A Missed Opportunity: Buckeyes Fall One Possession Short Against No. 10 Nebraska

Columbus, OH - Schottenstein Center

Ohio State returned to their home floor for a Big Ten matchup with no. 10 Nebraska following a seven-point road win over Rutgers on Friday. Nebraska entered the contest as one of six undefeated teams left in college basketball, and was fresh off a two-point home win over no. 9 Michigan State. The Cornhuskers set the tone early, jumping out to a 13-5 lead at the first media timeout in part to 3/3 shooting behind the three-point line. Nebraska grew that lead as large as fourteen and led for all twenty minutes in the first half. The Buckeyes cut it down to five after an Amare Bynum three-pointer with 4:54 left in the first, but the Cornhuskers went into the locker room with a seven-point lead 38 to 31. Eight first half turnovers by Nebraska, and twelve John Mobley Jr. points kept Ohio State within striking distance.

Coach Jake Diebler's Buckeyes came out of the locker room poised to make a comeback, and slowly but surely they began cutting into the Nebraska lead. A baseline jumper by Mobley with 15:19 cut it to four and then another Mobley shot cut it to two with 14:46 left to play. They then seized their first lead of the contest, 49-48 with a pair of Bruce Thornton free throws with 10:24 left. A Thornton three with 8:38 gave Ohio State their largest lead of the game at 53-50. The lead went back and forth between the two squads, however Nebraska appeared to take control of the game when a Reink Mast jumper kick started a 9-0 run that lasted over two minutes of game time, and gave the Cornhuskers a 66-58 lead. The Buckeyes refused to go away and found themselves down three after a Thornton layup with 25.7 left on the game clock. A missed free throw in the one and one by Nebraska's Sam Hoiberg gave Ohio State the chance to even things up at 70. A Devin Royal floater cut it to one, and then back to the free throw line went Nebraska. Jamarques Lawrence knocked down a pair, growing their lead to 3 at 72-69. A missed three pointer by Christoph Tilly on the last Buckeye possession and a long rebound by Nebraska allowed the Cornhuskers to run out the clock, and escape Columbus with their fifteenth straight win to start the season, 72-69. Ohio State was led by Mobley Jr. with 22 points, while Thornton chipped in 16 and Royal 14. Nebraska had four players in double figures, led by Braden Frager with 15 points on 66.7% shooting.

Nebraska head coach Fred Hoiberg gave credit to the Buckeyes for making it a tough night, saying, “They made us uncomfortable,” and praising Jake Diebler for the job he’s done with “a really good team.” Hoiberg noted that Ohio State has been on the wrong end of several one-possession losses, acknowledging how easily those results could have flipped. Despite an impressive road environment, Hoiberg said “our guys found a way to make the winning plays there at the end,” pointing to the team’s composure as expectations continue to rise. He described his players as “pretty stoic” and “professional,” adding that nobody is getting “too high” or “too low.” Hoiberg emphasized that “great teams find a way to win these games.” He praised Bruce Thornton as a player with “a hell of a future ahead of him in the NBA,” and credited Nebraska for coming up with key defensive stops on such a potent offensive player. He closed by stressing the need to continue getting off to strong starts, especially when at home, to get their crowd into the game.

After the loss to Nebraska, Ohio State head coach Jake Diebler said he was “certainly disappointed in the result,” pointing to missed 50–50 opportunities as a deciding factor. Diebler noted that his team has typically won those battles but “not tonight,” calling it his biggest frustration. He explained his decision to hold a late timeout, saying he wanted it available “in case we got in trouble,” adding that the Buckeyes had practiced the play that resulted in their last shot to prevent their opponent from fouling, though he felt his team “got a little fatigued down the stretch" and he should've used it to get the guys some rest.

Coach Diebler Speaks to the Media after a 69-72 loss to Nebraska on Monday Night

The Ohio State bench scored zero points in 22 minutes. Diebler acknowledged the need for a greater spark off the bench, and emphasized that Ohio State must play with more “nastiness,” which he clarified as increased physicality, particularly when the team isn’t playing from behind. He also addressed his continued growth in managing timeouts, saying “really good coaches adjust to their team,” and noting the value of saving timeouts late. Despite the outcome, Diebler defended his team’s effort, stating, “This team doesn’t have a play-hard issue,” and added that his players “want it” and “want to win,” while acknowledging that brief lapses during off ball defense have led to costly positioning mistakes. Calling the game “a missed opportunity,” Diebler stressed the importance of capitalizing on chances as the season rolls on.

Nebraska remains unbeaten at 15-0, 4-0 and will play Indiana on Saturday at Noon. Ohio State falls to 10-4, 2-2 and will head out west for a two game road trip against Oregon on Thursday at 10:30 PM ET and Washington on Sunday at 6:00 PM ET.