Bruce Thornton is Due For Another Big Season in 2024 as the Buckeye Point Guard Will Carry the Load and Set the Tempo for Ohio State. 

Bruce Thornton has locked down the point guard position on the Ohio State basketball team nearly the moment he stepped on campus. The 6’2, 215-pound Junior point guard had an outstanding first two seasons in the scarlet and gray.

The Fairburn, Georgia product was the only Buckeye to play and start all 35 games his freshman season during 2022-2023. He boasted averages of 10.6 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game. He led the team in minutes per game, steals, and had his season-high 22 points at TTUN.

During his sophomore season during 2023-2024, Thornton continued what he started in his freshman campaign. He again played in and started all 35 games. He led the team in a variety of categories including points, assist steals, and minutes. He averaged 15.7 points, 4.8 assists, 1.2 steals in 33.6 minutes per game.

Thornton also held the second-best assist-to-turnover ratio in the entire country with a ratio of 4.0. His ball handling and attention to his surroundings were a huge boost for the buckeyes offense. The stellar point guard kept possessions alive and made the right play time and time again.

With these numbers, he became the third Buckeye to have more than 100 assists with fewer than 50 turnovers during a season. Thornton’s career-high in points game against No. 17 Alabama when he went off for 29 points. He had a plethora of games where he had 20-plus points and saw high assists numbers more consistently.

He had two double-doubles late in the season including 20 points and 10 assists against No. 13 Illinois in the Big Ten Tournament, shortly after he had 13 points and 10 assists in a season-ending NIT loss to Georgia.

Last season, the Buckeye point guard was named the Emerald Coast Classic Most Valuable Player, Big Ten All-Tournament Team, Academic All-Big Ten, and All-Big Ten Third Team.

Thornton’s role will be just as important next year as in years past, but he is now one of the longest-tenured guys on the team. With a few transfer guards who are older as well as some incoming freshmen, Thornton will look to be a glue guy that brings the new faces together. 

He will do that by continuing to make plays, whether that is finding his teammates or taking over possessions when needed. Thornton has all the tools to be the best player on the team for another season.