Eric Boggs
There was no shortage of fight inside Value City Arena on Monday night, but Ohio State’s relentless effort ultimately fell just short in a 72-69 loss to undefeated No. 10 Nebraska. The Buckeyes refused to fold despite early shooting struggles, a significant rebounding deficit, and multiple late momentum swings, yet one final three-point attempt at the horn drifted wide, leaving Ohio State with a narrow and painful defeat.
Ohio State slipped to 10-4 overall and 2-2 in Big Ten play, while Nebraska remained perfect at 15-0. The Huskers’ physical presence on the glass proved decisive, as they held a commanding 38-29 edge in offensive rebounds that created extra possessions throughout the night. Still, the Buckeyes had their chances.
John Mobley Jr. delivered a gutsy 22-point performance, continuing his emergence as one of the league’s most dangerous scorers. Bruce Thornton added 16 points and steady leadership, and Devin Royal chipped in 14 with his usual blend of power and finesse. The loss was further complicated when forward Brandon Noel exited with a foot injury and did not return, forcing Ohio State to reshuffle its rotation in the second half.
Nebraska came out scorching, ripping off a 10-1 run in the opening minutes and hitting its first three attempts from deep. But this Buckeye group has lived in adversity all season, and the response came quickly. Mobley scored six straight with a triple and a three-point play, and Amare Bynum electrified the crowd with a thunderous dunk that cut the deficit to two.
The Huskers countered with another surge, briefly stretching the margin to 14, but Ohio State again clawed back. Threes from Mobley and Christoph Tilly, along with interior finishes from Royal and Bynum, kept the Buckeyes within striking distance at halftime, trailing by seven despite missing six layups in the opening 20 minutes.
The second half became a grind. Ohio State’s defense tightened, forcing a three-minute Nebraska scoring drought, while Mobley went to work in the midrange and Thornton knocked down timely shots. When Royal finished at the rim and Thornton calmly buried free throws, the Buckeyes seized their first lead of the night at 49-48 with just over ten minutes remaining.
From there, the game turned into a heavyweight exchange. Every Nebraska basket was answered by Ohio State. Thornton drilled a three to give the Buckeyes their largest lead at 53-50, and Mobley responded to another Husker triple with one of his own from deep.
Nebraska appeared to deliver the knockout with a 9-0 run that built a 66-58 cushion late, but Ohio State refused to go away. Mobley hit a high-arching three, Royal floated one home, and Tilly stole a pass and went coast-to-coast to make it a two-point game with under a minute to play. Even after another Nebraska bucket, Thornton and Royal struck again to bring the Buckeyes within one at 70-69.
In the end, two free throws by Jamarques Lawrence and a final missed three from Tilly at the buzzer sealed the Huskers’ escape.
It was a loss, but it was also a statement of resilience. Ohio State proved it can stand toe-to-toe with the Big Ten’s elite. The Buckeyes now take that resolve on the road, opening a two-game West Coast swing Thursday night at Oregon before heading to Washington, with every opportunity to turn this heartbreak into momentum.
