Ohio State
10-4,2-2Big Ten
#10 Nebraska
15-0,4-0Big Ten
Buckeyes Come Up Short in 2nd Half Battle with No. 10 Nebraska
1/5/2026 10:31:00 PM | Men's Basketball
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Sophomore guard John Mobley Jr. (Reynoldsburg, Ohio) poured in 22 points and Ohio State rallied from a 14-point first-half deficit, but came up just short in a 72–69 loss to No. 10 Nebraska on Monday night at the Schottenstein Center.
The Buckeyes trailed 27–13 midway through the first half before responding with an 18–9 run to close the gap to 38–31 at the break. Mobley Jr. hit five three-pointers, including a late step-back that cut the deficit to three with under two minutes to go. He added two rebounds and two assists in 36 minutes of action.
Freshman forward Amare Bynum (Omaha, Neb.) finished with nine points and a game-high nine rebounds, while junior forward Devin Royal (Pickerington, Ohio) added 14 points and six boards, including a clutch layup that brought the Buckeyes within one in the final seconds.
Senior guard Bruce Thornton (Fairburn, Ga.) contributed 16 points, five rebounds, and seven assists, including a pair of free throws that gave the Buckeyes the lead in the second half. Senior center Christoph Tilly (Berlin, Germany) had five points, five rebounds and two assists and threw down a late dunk off a steal that brought the crowd to its feet.
Ohio State (10–4, 2-2) briefly took its first lead of the night with just over 10 minutes to play before Nebraska responded with a 10–3 run. The Buckeyes had a look to tie the game in the final seconds, but Tilly’s contested three-pointer rimmed out as time ran down.
Nebraska (16–0, 2–0), one of the nation’s last remaining unbeatens, was led by Braden Frager with 15 points, including a key three-point play in the final minute. Jamarques Lawrence added 11 points, and Berke Buyuktuncel posted eight points and seven rebounds. The Cornhuskers got 22 bench points and held off several second-half surges from the Buckeyes.
The game marked Ohio State’s continued partnership with Hoops4ALS, an initiative supporting ALS awareness and research.
Up Next
The Buckeyes head west for their West Coast swing this week. They will play at Oregon on Thursday evening at 10:30 p.m. ET and then at Washington on Sunday at 6 p.m. ET.
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