Feb. 21, 2026, 3:31 p.m. ET
In case you haven’t bought into where the Ohio State basketball program is this year, not only are the Buckeyes squarely on the bubble again, but they are counting on guard Bruce Thornton to help lead them to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in four years.
So far, he’s carrying OSU on his bold shoulders, averaging 19.9 points, 3.9 assists, 5.4 rebounds, and 1.9 steals in 36.2 minutes of play so far this year. He is a four-time captain and just became the third-leading scorer of all-time in program history after the all-important win against a ranked Wisconsin team on Tuesday.
Even more exciting, if Thornton stays healthy, he’s on pace to become the all-time leading scorer in Ohio State basketball history, which is quite amazing considering all of the big names that have come through the program. But who is left to pass after he breezed beyond Jerry Lucas and William Buford?
Here’s a look at the top ten leading scorers in Ohio State basketball history, where Thornton is, and how far he has to go to be the king of scoring in Scarlet and Gray.
Ohio State basketball top ten all-time leading scorers
| Name | Years | Total Points |
| 1. Dennis Hopson | 1983-87 | 2,096 |
| 2. Herb Williams | 1977-81 | 2,011 |
| 3. Bruce Thornton | 2022-26 | 2,005* |
| 4 (tie). William Buford | 2008-12 | 1,990 |
| 5 (tie). Jerry Lucas | 1959-62 | 1,990 |
| 6. Kelvin Ramsey | 1976-89 | 1,934 |
| 7. Michael Redd | 1997-2000 | 1,879 |
| 8. Jim Jackson | 1989-92 | 1,785 |
| 9. Jay Burson | 1985-89 | 1,756 |
| 10. Deshaun Thomas | 2010-13 | 1,630 |
* Still active
Thornton will most likely pass Williams against Michigan State on Tuesday, and with him just 91 points behind Dennis Hopson, he should be ready to surpass him as the all-time leading scorer, potentially around the last regular-season game of the year vs. Indiana at home, or in the first game of the Big Ten Tournament.
Of course, anything up and beyond his average per game or below it would change the timing, and there are no guarantees. We will, of course, stay on top of where Thornton is in his quest to become the all-time leading scorer at Ohio State beginning on Sunday vs the Spartans in East Lansing.
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