COLUMBUS, Ohio (Interstat) — Nebraska remained undefeated Monday night, holding off Ohio State 72-69 in a Big Ten men’s basketball game at Value City Arena. The Cornhuskers led 38-31 at halftime and withstood a second-half push from the Buckeyes before 10,382 fans. Braden Frager led Nebraska with 15 points, while Rienk Mast added 12. Bruce Thornton paced Ohio State with 16 points and seven assists. Nebraska improved to 15-0 overall. Ohio State fell to 10-4.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (Interstat) — In a tense Big Ten clash that came down to the final possession, the unbeaten Nebraska Cornhuskers survived a second-half surge from Ohio State to escape Value City Arena with a 72-69 victory on Monday night. The win pushed Nebraska’s record to a perfect 15-0 overall and 3-0 in conference play, while Ohio State fell to 10-4 and 1-2. The game’s defining sequence unfolded in the frantic final 25 seconds. With Nebraska clinging to a 70-67 lead after a Bruce Thornton jumper, the Cornhuskers’ Braden Frager was fouled and sent to the line with 32 seconds remaining. The sophomore from Lincoln, Nebraska, calmly sank both free throws to extend the lead to five. Thornton, who led Ohio State with 16 points and seven assists, answered immediately with a driving layup to cut the deficit to 72-69 with 25 seconds left. Nebraska then successfully inbounded the ball and forced Ohio State to foul. Jamarques Lawrence was sent to the line for Nebraska with nine seconds left. He missed the first attempt but made the second, preserving a four-point cushion. Ohio State’s final chance came up empty as Christoph Tilly’s desperation three-point attempt from the top of the key missed everything, and Nebraska’s Cale Jacobsen secured the defensive rebound as time expired. The contest was a tale of two halves. Nebraska, utilizing efficient ball movement and stifling early defense, built a commanding 38-31 lead by halftime. The Cornhuskers opened the game on a 15-5 run, fueled by early three-pointers from Pryce Sandfort and Jamarques Lawrence. Ohio State struggled from the perimeter in the first half, allowing Nebraska to control the tempo. Ohio State emerged from the locker room with renewed energy, chipping away at the deficit throughout the second period. A 12-4 run midway through the half, capped by a Thornton three-pointer, gave the Buckeyes their first lead at 53-51 with 8:38 to play. The teams then traded blows in a back-and-forth final eight minutes featuring six lead changes. Nebraska’s balance proved critical down the stretch. While no Cornhusker scored more than 15 points, five reached double figures. Frager led the way with 15 points off the bench, including several crucial baskets in the paint during the second half. Rienk Mast added 12 points and a key first-half block, while Lawrence and Sandfort each contributed 11 points. Sam Hoiberg directed the offense with four assists and eight points. For Ohio State, Thornton’s playmaking kept the Buckeyes in contention, but the scoring load fell heavily on him and John Mobley. Mobley, a Reynoldsburg, Ohio, native, led all scorers with 22 points, knocking down five three-pointers. Devin Royal added 14 points and Amare Bynum provided nine points and two blocks, but the Buckeyes could not find a consistent third scoring option in the closing minutes. Defense and free throw shooting ultimately made the difference. Nebraska, despite some late misses, converted at a higher clip from the line in a game where attempts were nearly even. The Cornhuskers also forced 14 Ohio State turnovers, converting them into 18 points. The announced crowd of 10,382 saw Ohio State fall just short in its attempt to secure a signature conference win. The Buckeyes will look to rebound on the road, traveling to face Oregon on Thursday. Nebraska, one of only a handful of remaining undefeated teams in Division I, continues its challenging early Big Ten schedule with a visit to Indiana on Saturday. The Cornhuskers have now won their first three conference games by a combined 10 points, demonstrating a knack for closing out tight contests. According to National Statistical’s ELO system, Nebraska entered with a 57.4 percent probability to win, though Ohio State was installed as a narrow one-point favorite by oddsmakers. The total points scored, 141, fell well under the pregame over/under line of 154, underscoring the defensive struggle in the second half. The most important part of the game was the final 30-second sequence, where Nebraska’s composure at the free throw line and a final defensive stand against Thornton and Ohio State’s offense sealed the victory, allowing the Cornhuskers to preserve their unblemished record in a hostile road environment.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (Interstat) — An undefeated Nebraska squad puts its perfect record on the line Monday night in a pivotal Big Ten clash against Ohio State at Value City Arena. The No. 1-ranked Cornhuskers (14-0, 3-0 Big Ten), one of only two remaining unbeaten teams in Division I, arrive following a nail-biting 58-56 victory over Michigan State on Friday. Nebraska has navigated a challenging schedule, with key wins over then-Creighton, Illinois and a road victory at Kansas State. Ohio State (10-3, 2-1) aims to hand the Huskers their first loss and bolster its own conference standing. The Buckeyes are coming off an 80-73 road win at Rutgers. Their three defeats have been by a combined eight points, including a 71-70 loss to then-North Carolina and an 89-88 double-overtime thriller against West Virginia. The matchup features a compelling duel at guard. Nebraska’s Rienk Mast has been a consistent force, averaging 17.3 points over his last six games. He scored 19 points with three assists and three blocks in the win over Michigan State. Ohio State will counter with Bruce Thornton, who is averaging 21.8 points in his last five outings. Thornton poured in 34 points in a loss to Illinois and scored 20 in the win at Rutgers. Nebraska’s defense has been its cornerstone, holding opponents to an average of 60.1 points during its win streak. Ohio State’s offense averages 79.2 points per game and will test that Husker defense on its home floor. This game marks the first of a tough two-game road swing for Nebraska, which visits Indiana next. Ohio State begins a West Coast trip later in the week with games at Oregon and Washington. Monday’s contest is a critical early-season benchmark for both teams in the deep Big Ten conference. Tipoff is scheduled for 9 p.m. EST. The game will be televised on the Big Ten Network.