Williams Paces Huskers To 85-68 Win

Nebraska picked up its first Big Ten Conference win of the season with a decisive 85-68 victory against Indiana at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Friday night.

Nebraska (7-2, 1-1) held Indiana (8-3, 1-1) to just 35 percent shooting from the field, including 8-of-35 from 3-point range. The Hoosiers were held to their second-lowest shooting total of the season. NU forced the Hoosiers to miss 17 of their final 18 shots over the final 9:30 of the game after the Hooisers battled back to tie the game at 64.

Brice Williams led all scorers with a season-high 30 points, marking his first 30-point game as a Husker. The senior also grabbed a season-high six rebounds and dished out five assists as Nebraska extended its home win streak to 18 games. 

Williams was one of four Huskers in double figures, as Juwan Gary added 14 points and five rebounds, while Connor Essegian (13) and Andrew Morgan (10) helped Nebraska shoot a season high 61 percent from the field and 8-of-14 from 3-point range.

The Huskers got the quick start they needed, as Williams scored eight early points to give Nebraska a 13-3 lead, forcing Indiana to take a timeout. Miles Rice and IU came out of the timeout, scoring seven quick points to cut the lead to seven at the first media timeout. 

The Hoosiers kept the pressuring the Big Red, going on a 13-2 run to take the lead at 23-19 with 11:09 to play in the half. Ahron Ulis and Connor Essegian came into the game, scoring the next nine NU points to regain the lead in the first half. IU went on a 7-0 run over the next two minutes before Essegian knocked down a deep three to bring the Huskers back within one. 

The Hoosiers were able to extend their lead to 37-33 before Gary led a 7-0 Husker run to retake the lead with just over two minutes left in the half. Leading 44-41 after the first half, the Big Red went 15-of-23 from the field, including 5-of-7 from three. Williams led the offensive effort with 14 points, and Berke Buyuktuncel pushed the defense forward with four rebounds. 

The start of the second half was very back-and-forth until layups by Andrew Morgan, Essegian and Gary helped the Huskers take a 58-49 lead with 13:44 to play. Morgan and Miles Rice traded baskets, keeping the Huskers at a 62-58 lead. Rice scored 13 straight points to help the Hoosiers tie the game at 64 apiece with less than ten minutes remaining. 

That would be as close as Indiana would get, as Williams and Gary combined for 12 points in a 14-3 run that gave NU a 78-67 lead with 3:31 left after consecutive 3-pointers from Williams and Gary.  In all, the Huskers ended the game on a 17-1 spurt over the final 6:30 of the contest.

The Huskers return to action on Sunday, Dec. 22, as the Huskers take on Murray State in Honolulu, Hawaii, as part of the Diamond Head Classic. Tipoff is set for 8:00 p.m. (CT).  The game will be broadcast on ESPN and can be heard across the Huskers Radio Network.