Key Takeaways From Ohio State's 87-79 Overtime Win At Nebraska
After a two-week layoff due to COVID-19 issues within the Ohio State program, the Buckeyes finally returned to the floor and began the new year with a gritty, 87-89 overtime win at Nebraska.
It was the latest installment of what's been a season filled with close games so far for Ohio State, in a game that saw freshman guard Malaki Branham showcase his full potential in a 35-point effort.
The win brings the Buckeyes record to 9-2 overall and 3-0 in the Big Ten, as they've now won five in a row since that three-point loss to Florida in late November.
Here are some of the biggest takeaways from Ohio State's first win of 2022:
Branham's Coming-Out Party
A day after Ohio State freshman wideout Marvin Harrison Jr. had a coming-out party in the Rose Bowl, freshman guard Malaki Branham broke out with one of his own.
The Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary product showed no rust in the Buckeyes return to the floor, shattering his single-game career-high of 11 points by posting a whopping 35 points in the win. He also added six rebounds and two assists to go along with it.
Right out of the gate, it became pretty obvious that Branham was feeling himself as he had already racked up 16 points in the first 14 minutes of play, before finishing the first half with 21.
The 18-year-old was in a bit of a slump coming into the game, having knocked down three shots in the two games prior to the long layoff. For whatever reason, something clicked for Ohio's 2021 Mr. Basketball and it goes without saying that this game would have ended up much different without him.
Shaking Off The Rust
Aside from Branham, it was pretty obvious the rest of the Buckeyes needed some time to shake off the rust. The scarlet and gray committed eight turnovers in the opening half and excluding Branham's ridiculous 8-of-12 shooting, the rest of the team shot a meager 25 percent from the floor and 18-percent from three for the half.
And while the turnovers continued in the second half, the shooting improved immensely as Ohio State shot 50 percent from the floor and from three. Still, the sloppiness was evident throughout this one and nearly came back to bite the Buckeyes.
Making An Impact In Other Ways
Even on an off-night shooting, E.J. Liddell made his presence felt in other areas to help will the Buckeyes to victory. The junior posted eight rebounds, five assists and three blocks – two of which came in overtime – to go along with 10 points.
Two of those 10 points also happened to be the most important ones of the game, as Liddell hit a pair of free throws at the end of regulation to send the game to overtime.
It says a lot about Liddell that on a night where he shot 14 percent from the floor he didn't press and found other ways to contribute. Oh, and he did it while managing being in foul trouble. That's truly the mark of a good player.
Ice In His Veins
While Branham stole the show with his 35-point effort, Jamari Wheeler was the supporting actor. The fifth-year senior pumped in 16 points of his own and hit three of the biggest shots of the game.
First was a three-pointer with 27 seconds remaining in regulation that cut the Buckeyes deficit from five to two and set up Liddell to knock down the game-tying free throws.
Wheeler's hot streak continued in the extra stanza with another ball from long range just 16 seconds in, giving the Scarlet and Gray a lead they'd never relinquish. On the very next possession, he extended the lead to six with yet another three-pointer as the Bucks cruised the rest of the way.
It was an all-around impressive night for the veteran guard, who had only hit 10 total threes this season before knocking down four against the Cornhuskers.
Battle Tested
Chris Holtmann joked after the game about the grayness in his hair with his team being part of so many nail-biters already this season. And while those games may be bad news for Holtmann's blood pressure, they actually may serve to benefit the Buckeyes come March.
Come tournament time, having a team that is battle-tested will be key for making a deep run. This Ohio State team is definitely that and they've given their head man plenty of reason to be confident that when things get tight late in games, they'll know how to handle it.
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