Huskers Fall 78-73 to Trojans
Huskers.com
Juwan Gary’s career-high 27 points was not enough, as the Nebraska men’s basketball team fell 78-73 to USC Trojans on Wednesday night at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
Gary led three Huskers in double figures, as he hit 11-of-19 shots from the field en route to posting his third 20-point game of the season. Bruce Williams added 17 points, while
Connor Essegian added 15 off the bench, including a trio of 3-pointers.
Trailing 69-64, the Huskers rallied as Williams scored five straight points, including a 3-pointer that tied the score at 69 with 1:19 remaining but the Trojans would respond, as Desmond Claude, who finished with a team-high 21 points, hit a 3-pointer as the shot clock was expiring to put USC ahead 72-69.
Nebraska would cut the lead to one on two occasions, the last being on a
Berke Büyüktuncel layup with 7.4 seconds left, but Wesley Yates III hit two free throws with 6.2 left to push it to three before sinking another pair to cap a 17-point night and seal the win.
USC went 18-of-22 from the charity stripe on the night, including 15-of-18 in the second half and turned 11 Husker turnovers into 16 points.
In the first half, the Huskers got strong performances from Gary and Essegian, who combined for 25 of the Huskers 33 points as NU built a 33-31 advantage. Nebraska (12-7, 2-6 Big Ten) trailed 12-6 before Essegian hit a trio of 3-pointers to pull Nebraska within 16-15 with 10:48 left in the half.
Gary then took over, scoring seven straight points in a 9-0 Nebraska run, as the Huskers built their largest lead of the night at 24-18 after an
Andrew Morgan layup with just over eight minutes remaining in the half. USC (12-7, 4-4 Big Ten) would come right back with seven straight points of their own, regaining the lead at 25-24 on a 3-point play from Yates at the 5:58 mark. The teams traded baskets before shots from Williams and Gary stretched the margin to 33-29 before a Claude jumper pulled the visitors within two at the break.
Williams, who scored 15 of his 17 in the second half, hit a 3-pointer in the opening minutes to give NU a 36-31 lead but USC scored five straight to pull even with just over 17 minutes left. Every time USC stretched the lead to four or five points, Nebraska would cut the deficit. Nebraska led 57-56 on a Gary layup before the Trojans used a 6-0 run to regain the lead at 62-57 with 4:53 left.
Trailing 62-57, the Husker battled back as Williams keyed a 7-2 tun with five points the last coming on a 3-point play to tie the game up at 64 with 3:24 left, setting the stage for the finish.
The Huskers will hit the road to take on No. 18 Wisconsin Sunday, Jan. 26, at Noon. The game will be televised on BTN with audio coverage from the Huskers Radio Network.
