Huskers Rally to Top Hoosiers, 83-77

Behind a career-high 27 points from Jamarques Lawrence, the 10th-ranked Nebraska basketball team erased a 16-point second-half deficit and rallied for an 83-77 win at Indiana Saturday at Assembly Hall.

Nebraska found itself down 51-35 three minutes into the second half. But fueled by a pair of double-digit scoring runs, the Huskers out-scored the Hoosiers by 22 over the final 17 minutes to remain unbeaten, improving to 16-0 overall and 5-0 in Big Ten play.

Lawrence scored 16 points in the second half to lead the comeback. He hit 8-of-13 shots from the field in the game - including tying his career high with five 3-pointers - to lead Nebraska with 27 points while adding five rebounds, three assists and three steals.

Rienk Mast (13 points), Pryce Sandfort (12) and Braden Frager (11) also scored in double-figures. Cale Jacobsen was big off the bench with seven points, as he had a perfect shooting night from the field (2-of-2), from the 3-point line (1-of-1) and from the free throw line (2-of-2). Berke Buyuktuncel added eight points, four rebounds and four assists, while Sam Hoiberg scored five points and had a team-high five assists with three steals.

Lamar Wilkerson led Indiana with 32 points. The Hoosiers fell to 12-4 on the season and 3-2 in conference play. Nebraska handed Indiana its first home loss of the season, as the Hoosiers had been 10-0 at home.

In the first half, Nebraska got off to a strong start behind Mast, who had all six of his first-half points in a game-opening 14-7 spurt as his back-to-back baskets gave the Huskers their largest lead of the half at the 13:46 mark.

Indiana came right back as 3-pointers from Tucker DeVries and Nick Dorn cut the lead to 14-13 before 3-poitners from Sandfort and Lawrence put NU up 20-15 with 9:26 left in the half.

Lawrence had 11 first-half points, including a trio of 3-pointers, as Nebraska shot 40 percent from the field, including 6-of-18 from 3-point range in the opening 20 minutes.

From that point, Indiana got going offensively, hitting 10 of its final 12 shots from the field in the half to erase Nebraska’s early lead. Indiana used a 10-3 run to take a 25-23 lead on a basket from Connor Enright with just over six minutes remaining in the half. 

Nebraska fought back and led 28-27 after a Jacobsen basket with 5:03 left, but the Hoosiers closed the half on a 12-2 spurt to take a 39-30 lead into the locker room.

Indiana then opened the second half on a 10-4 run to build its 16-point lead. Nebraska began chipping away at the deficit with a quick 5-0 spurt that trimmed the lead to 11. The Huskers continued to trail by double-digits until a 13-0 run tied the game. Hoiberg, Sandfort and Lawrence each knocked down a 3-pointer during the run.

Indiana responded with a 6-0 run to lead by six with eight minutes remaining. But Nebraska scored 10 straight points during a larger 16-1 run, as the Huskers turned the six-point deficit into a 75-66 lead with 3:41 remaining. NU led by at least six for the rest of the game, helping secure the victory by hitting 11-of-14 free throws in the second half.

The Huskers return home Tuesday as the Huskers welcome Oregon to Pinnacle Bank Arena. Tipoff for the sold out matchup between the Huskers and Ducks is set for 8 p.m. and the game will be carried on BTN and the Husker Sports Radio Network.