NEB

OHIOST

No. 10 Nebraska holds off Ohio State's late rally to remain unbeaten with 72-69 win

AP
Jan 05, 2026

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) Braden Frager scored 15 points off the bench and No. 10 Nebraska Cornhuskers held off a late rally by Ohio State Buckeyes to win 72-69 on Monday night.

Rienk Mast added 12 points while Jamarques Lawrence and Pryce Sandfort each had 11 as the Cornhuskers (15-0, 4-0 Big Ten) extended the best start in school history.

John Mobley Jr. led Ohio State (10-4, 2-2) with 22 points. Bruce Thornton scored 16 and Devin Royal added 14.

Playing as a top-10 team for the first time since 1966, Nebraska led by 14 in the first half. The Cornhuskers were up 38-31 at halftime, but Ohio State went in front for the first time on a pair of free throws by Thornton with 10:24 to go.

That was the first of eight lead changes.

The last came on a basket by Mast with 4:39 left. He was fouled on a drive and sank the free throw to make it 60-58. That started a 9-0 run by Nebraska, but Ohio State got back within one on Royal’s layup with 14 seconds to play.

Lawrence hit two free throws to push Nebraska’s lead back to three, and Christoph Tilly missed a 3-point attempt for the Buckeyes in the closing seconds.

Nebraska won despite shooting 28% from 3-point range (8 for 29).

The Huskers were 14 for 17 from the free-throw line and had a 38-29 advantage on the boards. They also outscored Ohio State 22-0 in bench points.

Amare Bynum had nine points and nine rebounds for Ohio State, which was trying for its first win over a top-10 opponent since beating No. 4 Kentucky on Dec. 21, 2024.

Ohio State plays at Oregon on Thursday.

Nebraska plays at Indiana on Saturday.

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1st Half
NEB
Cornhuskers
38
OSU
Buckeyes
31

Time		Play	Score
20:00		Rienk Mast vs. Christoph Tilly (Amare Bynum gains possession)
19:39		John Mobley Jr. misses three point jump shot
19:37		Jamarques Lawrence defensive rebound
19:18	+2	Rienk Mast makes two point jump shot	2-0
19:02		Sam Hoiberg shooting foul (Christoph Tilly draws the foul)
19:02		Christoph Tilly misses regular free throw 1 of 2
19:02	+1	Christoph Tilly makes regular free throw 2 of 2	2-1
18:50		Amare Bynum shooting foul (Jamarques Lawrence draws the foul)
18:50	+1	Jamarques Lawrence makes regular free throw 1 of 2	3-1
18:50	+1	Jamarques Lawrence makes regular free throw 2 of 2	4-1
18:36		Bruce Thornton misses three point jump shot
18:34		Rienk Mast defensive rebound
18:22	+3	Pryce Sandfort makes three point jump shot	7-1
18:10		Rienk Mast blocks Amare Bynum's two point layup
18:08		Rienk Mast defensive rebound
18:01	+3	Jamarques Lawrence makes three point jump shot (Sam Hoiberg assists)	10-1
17:37	+2	Devin Royal makes two point jump shot	10-3
17:15		Jamarques Lawrence misses two point jump shot
17:13		Sam Hoiberg offensive rebound
17:03		Rienk Mast misses two point jump shot
17:01		Devin Royal defensive rebound
16:55		Amare Bynum misses two point layup
16:53		Amare Bynum offensive rebound
16:53	+2	Amare Bynum makes two point layup	10-5
16:26	+3	Sam Hoiberg makes three point jump shot (Rienk Mast assists)	13-5
16:08		John Mobley Jr. misses two point jump shot
16:06		Berke BÃ¼yÃ¼ktuncel defensive rebound
16:00		Berke BÃ¼yÃ¼ktuncel turnover (bad pass)
16:00		TV timeout
15:41		Christoph Tilly turnover (lost ball) (Pryce Sandfort steals)
15:22		Pryce Sandfort misses three point jump shot
15:20		Amare Bynum defensive rebound
15:20		Jamarques Lawrence personal foul
15:00		John Mobley Jr. misses three point jump shot
14:58		Sam Hoiberg defensive rebound
14:46		Pryce Sandfort turnover (lost ball)
14:40	+3	John Mobley Jr. makes three point jump shot (Bruce Thornton assists)	13-8
14:10		Pryce Sandfort misses three point jump shot
14:08		Amare Bynum defensive rebound
13:51		John Mobley Jr. misses three point jump shot
13:49		Sam Hoiberg defensive rebound
13:36		Berke BÃ¼yÃ¼ktuncel turnover (bad pass) (Devin Royal steals)
13:25		Bruce Thornton misses two point layup
13:23		Berke BÃ¼yÃ¼ktuncel defensive rebound
13:16		Sam Hoiberg misses two point layup
13:14		Berke BÃ¼yÃ¼ktuncel offensive rebound
13:07	+2	Berke BÃ¼yÃ¼ktuncel makes two point layup	15-8
12:37	+2	John Mobley Jr. makes two point jump shot	15-10
12:37		Rienk Mast shooting foul (John Mobley Jr. draws the foul)
12:37	+1	John Mobley Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 1	15-11
12:15		Sam Hoiberg turnover (lost ball) (Gabe Cupps steals)
12:07	+2	Amare Bynum makes two point dunk (Devin Royal assists)	15-13
11:40	+2	Braden Frager makes two point layup	17-13
11:26		John Mobley Jr. misses three point jump shot
11:24		Braden Frager defensive rebound
11:13	+2	Berke BÃ¼yÃ¼ktuncel makes two point dunk	19-13
10:49		Brandon Noel misses two point layup
10:47		Cale Jacobsen defensive rebound
10:34	+2	Braden Frager makes two point layup	21-13
10:06		Brandon Noel offensive foul
10:06		Brandon Noel turnover (offensive foul)
10:06		TV timeout
9:53	+3	Jared Garcia makes three point jump shot (Braden Frager assists)	24-13
9:22		Gabe Cupps turnover (bad pass) (Sam Hoiberg steals)
8:56		Cale Jacobsen misses three point jump shot
8:54		Brandon Noel defensive rebound
8:40		Brandon Noel misses two point layup
8:38		Sam Hoiberg defensive rebound
8:31	+2	Cale Jacobsen makes two point layup (Sam Hoiberg assists)	26-13
8:31		Brandon Noel shooting foul (Cale Jacobsen draws the foul)
8:31	+1	Cale Jacobsen makes regular free throw 1 of 1	27-13
8:19	+2	Bruce Thornton makes two point layup	27-15
7:54		Amare Bynum blocks Cale Jacobsen's two point layup
7:54		Devin Royal defensive rebound
7:40	+2	Christoph Tilly makes two point layup (Amare Bynum assists)	27-17
7:37		TV timeout
7:15	+2	Rienk Mast makes two point jump shot (Braden Frager assists)	29-17
6:54	+3	John Mobley Jr. makes three point jump shot (Bruce Thornton assists)	29-20
6:34		Jamarques Lawrence turnover (lost ball)
6:20	+3	Christoph Tilly makes three point jump shot (Bruce Thornton assists)	29-23
6:07	+2	Braden Frager makes two point layup	31-23
5:56		Amare Bynum misses two point layup
5:54		Rienk Mast defensive rebound
5:45		John Mobley Jr. shooting foul (Jamarques Lawrence draws the foul)
5:45	+1	Jamarques Lawrence makes regular free throw 1 of 2	32-23
5:45	+1	Jamarques Lawrence makes regular free throw 2 of 2	33-23
5:34	+2	Devin Royal makes two point dunk (Christoph Tilly assists)	33-25
5:18		Rienk Mast misses three point jump shot
5:16		Bruce Thornton defensive rebound
5:06		Devin Royal misses three point jump shot
5:04		Jamarques Lawrence defensive rebound
5:02		Jamarques Lawrence turnover (traveling)
4:55	+3	Amare Bynum makes three point jump shot (Christoph Tilly assists)	33-28
4:40		Pryce Sandfort misses three point jump shot
4:38		Amare Bynum defensive rebound
4:26		Braden Frager shooting foul (Christoph Tilly draws the foul)
4:26		Christoph Tilly misses regular free throw 1 of 2
4:26		Christoph Tilly misses regular free throw 2 of 2
4:26		Sam Hoiberg defensive rebound
4:04	+3	Sam Hoiberg makes three point jump shot (Pryce Sandfort assists)	36-28
3:37		Christoph Tilly misses two point jump shot
3:35		Berke BÃ¼yÃ¼ktuncel defensive rebound
3:17		Rienk Mast turnover (bad pass)
3:12		Devin Royal turnover (bad pass)
3:12		TV timeout
2:52		Pryce Sandfort misses three point jump shot
2:50		Pryce Sandfort offensive rebound
2:42		Rienk Mast misses three point jump shot
2:40		Devin Royal defensive rebound
2:23		Bruce Thornton misses two point jump shot
2:21		Pryce Sandfort defensive rebound
2:15		Jamarques Lawrence misses three point jump shot
2:13		Bruce Thornton defensive rebound
2:06		Jamarques Lawrence personal foul
2:02	+3	John Mobley Jr. makes three point jump shot (Devin Royal assists)	36-31
1:48	+2	Berke BÃ¼yÃ¼ktuncel makes two point layup (Sam Hoiberg assists)	38-31
1:29		Christoph Tilly misses two point layup
1:27		Buckeyes offensive rebound
1:24		John Mobley Jr. misses three point jump shot
1:22		Cornhuskers defensive rebound
1:11		Braden Frager misses three point jump shot
1:09		John Mobley Jr. defensive rebound
1:00		Braden Frager personal foul
0:56		Bruce Thornton misses three point jump shot
0:54		Cornhuskers defensive rebound
0:37		Rienk Mast misses three point jump shot
0:35		Berke BÃ¼yÃ¼ktuncel offensive rebound
0:25		Rienk Mast turnover (lost ball)
0:25		Buckeyes 30 second timeout
0:02		Devin Royal misses three point jump shot
0:00		Christoph Tilly offensive rebound
0:00		End of period

2nd Half
NEB
Cornhuskers
34
OSU
Buckeyes
38

Time		Play	Score
19:49	+3	Pryce Sandfort makes three point jump shot (Berke BÃ¼yÃ¼ktuncel assists)	41-31
19:28	+3	Bruce Thornton makes three point jump shot (John Mobley Jr. assists)	41-34
19:06		Pryce Sandfort misses two point jump shot
19:04		Amare Bynum defensive rebound
18:56		Berke BÃ¼yÃ¼ktuncel shooting foul (Devin Royal draws the foul)
18:56	+1	Devin Royal makes regular free throw 1 of 2	41-35
18:56		Devin Royal misses regular free throw 2 of 2
18:56		Berke BÃ¼yÃ¼ktuncel defensive rebound
18:29		Jamarques Lawrence misses three point jump shot
18:27		Christoph Tilly defensive rebound
18:13		Bruce Thornton misses three point jump shot
18:11		Cornhuskers defensive rebound
17:48		Jamarques Lawrence misses three point jump shot
17:46		Amare Bynum defensive rebound
17:33		Amare Bynum misses three point jump shot
17:31		Sam Hoiberg defensive rebound
17:22	+2	Berke BÃ¼yÃ¼ktuncel makes two point layup (Rienk Mast assists)	43-35
16:53		Bruce Thornton misses three point jump shot
16:51		Sam Hoiberg defensive rebound
16:42		Christoph Tilly personal foul
16:34		Rienk Mast misses two point layup
16:32		Amare Bynum defensive rebound
16:22		Sam Hoiberg shooting foul (Devin Royal draws the foul)
16:22	+1	Devin Royal makes regular free throw 1 of 2	43-36
16:22	+1	Devin Royal makes regular free throw 2 of 2	43-37
15:59		Rienk Mast misses three point jump shot
15:57		Devin Royal defensive rebound
15:48		Christoph Tilly misses two point jump shot
15:46		Berke BÃ¼yÃ¼ktuncel defensive rebound
15:31		Pryce Sandfort misses two point layup
15:29		Brandon Noel defensive rebound
15:18	+2	John Mobley Jr. makes two point jump shot	43-39
15:01		Cornhuskers turnover (back court violation)
15:01		TV timeout
14:46	+2	John Mobley Jr. makes two point jump shot	43-41
14:16	+2	Jamarques Lawrence makes two point layup (Pryce Sandfort assists)	45-41
13:46		Brandon Noel turnover (bad pass) (Sam Hoiberg steals)
13:40	+2	Sam Hoiberg makes two point layup	47-41
13:20		John Mobley Jr. misses three point jump shot
13:18		Jamarques Lawrence defensive rebound
13:08		Amare Bynum blocks Sam Hoiberg's two point layup
13:06		Sam Hoiberg offensive rebound
13:01		Pryce Sandfort misses three point jump shot
12:59		Amare Bynum defensive rebound
12:45		Devin Royal misses two point jump shot
12:43		Jamarques Lawrence defensive rebound
12:34		Pryce Sandfort misses three point jump shot
12:32		Bruce Thornton defensive rebound
12:26	+2	Bruce Thornton makes two point layup	47-43
12:24		Buckeyes 30 second timeout
12:24		TV timeout
11:55		Jared Garcia misses three point jump shot
11:53		Gabe Cupps defensive rebound
11:42	+2	Amare Bynum makes two point alley-oop layup (Bruce Thornton assists)	47-45
11:31		Amare Bynum shooting foul (Jared Garcia draws the foul)
11:31		TV timeout
11:31	+1	Jared Garcia makes regular free throw 1 of 2	48-45
11:31		Jared Garcia misses regular free throw 2 of 2
11:31		Braden Frager offensive rebound
11:09		Braden Frager misses two point jump shot
11:07		Cornhuskers offensive rebound
11:07		Cornhuskers turnover (shot clock violation)
10:55	+2	Devin Royal makes two point layup	48-47
10:36		Braden Frager misses three point jump shot
10:34		John Mobley Jr. defensive rebound
10:24		Berke BÃ¼yÃ¼ktuncel shooting foul (Bruce Thornton draws the foul)
10:24	+1	Bruce Thornton makes regular free throw 1 of 2	48-48
10:24	+1	Bruce Thornton makes regular free throw 2 of 2	48-49
10:07	+2	Rienk Mast makes two point jump shot	50-49
9:46		John Mobley Jr. misses three point jump shot
9:44		Christoph Tilly offensive rebound
9:37		Jump ball. (Buckeyes gains possession)
9:36		Christoph Tilly turnover (traveling)
9:23		Rienk Mast misses two point jump shot
9:21		Bruce Thornton defensive rebound
9:14		Pryce Sandfort shooting foul (Devin Royal draws the foul)
9:14	+1	Devin Royal makes regular free throw 1 of 2	50-50
9:14		Devin Royal misses regular free throw 2 of 2
9:14		Braden Frager defensive rebound
8:59		Sam Hoiberg misses three point jump shot
8:57		Devin Royal defensive rebound
8:38	+3	Bruce Thornton makes three point jump shot	50-53
8:09		Rienk Mast turnover (bad pass) (Bruce Thornton steals)
8:00		Amare Bynum misses two point layup
7:58		Rienk Mast defensive rebound
7:52	+2	Braden Frager makes two point layup (Cale Jacobsen assists)	52-53
7:25		Bruce Thornton turnover (lost ball) (Cale Jacobsen steals)
7:24		Cornhuskers 30 second timeout
7:25		TV timeout
6:57		Cale Jacobsen misses three point jump shot
6:55		Devin Royal defensive rebound
6:31		Christoph Tilly misses three point jump shot
6:29		Braden Frager defensive rebound
6:07	+3	Rienk Mast makes three point jump shot	55-53
5:44	+3	John Mobley Jr. makes three point jump shot (Bruce Thornton assists)	55-56
5:25		Bruce Thornton shooting foul (Pryce Sandfort draws the foul)
5:25	+1	Pryce Sandfort makes regular free throw 1 of 2	56-56
5:25	+1	Pryce Sandfort makes regular free throw 2 of 2	57-56
5:04	+2	Bruce Thornton makes two point jump shot	57-58
4:39	+2	Rienk Mast makes two point jump shot	59-58
4:39		Devin Royal shooting foul (Rienk Mast draws the foul)
4:39	+1	Rienk Mast makes regular free throw 1 of 1	60-58
4:13		John Mobley Jr. misses three point jump shot
4:11		Pryce Sandfort defensive rebound
3:46		Rienk Mast misses three point jump shot
3:44		Amare Bynum defensive rebound
3:33		John Mobley Jr. turnover (bad pass) (Pryce Sandfort steals)
3:15		Rienk Mast misses two point layup
3:13		Sam Hoiberg offensive rebound
3:08	+3	Pryce Sandfort makes three point jump shot (Sam Hoiberg assists)	63-58
2:38		Christoph Tilly misses two point jump shot
2:36		Braden Frager defensive rebound
2:18	+2	Braden Frager makes two point jump shot	65-58
2:18		Christoph Tilly shooting foul (Braden Frager draws the foul)
2:18		TV timeout
2:18	+1	Braden Frager makes regular free throw 1 of 1	66-58
1:57	+3	John Mobley Jr. makes three point jump shot (Bruce Thornton assists)	66-61
1:36		Sam Hoiberg misses three point jump shot
1:34		Braden Frager offensive rebound
1:32		Christoph Tilly personal foul
1:32		John Mobley Jr. shooting foul (Braden Frager draws the foul)
1:32		Braden Frager misses regular free throw 1 of 2
1:32	+1	Braden Frager makes regular free throw 2 of 2	67-61
1:21	+2	Devin Royal makes two point jump shot	67-63
1:06		Braden Frager turnover (bad pass) (Christoph Tilly steals)
1:00	+2	Christoph Tilly makes two point dunk	67-65
0:56		Cornhuskers 30 second timeout
0:32	+2	Braden Frager makes two point layup	69-65
0:32		Christoph Tilly shooting foul (Braden Frager draws the foul)
0:32	+1	Braden Frager makes regular free throw 1 of 1	70-65
0:25	+2	Bruce Thornton makes two point layup	70-67
0:25		Buckeyes 30 second timeout
0:23		Amare Bynum personal foul (Sam Hoiberg draws the foul)
0:23		Sam Hoiberg misses regular free throw 1 of 1
0:23		Bruce Thornton defensive rebound
0:21		Jamarques Lawrence personal foul
0:18		Jamarques Lawrence personal foul
0:15	+2	Devin Royal makes two point jump shot (Bruce Thornton assists)	70-69
0:09		Bruce Thornton personal foul (Jamarques Lawrence draws the foul)
0:09	+1	Jamarques Lawrence makes regular free throw 1 of 2	71-69
0:09	+1	Jamarques Lawrence makes regular free throw 2 of 2	72-69
0:04		Christoph Tilly misses three point jump shot
0:02		Cale Jacobsen defensive rebound
0:00		End of period

Cale Jacobsen defensive rebound