Tyrone Riley IV and Portland Pilots forward Austin Rapp, the league's freshman of the year, are currently in the portal.