As the Big Ten and NCAA tournaments loom, the Ohio State men’s basketball team (17-9, 9-6 Big Ten) got a much-needed win Tuesday, posting a commanding 86-69 victory over the #24-ranked Wisconsin Badgers (18-8, 10-5 Big Ten) at the Schottenstein Center.

Bruce Thornton paced the Buckeyes with 27 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists, all game-highs. Pickerington Central alum Devin Royal added 25 points with four three-pointers. Also in double figures were Amare Bynum (13) and Taison Chatman (11). Chatman replaced the injured John Mobley Jr. in the starting lineup.

OSU had a good shooting night, going 31-57 (54.4%) from the floor and 11-21 (52.4%) from beyond the arc. On the other hand, the Bucks were only 13-19 (68.4%) at the free throw line. The Ohio State defense forced the Badgers into an uncharacteristic 12 turnovers on the night.

With 3:34 remaining in the contest, Thornton passed the 2,000-point career mark. Earlier in the game, he moved past Jerry Lucas and William Buford, both with 1,990 points, into third place on OSU’s all-time scoring list. The senior from Fairburn, Ga. now has 2,005 points, trailing only Dennis Hopson (2,096) and Herb Williams (2,011).

There is no rest for the weary, as the Buckeyes head to East Lansing, Mich. for a game with the #15-ranked Michigan State Spartans (21-5, 11-4 Big Ten) Sunday at the Breslin Center beginning at 1:00 p.m. All of the action can be seen on CBS.