What we learned about Ohio State basketball from scrimmage against Ohio University

It was smooth sailing for the Ohio State Buckeyes on Sunday.

The men's basketball team played host to the Ohio University Bobcats in an early-season exhibition as both sides prepared for the start of the 2025-26 regular season. The Buckeyes came out swinging and dominated, winning the matchup, 103-74.

Although it was just an exhibition, a win over an in-state rival always feels good, especially when Ohio State had seven players finish the outing in double-figures.

That, combined with strong defense, was a recipe for success for the scarlet and grey.

Ohio State's transfer forward, Brandon Noel, had himself a strong debut leading the scoring efforts. He showed why the Buckeyes went out and got him this past offseason as he knocked down 18 points and hauled in seven rebounds. His presence on the glass was important for the team, playing strong on both ends of the court.

The Buckeyes finished the game with a lead in the rebound margin, 40-31.

Alongside transfer Noel, Christoph Tilly showed Buckeye Nation what he was all about. He impressed with 14 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Anytime you get a player that is contributing in multiple statistical categories, you know they are going to be heavily impactful.

Noel and Tilly both forced steals as well, with the Buckeyes finishing the game with 23 points off turnovers. In total, the team forced 16.

While the newcomers were getting it done, so was standout returnee Bruce Thornton.

He looked sharp on the court in the exhibition, making 5-of-7 shots for 11 points. He also hauled in two rebounds and dished off four assists, marking a pretty well-rounded outing.

Throughout the offseason, he was very vocal about how he wanted his senior campaign to go. Not only did he want to see the team succeed, but he also wanted to see the team rise to challenging occasions, most specifically the two games the Buckeyes are slated to play against the Michigan Wolverines. No matter the sport, that rivalry runs deep.

In year's past, the Buckeyes have had key contributors, but have never been able to put it all together.

The outing against the Bobcats not only showed a brand new system of Ohio State basketball, but also a group of guys willing to be teammates. Of the 35 field goals made on the day, 26 of them came off an assist, marking unselfish team play and a knack for finding the open pass.

While these are all good things to see early in a season, they will hopefully keep this momentum going when it actually matters in the record book in just a bit of time.

Ohio State doesn't have much time to rest.

They will be back on the court in roughly a week for the first regular-season matchup of the 2025-26 campaign. With many expecting the Buckeyes to waiver in the Big Ten this season, they will need to get up to speed quickly.

The Buckeyes will open their year on Monday, Nov. 3, against IU Indy with tip-off slated for 6:30 p.m. EST. The two teams will clash at Value City Arena in Columbus.