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Ohio State holds off late charge to secure stunning upset over No. 2 Purdue
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Ohio State pulled off a huge upset over No. 2 Purdue in Columbus on Sunday afternoon, 73-69.
The Buckeyes were 8.5-point underdogs in this game, but led for the vast majority of the contest. Purdue was able to tie the game in the last couple of minutes, but the Buckeyes held on to complete the upset thanks to some good defense and clutch free throws down the stretch.
Here’s video of the final seconds — and the ensuing court-storm — in Ohio State’s win:
DOWN GOES NO. 2 ‼️@OhioStateHoops takes down No. 2 Purdue at home in thrilling fashion.
📺: CBS pic.twitter.com/Kpw4RVksTE
— Big Ten Men's Basketball (@B1GMBBall) February 18, 2024
For Ohio State, this win comes just a few days after the program decided to part ways with head coach Chris Holtmann. Jake Diebler served as OSU’s interim coach for this game and was emotional after the final buzzer sounded.
Here’s video of his interaction with Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith following the win:
Jake Diebler shares an emotional hug with Gene Smith and then points to the sky.
In his first game as interim head coach he takes down the second ranked team in the country! pic.twitter.com/KnUGGMFlcu
— Adam King (@AdamKing10TV) February 18, 2024
This is a difficult loss for Purdue, who is trying to win its second consecutive Big Ten regular season title. The Boilermakers now have just a 1-game lead over Illinois in the loss column with just 5 games left to play. Purdue has to play at Illinois on March 5 — a game that could ultimately determine who takes home the regular season crown.
Interested in betting on Ohio State’s next game? The Buckeyes will face Minnesota on the road on Thursday as they look for back-to-back wins. Here’s how you can get signed up with one of the top Ohio betting apps prior to tipoff.
Spenser is the news manager at Saturday Road and covers college football across all Saturday Football brands.