On Monday, the Ohio State basketball team will welcome the undefeated Nebraska Cornhuskers to Columbus. The Buckeyes are coming off a much-needed win on Friday at Rutgers. The game did not start off well for Jake Diebler's squad, as they trailed by as many as 15 points in the first half. After a back-and-forth second half, the Bucks were able to pull away late and secure the victory.
Nebraska is coming off arguably its biggest win of the season on Friday, taking down Tom Izzo and ninth-ranked Michigan State in a dramatic finish. Up 58-56 in the final moments, the Huskers committed a costly foul with under a second left, giving the Spartans a chance to tie. Luckily for Nebraska, both free throws were missed, allowing them to escape with the win.
The Cornhuskers are off to their best start in program history, coming into Monday's matchup at 14-0. For a team that has never won an NCAA Tournament game, the hot start is surprising to many. However, head coach Fred Hoiberg has this team playing at one of the highest levels of any team in the country.
They pride themselves on physicality and defense, entering the game, only allowing 65.5 points per game to opponents. On the offensive side of the ball, Nebraska is led by veteran forwards Rienk Mast and Pryce Sandfort, both averaging 16 points per game.
The Buckeyes are looking to make their first tournament appearance since 2022, and their first under head coach Jake Diebler. They come into this game at 10-3 and are 1-2 in quad one games. A win against an undefeated Nebraska would do wonders for their tournament chances, as they currently one of the last four teams in the field in Joe Lunardi's latest Bracketology.
Ohio State senior guard Bruce Thornton has been one of the best players in the entire country through the first half of the season. Thornton comes into this game averaging nearly 21 points per game while shooting 58% from the field and 45% from three. Forward Devin Royal, Guard John Mobley Jr., and center Christoph Tilly have also been solid contributors, each averaging over 13 points per game.
The Buckeyes have struggled in Big Ten play over the last few seasons, especially in the month of January. A win against an undefeated Nebraska team would set the tone for the rest of conference play and greatly improve their tournament chances. If OSU were to lose this game, it would have a lot of work in front of it for the remainder of the season.