Nebraska men’s basketball did more than just cruise to a 91-62 win over South Carolina State Friday. The Huskers set a PBA record, holding the Bulldogs to just 11 first-half points.
The Huskers improved their record to 11-2 overall and finished the nonconference portion of the season with a 10-1 record. The 11-2 start matches the best 13-game start to a season since the 1991-92 season (12-1).
It is just the fifth time since World War II that Nebraska has had just one nonconference loss (10-1, 2018-19; 10-1, 2003-04; 12-1, 1991-92; 11-1, 1977-78).
“I was really proud of how our guys came out of the gate tonight,” Coach Fred Hoiberg said. “I really challenged them after the start that we had last week in the get-away game against North Dakota.”
Defensive Jump Start
Nebraska jumped out to a 10-0 lead early and held the Bulldogs to just one field goal in the first 9:43 of the game. In the first half, South Carolina State shot 11.9% (5-of-42) from the field.
“Anytime you make the other team call a timeout before the first media [timeout], you know you’re doing something right, and we just kept the pressure all game long,” Hoiberg said.
The Huskers had six blocked shots — three from Juwan Gary — and forced nine Bulldog turnovers in the first 20 minutes.
“We just suffocated them, came out and set the tone. We didn’t really do anything special,” junior Brice Williams said. “We didn’t necessarily steal the ball a whole bunch, but we finished every possession with a blockout and a rebound, and we got out on the break a lot. That’s really what set the tone and shows our potential.”
The 11 points the Huskers gave up in the first half were the lowest total allowed since giving up nine to Jackson State on Dec. 19, 2009.
Nebraska held South Carolina State to just 5-of-23 (21.7%) from behind the arc and 23-of 74 (31.1%) from the field.
The Husker defense hounded the Bulldogs all night. Nebraska finished with 16 steals, a season high and the most since matching that total against McNeese State on Nov. 28, 2020.
Bench Mob
C.J. Wilcher led Nebraska in scoring for the second game in a row and third time this season with a season-high 18 points. Wilcher’s 18 points marked the fifth time a Husker bench player led the team in scoring this season.
Wilcher, Jarron Coleman, Eli Rice and Matar Diop will be key pieces off the bench as the heart of the Big Ten season gets underway.
Every player that suited up saw the floor and got their most significant playing time of the season.
“We’re going to need those guys this year,” Hoiberg said. “There’s going to be an opportunity at some point. Matar with the Rienk [Mast] situation, we still don’t know exactly when we’ll get him back; he’s going to have to go out there and give us minutes against the size and physicality in this league. Eli, you see what he can do. He’s a very talented player that can take the lid off the basket. Cale [Jacobsen] is a guy that just knows how to play. He’s a very smart player and I know he can help us as he continues to get opportunities.
“I’m proud of those guys for what they’ve done for our team. We have one nonconference loss and those guys are responsible for a lot of that, helping prepare our guys for when they go out there, especially those rotation guys.”
