Ohio State junior guard Bruce Thornton (2) dribbles the ball out of traffic during the game against Nebraska Tuesday. The Buckeyes defeated the Cornhuskers 116-114 in double overtime Tuesday at the Schottenstein Center. Credit: Michael Misel | Lantern Photographer
There are few guarantees in life. But Ohio State playing in a gut-wrenching game appears to be one of them.
Again, the Buckeyes couldn’t escape their season-long trend of heart-pounding finishes after blowing an eight-point lead with two minutes left.
Ohio State was on the verge of another collapse.
But the Buckeyes held on to force overtime. They trailed for all but 10 seconds and managed to force an extra five minutes.
And finally — after nearly five minutes of back-and-forth chaos — Ohio State guard John Mobley put the game away.
In a game that featured 230 points and 51 fouls, the Buckeyes outlasted Nebraska 116-114 Tuesday night at the Schottenstein Center, keeping their NCAA Tournament hopes alive heading into the regular season finale.
Guard Micah Parrish, who’s played over 120 career games, said this was the craziest game he’s ever played in.
“It’s probably number one,” Parrish said. “Longest game I’ve ever played, double overtime, and probably the highest-scoring.”
It also marked the Buckeyes’ 10th game decided by five points or fewer, a statistic that brings mixed emotions to head coach Jake Diebler.
“As exhausting and stressful as these one-possession games are, it’s a lot of fun too,” Diebler said.
Like against USC, Ohio State came out swinging, playing like a desperate team that knew it needed to keep its season alive.
A 9-2 run ignited a 19-8 lead — the largest of the game for Ohio State — as guard Bruce Thornton, who finished the night with 29 points, opened 3-of-3 from the field. Forward Aaron Bradshaw also provided a quick spark off the bench.
But Nebraska guard Brice Williams and forward Juwan Gary responded, cutting the deficit to two behind a 9-1 surge. Williams, in particular, torched the Buckeyes and exploded for a school-record 43 points.
Ohio State stretched its lead back to eight, but Nebraska clawed within three in the final seconds of the half. As time expired before the break, Mobley drilled a logo 3-pointer to give the Buckeyes a 45-39 lead while he sent a jolt through the Schottenstein Center.
Both teams shot 16-of-28 in the first half, but Ohio State’s six threes to Nebraska’s two was the difference.
Gary and Williams kept the Cornhuskers rolling out of the break, scoring Nebraska’s first 14 points to tie it at 51.
Ohio State answered with a 12-2 run, but Nebraska didn’t go away. The Buckeyes stormed back with a 7-0 1=burst to make it a four-point game with 8:11 left.
But Ohio State held at least a five-point lead for the next six minutes, having a response for every Cornhusker push. However, as it’s been all season for the Buckeyes, the closing minutes of the game were anything but smooth.
As Nebraska forward Andrew Morgan finished an and-1 to tie the game at 88 with 42 seconds to go — which ultimately sent the game into overtime — a familiar sinking feeling crept into the late-night home crowd.
And the Buckeyes trailed for most of overtime and that sinking feeling deepened.
But the Buckeyes fought their way back in the closing minutes. Refusing to fold, Ohio State closed the first overtime on a 7-2 run to force double overtime.
“That segment was a great representation of what this program is about,” Diebler said. “I don’t want us to flinch. I don’t want us to play safe, and this group has bought into that.”
Finally, in the second overtime, the Buckeyes delivered the knockout punch. A 12-3 run—capped by two clutch Mobley free throws—secured the program’s first-ever win against a team scoring 100+ points.
Yet, despite the offensive fireworks, Diebler knows his team can’t afford to keep living on the edge, especially when allowing 114 points.
“There are some things we need to address defensively,” he said. “We’ll keep watching, learning, and growing.”
Ohio State (17-13, 9-10 Big Ten) heads to Indiana (18-12, 9-10 Big Ten) for a pivotal Saturday matchup with major Big Ten and NCAA Tournament implications.
The winner of the match will automatically advance to the second round of the Big Ten tournament, while the loser must play Wednesday.
The Buckeyes, who have struggled at Assembly Hall as of late, know what this game means.
“It’s a really tough environment,” Diebler said. “But we’ve shown we can handle it. I just want our guys to live in the moment and prepare well.”
The game tip-offs Saturday at 3:45 p.m. on CBS.
