LINCOLN, Neb. - Ohio State's starters had been introduced, and the lights dropped for Nebraska at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
Amid the customary montage celebrating the home team came a message: "Welcome to Star City."
Malaki Branham's star shone brightest, and by the end, the Cornhuskers were seeing stars of their own after a dizzying finish. The Ohio State freshman went off for a career-high 35 points and the Buckeyes (9-2, 3-0 Big Ten) overcame a two-possession deficit in the final 30 seconds to force overtime, where they prevailed, 87-79.
Jamari Wheeler and Meechie Johnson Jr. opened overtime with consecutive 3s, finally giving Ohio State the breathing room it needed against the Cornhuskers (6-8, 0-3). Branham's 35 points are the second-most scored by a freshman in program history, trailing only Jared Sullinger's 40-point game against IUPUI on Dec. 9, 2010.
Ohio State led by as many as eight points on three occasions in regulation. Each time, Nebraska immediately answered to start carving back into the game. The latest came with 10:07 left, when an E.J. Liddell 3-pointer pushed the Buckeyes ahead 59-51.
And yet, it would be Ohio State with the late run to force overtime. Down 72-67 in the final minute, Jamari Wheeler hit a 3-pointer and Nebraska's Lat Mayen missed two free throws with 22.4 to play.
Liddell cleaned up a Johnson miss and was fouled on the putback, sending him to the line for two free throws with 8.9 seconds left and the Buckeyes down 72-70. Liddell was 1 for 2 from the line to that point, but he hit both to tie the game. Gene Brown blocked a wild drive attempt on Nebraska's final attempt, sending the game to overtime.
Ohio State has won six straight against Nebraska and is now 16-2 against the Cornhuskers since they joined the Big Ten.
After a 22-day layoff due to a COVID-19 outbreak within the program, the Buckeyes were down just one player against the Cornhuskers but it was an important one. Graduate forward Kyle Young, averaging 10.0 points and 6.7 rebounds, did not make the trip while dealing with what a team spokesman said was a non-COVID illness. He is expected to be ready for Thursday's game at Indiana.
Branham blew past his previous career high of 11 points when he hit his fourth 3-pointer of the game only 12:40 in, giving him 14 points and helping Ohio State to a 22-19 lead. Two possessions later, he threw down a one-handed dunk and followed that two possessions later with a fifth 3-pointer that forced Nebraska to call timeout with 4:55 left and the Buckeyes holding a game-high lead of 30-22.
But just like when Ohio State led 14-6 in the early going, Nebraska would erase the deficit with a 10-0 run to take a 32-30 lead with 1:25 to play. Branham - who else? - answered with a jumper from the right elbow extended, and Zed Key hit a right-handed hook shot in the final seconds to give the Buckeyes a 34-32 lead.
The points were Key's first of the half, but he had nine rebounds. Branham had 21 on 8-of-12 shooting, but the rest of his teammates were a combined 5 for 20 from the field and 2 for 11 from 3-point range. Liddell, surprisingly, was 1 for 7 from the floor for 3 points at the half.
