Ohio State ties longest losing streak of Chris Holtmann era with 63-60 loss to Nebraska | Elf Warriors – Elf Warriors

The hole is getting deeper and deeper for the Buckeyes.

Ohio State’s losing streak has now extended to five straight games after Nebraska, the penultimate team in the Big Ten, on Wednesday saw the penultimate-place team lose 63-60 on the night. The loss comes just six days after the Buckeyes fell to bottom in Minnesota at home, and Ohio State has now tied its longest carriage in the Chris Holtmann era.

Points were hard to come by in a first half where both teams shot 30% or less. After playing from behind most of the time, the Buckeyes put on a quick sprint in the final minutes of the half to take the lead before the break.

It didn’t last, however, as frequent turnovers at Ohio State and Nebraska’s distinct inside scoring advantage helped the Huskers take control late in the second half. The Buckeyes were down just two points with 10 seconds left and still had a chance to send the game into overtime with one last shot.

With Brice already fouling Sensabaugh, Sean McNeil’s attempt to tie the game smashed past the buzzer.

First half

The offensive struggles that have plagued the Buckeyes in the past few games followed them into this one. Ohio State hit just one of its first 11 shots from the floor, though the Huskers at the other end caught just two of their first 10 shots.

But Nebraska had the edge early, leading from 18:06 to 1:47 as the Buckeyes kept fighting. Sensabaugh and Justice Sueing missed their first 11 shots from the floor together while the Huskers managed to be a little more efficient on offense.

Despite Ohio State’s offensive ineptitude, Nebraska’s own struggles left the door open for the Buckeyes to take a one-point lead at halftime after a 7-0 run with less than two minutes left. The Buckeyes held that 22-21 advantage when the buzzer sounded and went into the dressing room with a lead despite being behind for 16:20 of the third.

Ohio State shot just 26.7% from the field and 14.3% from the 3-point line, but seven turnovers in Nebraska and a 3:12 scoring drought late in the half helped the Buckeyes regain the lead . The Huskers hit just 30% of their shots in the first half and missed three of their four free throw attempts.

Second half

Ohio State scored 10 of the first 16 points of the second half to give itself some breathing room with a five-point lead at the 16-10 mark. But the Huskers responded with consecutive 3-pointers in the following 58 seconds to reclaim the lead in the under-16-minute media time-out.

Zed Key scored five straight points from 14:22 to 12:45 to lead Ohio State from three to two, and the Buckeyes had another chance to take the lead with two possession after Husker head coach Fred Hoiberg for one technical foul was called. But McNeil, who hadn’t missed a free throw all season, missed both attempts.

Both teams traded buckets and leads afterwards as both sides heated up significantly from their first-half pace on offense. Sensabaugh scored seven straight points in two minutes for Ohio State to give the Buckeyes a two-point lead by 8:55, but Nebraska had an answer as they fired back with an 8-0 run to one 55:49 lead to take . Three turnovers in Ohio State in under four minutes contributed to the Husker sprint.

At the 3:41 mark, Ohio State had not fired a shot in well over five minutes of play, while Nebraska maintained their lead with two possessions.

The Buckeyes cut it down to a three-point game playing at 2:20, and Ohio State was within two points of the Huskers at 1:48 on the clock. Ohio State still had a chance in the final 40 seconds when Sensabaugh smashed down a 3-point deficit to go from a three-point deficit late on.

Ohio State had one last chance to tie the game in the waning moments, but McNeil’s 3-pointer was wide.

game notes

• After coming on as a substitute on Sunday, both Brice Sensabaugh and Zed Key returned to the starting XI against Nebraska. Bruce Thornton, Sean McNeil and Justice Sueing were the other three starters for the Buckeyes.

• Ohio State scrapped its only meeting with the Cornhuskers last season, a 78-70 loss at the Schottenstein Center that left the Buckeyes 23rd in the AP poll.

• Prior to last year’s loss, Ohio State had won six straight games against Nebraska and 10 of the previous 11 encounters.

• Fred Hoiberg has lost four of his first five matchups against Ohio State since becoming Nebraska head coach in 2019-20.

• Nebraska forward Juwan Gary (shoulder) was a mismatch for the Huskers.