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MC Ahmadd Crump had Value City Arena electric from the moment he took the mic—hyping the crowd, firing off giveaways including a Raising Cane’s tailgate, and helping honor Ohio State legend Jerry Lucas. But the real show came on the court, where Ohio State and Notre Dame battled to the final buzzer.
In a nail-biting finish, OSU center Christoph Tilly drove and scored with just 13 seconds left, lifting the Buckeyes to a 64–63 victory in front of 12,357 fans. On the final possession, Notre Dame’s Markus Burton launched a contested three over the 7-foot Tilly, but it missed, allowing Amare Bynum to secure the rebound and the win.
Coach Jake Diebler praised Notre Dame’s toughness, calling the victory “a really good win for us,” especially in a gritty, defense-heavy matchup. OSU’s Bruce Thornton led all scorers with 24 points, while Tilly added 18 points, four rebounds, and three blocks—14 of those points coming in a dominant second half.
John Mobley Jr. added nine points, Devin Royal returned from injury with seven points and six boards, and the Buckeyes showed the late-game composure that eluded them at times last season.
Notre Dame was led by Burton (14 points) and freshman Jalen Haralson (13 points), with Braeden Shrewsberry hitting a clutch jumper that briefly gave the Irish a 63–62 lead before OSU’s final answer.
The win capped off a special weekend honoring Jerry Lucas, whose statue was unveiled outside the arena. Ohio State now improves to 4–0, continuing its six-game homestand and building confidence early in the season.
