The Ohio State basketball team had a tough opponent on Monday evening when No. 10-ranked and undefeated Nebraska rolled into town. The Buckeyes would fall just short in a 72-69 loss to the Big Ten foe.
Not your typical Cornhuskers basketball program, Fred Hoiberg‘s club is off to its best start in school history. Still, Ohio State had a shot at the end. In what has become all too common for Jake Diebler‘s team, the Bucks got down early, trailing by as many as 14 points in the first half. The team would fight back, even taking the lead for a few brief moments late in the second half, but couldn’t get over the hump.
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With 14 seconds left to play, OSU cut the deficit to one point. Nebraska’s Jamarques Lawrence then made two free throws, extending the lead to three points. With nine ticks left on the clock, the inbound went to John Mobley Jr. Expecting a foul on the floor to prevent a game-tying three from going up, Mobley got the ball up the floor quickly to Christoph Tilly. It was a good play considering the Buckeyes got the shot off for a chance to tie. However, Tilly is only shooting 13 percent from beyond the arc this year. The shot missed badly, allowing the Huskers to secure the rebound and play keep away for the final four seconds to close out the game.
Ohio State is now 10-4 on the season, with the same story being told on repeat. The Buckeyes get down early, make a comeback, and lose a close game. In the four losses, Ohio State has lost by one to both Pitt and North Carolina, a three-point loss to Nebraska, and an eight-point loss to Illinois (down three with 1:18 left in the game). When playing good teams, the Bucks have a hard time finishing games.
OSU was led in scoring by Mobely with 22 and Bruce Thornton with 16. The Buckeyes will be back in action on Thursday, June 8, when they head to the Pacific Northwest to take on the Oregon Ducks.
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This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: Ohio State basketball takes No. 10 Nebraka to the wire but falls short
