Tominaga's 30 Points Power Nebraska Past Penn State
Huskers.com
Keisei Tominaga finished with a career-high 30 points, as Nebraska led nearly wire to wire in a 72-63 victory over Penn State Sunday afternoon in Lincoln.
Tominaga's 30-point outburst – the first by a Husker since December of 2021 – was highlighted by 12-of-18 shooting, including a career-high five 3-pointers, as Nebraska (11-13, 4-9) snapped a four-game losing streak.
Freshman
Jamarques Lawrence nearly posted a double-double with 11 points and nine rebounds, while
Derrick Walker had nine points, a career-high seven assists and six boards, as Nebraska shot 52.9 percent from the field and committed a season-low seven turnovers.
Nebraska put together a strong first half in taking 37-28 lead into the locker room. The Huskers shot 56 percent from the field, including 4-of-8 from 3-point range.
Nebraska, which opened the game by hitting 10 of its first 14 shots, broke open a two-point game with an 11-0 run to build a 26-13 lead after a
Wilhelm Breidenbach jumper with 10:04 remaining in the half.
Penn State ran off seven straight points to get within 26-20 after Jalen Pickett's jumper, but
Keisei Tominaga's jumper sparked a 9-0 Husker run over the next three minutes, as Nebraska extended its lead to 35-20 after
Sam Griesel's 3-poont play with 4:18 remaining.
Lundy, who had 15 first-half points, including 5-of-6 from 3-point range, hit a pair of 3-pointers to cut the Nittany Lion deficit to nine at the break. He finished with a team-high 24 points, including a career high eight 3-pointers, matching the arena record for 3-pointers in a game.
Both teams traded buckets to start the second half, but the Nittany Lions continued to trim the lead, as a triple by Seth Lundy cut it to 45-39 with 15:26 remaining. However, Tominaga answered back with four straight points, including a three-pointer to make it 49-39.
The Nittany Lions, who went 14-of-38 from 3-point range, kept chopping into the lead and got within 57-54 with 5:52 left, but Tominaga answered with a layup and a 3-pointer, his fifth of the game, to stretch the lead back out to eight.
Nebraska held Jalen Pickett, who came into the game averaging 17.4 ppg, to 15 points. As a team, Penn State relied heavily on the 3, shooting just 40 percent (24-for-60), but making 14 three-pointers, eight by Lundy.
PSU (14-9, 5-7 Big Ten) got to 62-58 before
Sam Griesel's layup and a pair of
Sam Hoiberg free throws pushed the lead to eight. The visitors could get no closer than six the rest of the way, as freshmen accounted for Nebraska's last eight points in the win.
The Huskers hit the road again on Wednesday, Feb. 8 as Nebraska travels to Ann Arbor, Mich., for a matchup with the Wolverines. Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m. (central) and will be carried on BTN and the Huskers Radio Network.
