Bryce Williams reaches Pinnacle of Performance in Nebraska win

By Nick Jenkinson/Excel H Sports

  The Nebraska Cornhuskers went on a 17-1 run the last six minutes and twenty-seven seconds to pull away from the Indiana Hoosiers 85-68 Friday Night at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Nebraska. The Hoosiers went ice cold from the field late in the second half going 1 of 18 from the field and 0-12 down the stretch as the Hoosiers did not score for the last three minutes and eight seconds of the game. Nebraska did not hit a field goal for the last two minutes and forty-one seconds, but they protect home court as they won all 10 Big Ten Games at home a season ago. Nebraska is 7-2 overall and 1-1 in the Big Ten and the Hoosiers are 1-1 in the Big Ten and 8-3 overall. Indiana will have the week off and return home to Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall to face Chattanooga at Noon next Saturday.

  Brice Williams led Nebraska with 30 points going 10-15 from the field, 2-3 from three-point range and 8-11 from the free throw line. Juwan Gary added 14 points, Fort Wayne Native and Central Noble Grad Connor Essegian scored 13 points and Andrew Morgan scored 10 points. Nebraska finished 30-49 from the field for 61%, 8-14 from three-point range for 57% and 17-26 from the free throw line for 65%. The Cornhuskers pulled down 35 rebounds, dished out 16 assists, 5 steals,1 block, 36 points in the paint, 28 bench points and committed 14 turnovers.

  Myles Rice scored 20 points to lead the Hoosiers. Malik Reneau added 12 points and Trey Galloway scored 10 points. Indiana finished the game 23-65 from the field for 35%, 8-35 from three-point range for 23% and 14-20 from the free throw line for 70%. The Hoosiers pulled down 35 rebounds as Oumar Ballo had 11 of those. The Hoosiers dished out 10 assists, 7 steals, 3 blocks, 24 points in the paint, 16 bench points and committed 9 turnovers.

  Indiana got off to a rough start as Mackenzie Mgbako picked up 2 fouls in the first 32 seconds before any points in the game were scored. Nebraska’s Brice Williams hit two free throws to give the Cornhuskers a 2-0 lead and Nebraska led 8-0 with 18:02 to go in the first half before Indiana got on the board with a Trey Galloway Three to make it 8-3 with 17:45 left in the opening period. The Cornhuskers scored the next 5 points to force Indiana Head Coach Mike Woodson call a timeout down 13-3 with 16:50 left in the first half. The Cornhuskers went 5-5 from the field, 1-1 from three-point range and 2-2 from the free throw line to start the game.

  Indiana settled down and chipped away at the lead as the Hoosiers went on a 16-6 run as Malik Reneau’s second free throw gave the Hoosiers their first lead of the game at 20-19 with 11:37 left in the first half. Luke Goode drained his second three pointer of the game put the Hoosiers up 23-19 at the 11:04 mark. The game went back and forth as Indiana led by 4 twice and Nebraska had a five-point lead with 58 seconds left before the break 44-39. Nebraska went into the locker room leading 44-41 as the Huskers finished the first half shooting 15-23 from the field for 65%, 5-7 from three-point range for 71% and 9-13 from the free throw line for 69%. Indiana finished the first half 13-29 from the field for 44%, 5-15 from three-point range for 33% and 10-14 from the free throw line for 71% as the Hoosiers did not have a field for the final four minutes and eight seconds of the first half,

  In the second half Nebraska had a nine-point lead with 13:44 left leading 58-49. The Hoosiers chipped away and tied the game up on two occasions 62-62 with 10:35 left and 64-64 with 9:57 left. Nebraska then shut the Hoosiers down as Indiana settled for outside shots and could not knock any down as Nebraska outscored Indiana 21-4 the rest of the way. Nebraska has won the last 4 meetings over Indiana all by double digits as the Hoosiers lead the all-time series 19-11. Indiana was playing its first true road game of the season after going 1-2 in the Bahamas and losing both games by double-digits. Indiana’s 35 three-point attempts are the most by a Mike Woodson coached team and the first time the Hoosiers in three plus seasons the Hoosiers have broken 30 attempts in a game.  There are going to be more and more questions every time Indiana falls especially on the road and by double digits and the hot seat is getting hotter for Mike Woodson since the Hoosiers have suffered more double-digit losses under his watch and anybody wants to count.