Nebraska Falls 82-63 to Maryland
Huskers.com
COLLEGE PARK, MD --Nebraska put together its best shooting night in Big Ten play this season, but Maryland was nearly perfect from the free throw line in an 82-63 win over Nebraska Saturday afternoon.
The Huskers (10-12, 3-8 Big Ten) shot 53 percent from the field, its best shooting night since Nov. 30, and got strong performances in
Derrick Walker and
Sam Hoiberg in a losing effort.
Walker finished with a team-high 16 points on 8-of-12 shooting and eight rebounds, while Hoiberg posted a career-high 15 points, eclipsing his entire season total entering the contest. Hoiberg went 6-of-8 from the field, including 3-of-3 from 3-point range, and helped keep the Huskers within striking distance until Maryland took control with a 12-2 run after NU pulled to within 59-50 after
Wilhelm Breidenbach's 3-pointer with just over nine minutes remaining.
Maryland (14-7, 5-5 Big Ten) was held to 44 percent shooting but went 24-of-26 from the foul line and turned 15 Nebraska turnovers into 20 points. Jamhir Young led the hosts with 18 points, including 9-of-9 from the charity stripe, while Donald Carey chipped in 16, including 4-of-4 from 3-point range.
Nebraska trailed 59-50 when
C.J. Wilcher was whistled for a technical foul. Young hit both free throws before Donta Scott's 3-point on the subsequent possession made it a 14-point cushion as the Terrapins eventually stretched it to 71-52 after Young's steal and basket with 6:55 remaining, Nebraska whittled the deficit to 16 in the final minutes but could get no closer.
Early on, Walker and Hoiberg kept the Huskers in the contest, as Maryland enjoyed a 13-1 advantage at the foul line in the first 20 minutes. Walker had eight early points as the Huskers took a 13-8 lead on a 3-poiter from
Keisei Tominaga with 14:08 left in the half. Maryland would respond with a 10- run of its own to built a 18-13 lead after Young's 3-point play.
Hoiberg, who had scored just 13 points entering Saturday, caught fire, scoring 11 straight points for Nebraska which trailed just 29-24 with 3:48 left in the half. Maryland would have one last run, scoring seven of the next nine points to take a 36-26 lead on Patrick Emilien's basket with just over two minutes left in the half, and the Terrapins took a 10-point lead into the break.
Maryland built a 51-36 lead before the Huskers made a run to get back into the contest. NU used a 9-2 run to pull within 53-45 and had a chance to get closer, but
Sam Griesel's shot off a steal was blocked by Young and eventually converted in a putback by Hakim Hart to make a 55-45 game with 11:43 left. NU got to within eight, at 55-47 on a Hoiberg basket and the game was tight until the technical foul and subsequent Maryland surge.
Nebraska will continue its two-game road trip on Tuesday, as the Huskers travel to Illinois. Tipoff for the matchup is set for 6 p.m. (central) and will be carried on BTN and the Huskers radio network.
