Junior forward LaQuinton Ross (10) drives to the basket during a game against Nebraska Jan. 20 at Pinnacle Bank Arena. OSU lost, 68-62. Credit: Spencer Myrlie / Daily Nebraskan

Junior forward LaQuinton Ross (10) drives to the basket during a game against Nebraska Jan. 20 at Pinnacle Bank Arena. OSU lost, 68-62. Credit: Spencer Myrlie / Daily Nebraskan

The mystery continues.

The Ohio State men’s basketball team lost its fourth straight game Monday, this time falling to Nebraska, 68-62. The loss marks the first time the Buckeyes have lost four straight games since February 2008.

The song was the same early for the Buckeyes, whose shooting struggles continued as they only made eight field goals in the first half. Nebraska extended its lead to 34-20 with 2:22 left in the first half after junior forward Leslee Smith scored on a breakaway layup following a turnover by junior center Amir Williams.

OSU would find some life before halftime, though, scoring five straight points to make the score 34-25 at the break.

The Buckeyes’ run continued early in the second half, as a 9-2 run narrowed the score to 36-34, in favor of Nebraska.

A jumper by junior forward LaQuinton Ross gave OSU the lead for the final time in the game, 46-45, with 5:59 remaining, but the Buckeyes could not sustain enough offense down the stretch and fell behind by 10 points with just over a minute remaining.

Freshman forward Marc Loving nailed a 3-pointer on the Buckeyes’ next possession, but the Cornhuskers (9-8, 1-4) made 11 free throws during the game’s final 1:15 to ice the game.

It is the first time in 10 tries that the Cornhuskers defeated OSU. The Buckeyes were 6-0 against Nebraska since Thad Matta took over in 2004-05.

The Cornhuskers were led by sophomore guard Shavon Shields and redshirt-sophomore forward Terran Petteway, who scored 18 points each. Nebraska shot 50 percent from the field in the game.

OSU (15-4, 2-4) was led by senior guard Aaron Craft, who scored 12 points, grabbed seven rebounds and dished out three assists. He also had a team-high four turnovers.

Ross came into the game averaging a team-high 14.1 points per game, but was held to only 11 on 4-12 shooting.

The Buckeyes are scheduled to return home Thursday to take on Illinois (13-6, 2-4) at 7 p.m. at the Schottenstein Center. The Fighting Illini come into the game on a four-game losing streak of their own.