2011-12 CBSSports.com Preseason Top 100 Players - No. 73
2010-11 Big Ten Freshman of the Week (Nov. 29)
2011-12 HIGHLIGHTS
Started all 39 games and averaged 15.9 points, 5.4 rebounds per game
Led squad in NCAA tourney action with a tournament-wide high 19.2 points per game and 7.6 rebounds over the five games
Reached double-digits in scoring in 46 career games, including 35 this season (the most of any Buckeye) and all eight postseason contests ... Scored 20+ points 12 times (nine this season)
Produced double-doubles in three games this season, the last vs. Loyola Maryland (3/15/12) in the second round of the NCAA Tournament
Shot 52 percent from the field after producing at just a 48 percent clip as a freshman ... Shooting percentage was first among starting players
One of four players to start every game this season
Notable Games in 2011-12
Commanded the Buckeyes' first four rounds of postseason play with 19 points and 7.5 rebounds per game in the regional semfinal and final, earning a spot on the All-East Region Team ... Led all tournament players with 21.8 points per game heading into Final Four
Finished Cincinnati game (3/22/12) with 24 points, including 20 of Ohio State's first-half 37 (on 8-12 shooting, 3-5 from behind the arc) ... Added 14 points and nine rebounds, one off a fourth career double-double, vs. Syracuse (3/24/12)
Dominated first two games of the NCAA Tournament in Pittsburgh, Pa., with 24.5 points and 9.5 rebounds per game ... Also tallied career-high two blocks in each game
Posted 31 points and 12 rebounds for third career double-double against Loyola Maryland (3/15/12) ... Followed performance up with game-high tying 18-point outing vs. Gonzaga (3/17/12)
Produced 18.3 points per game during the Big Ten Tournament, bolstered by 22-point performances vs. both Purdue (3/9/12) and Michigan (3/10/12) ... Also averaged 6.3 rebounds, up from 5.0 on the season
Tallied nine of 12 points at Michigan State (3/4/12) in the second half, while adding two assists and a steal
Had 12 first-half points at Northwestern (2/29/12) and ended night with 19 and 10 boards for second double-double
Scored 11 of team's first 13 points on 5-5 shooting vs. Wisconsin (2/26/12), ending night with game-high 23 points
Earned first career double-double at Michigan (2/18/12) with 25 points and career-high 13 boards
Scored 16 points - eight in each half - at Wisconsin (2/4/12) and tallied six rebounds
Grabbed career-high six defensive boards at Nebraska (1/21/12) to go with 14 points
Led team in scoring at Illinois (1/10/12), netting 23 and adding season-high tying six rebounds
Had career-high tying three assists in win at Iowa (1/7/12), while adding 10 points
Shot 78 percent (7-9) vs. Nebraska (1/3/12), marking his third 75+ outing ... Ended with 15 points, four rebounds
Exploded for career-high 30 points at South Carolina (12/17/11), shooting 13-16 from the field with 11 made 2-pointers, while adding career-high tying three assists
Finished one off then-career high vs. USC Upstate, tallying 23 points and adding a personal-best three assists
Scored in double-digits for eighth-consecutive game at Kansas (12/10/11), ending night with 19, including 15 in first half alone
Hit seven-consecutive FGs vs. Duke (11/29/11) and tallied the last nine points of the first half, ending night with 18
Tallied season-high 16 points, while adding six boards against North Florida (11/21/11)
Had 15 points vs. Florida (11/15/11), including six from free-throw line ... was 6-6 from charity stripe.
One of seven returning letterwinners from 2010-11 team
AS A FRESHMAN (2010-11)
Saw action in all 37 games, averaging 7.5 points and 3.5rebounds per game
Scored in double-digits in 11 games and had three 20-plus point performances
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Notable Games in 2010-11
Scored 13 points with eight boards and a career-high three assists against UTSA (3/18/11)
Tallied game-high 22 points vs. Indiana (2/27/11), including 14-consecutive points in a 3:36 span of the first half
Had five points, six rebounds and a steal in win at Minnesota (2/6/11)
Tallied 13 points and six boards in win over Purdue (1/25/11)
Scored eight points at Illinois (1/22/11), including six on a pair of late-game 3-pointers
Posted nine points, a Big Ten career high, against Iowa (1/19/11)
Contributed eight points in 13 minutes in win at Indiana (12/31/10)
Narrowly missed first career double-double with 20 points and nine boards in win over Tennessee-Martin (12/27/10)
Led the Buckeyes with 17 points vs. Oakland (12/23/10), adding six rebounds
Scored 13 points and tied his career-high with eight boards vs. UNC Asheville (12/21/10)
Named Big Ten Freshman of the Week (11/29/10) after averaging 15.5 points and 6 rpg against Morehead State and Miami (Ohio)
Posted 15 points vs. Miami (11/26/10), adding five defensive boards and two assists
Accounted for all 16 of Buckeye bench points vs. Morehead State (11/23/10), while adding seven rebounds
Led all scorers with 17 points vs. UNCW (11/20/10), hitting 6-of-13 FGs and picking up seven assists
Was the first freshman to score for Ohio State in 2010-11, and paced all Buckeyes with 24 points in opener vs. the Aggies. He also had eight rebounds
One of six freshmen to see first minutes in a Buckeye uniform vs. North Carolina A&T (11/12/10); all six tallied at least two points
PRIOR TO OHIO STATE
Rated the No. 1 small forward in the country by recruiting publications and considered one of top shooting guard prospects and a consensus Top 20 recruit
Scored 3,018 career points, No. 3 on the Indiana all-time career scoring list behind Marion Pierce (3,019-1961) and Damon Bailey (3,134-1990), and won Indiana State 2A titles in 2008 (23-4) and 2009 (24-3) with Bishop Luers. His 34 points and 15 rebounds in the 2009 championship game stand as the second most points and rebounds in a title game in Indiana Class 2A history
Won state single-season scoring title as both a junior (817/30.3 ppg.) and a senior (764/31.8 ppg.) and as a senior connected on 264-528 field goals (50.0 FG pct.), 59-184 from 3-point range (32.0 pct.) and 177-215 (82.0 pct.) at the foul line He had 14 games with 30 or more points and tallied 72 assists, 65 blocks, 367 rebounds (15.3 rpg.), with career-high marks coming against vs. Fort Wayne Harding Jan. 22, 2010 (24 rebounds) and Muncie Southside, Jan. 2, 2010(52 points)
Scored 11 points with seven rebounds in 2010 McDonald's All-America Game played at Value City Arena in Columbus March 31, 2010
Named Indiana Mr. Basketball in 2010, joining former Buckeye Greg Oden (2007) as Buckeyes to earn the honor. Thomas was All-State and All-SAC each of his four years at Bishop Luers while being named to the Parade All-American team the last two seasons
Son of Leroy Thomas and Delores Jackson ... three siblings-Antonio, Missy and Alexandria ... played for James Blackmon at Bishop Luers ... would like to pursue a career in the NBA and own a business after Ohio State career
