COLUMBUS, Ohio — Once could also be a fluke, however twice? doubly causes you to assume.
Nebraska beat No. 3} Ohio State 78-70 on Tuesday for its second spectacular road win in 3 days and its initial win against a hierarchical opponent in virtually three years.
The Huskers had lost 24 straight against prime 25 groups since beating Maryland on March fourteen, 2019. however against the Buckeyes, who required a win to stay pace for a double-bye within the huge 10 tournament, the Huskers looked on top of things for long stretches.
They semiconductor diode for twenty nine of forty minutes. They shot a minimum of forty ninth from the sphere and thirty ninth from three for the second straight game. and through the last week of the regular season, they seem to own found their stride.
All due to a game arrange that Cornhusker State coach Fred Hoiberg said was enforced in regarding ninety minutes.
“The guys (went) out and (executed) it, (locked) into it,” Hoiberg said on his postgame radio show. “It simply speaks to what quantity they’re bought into this issue, and that’s not the case with most groups that area unit troubled.”
Bryce McGowens semiconductor diode alphabetic character with twenty six points, his eleventh 20-point performance this season. His brother Trey alert Associate in Nursing invisible crown on Bryce’s head as they walked through the shake line.
C.J. Wilcher additional fifteen on half dozen of eleven shooting whereas passing Ryan Anderson for second on Nebraska’s freshman 3-pointers list. And Alonzo Verge, the Huskers’ oft-maligned purpose guard, dish-shaped eleven assists to travel with thirteen points and 5 rebounds.
Yes, ezed Key incomprehensible the sport with Associate in Nursing gliding joint injury. Kyle Young incomprehensible the half with Associate in Nursing ill health, too. however the Huskers seemed like they belonged against one among the massive Ten’s best.
They showcased their swagger once McGowens shushed the gang when striking a three to silence the house crowd with 13:33 to play. and that they showed their scrap by diving for loose balls, {one of|one among|one {in a|during a|in Associate in Nursing exceedingly|in a very}ll|one amongst|one in every of} that resulted in a scuffle and an ejection of contusioned OSU forward Seth cities. And tho’ they didn’t convert a field goal throughout the ultimate four minutes, they prevailed for a vast, momentum-building ending.
“It’s simply fun to check however along they’re,” Hoiberg aforesaid. “Our guys (showed) resiliency down the stretch. To be ready to end this off could be a large testament to our guys.”
E.J. Liddell semiconductor diode the Buckeyes with twenty seven points and fourteen rebounds (five offensive). Malaki Branham, McGowens’ prime rival for large 10 freshman of the year, finished with sixteen points on five of eleven shooting.
Branham scored thirty five against the Huskers on Jan. 2, however that was while not Trey McGowens, who hounded Branham all night and used all 5 of his fouls whereas doing thus.
Nebraska continued its recent hot shooting on the way to a 43-39 interruption lead. The Huskers shot fifty fifth from the sphere and five hundredth from three within the half simply 2 days when shooting Penn State out of its home gymnasium on Senior Night.
Wilcher scored thirteen of his fifteen points and every one 3 of his 3-pointers before interruption.
Bryce McGowens scored twelve of his twenty six within the half. And Verge dish-shaped 9 of his eleven assists.
The Huskers stayed hot within the half and earned their initial convert a hierarchical opponent since beating Maryland within the 2019 huge 10 tournament. As of Tuesday, the Huskers area unit slated to play the Terps once more within the initial spherical of the massive 10 tournament. however the Huskers might still earn the thirteen seed if they beat Wisconsin onend and Gopher State loses each of its games this week.
NU can play Wisconsin on the road at one p.m. Sunday. The Badgers beat alphabetic character 73-65 on Jan. twenty seven at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Cornhusker State can ask for its initial three-game run in conference play since 2018.
If that looks unlikely, thus did the primary 2.
“The 2 toughest things during this business area unit to urge over an enormous emotional loss and realize the simplest way to place an enormous win behind you,” Hoiberg aforesaid. “For our guys to try to to that during a year wherever we have a tendency to haven’t had plenty of these, again, it shows you what they’re all regarding.”
