Huskers.com
Eugene, Ore. – Brice Williams and Juwan Gary combined for 51 points, leading Nebraska to a 77-71 win at No. 16 Oregon Sunday evening at Matthew Knight Arena.
Williams finished with a game-high 28 points, along with seven rebounds and six assists to match his season, while Gary had 23 points, including 10-of-12 from the foul line, as Nebraska shot 51 percent from the field in collecting its first Big Ten road win. Gary’s free throws made and attempted were both career highs as his recorded his fourth 20-point game of the year.
Nebraska’s defense keyed the win, holding Oregon to 40 percent shooting, including 5-of-20 from 3-poin range, and enjoyed a 35-32 lead on the glass in posted its fourth ranked win of the season. Nebraska’s four wins over ranked opponents tied a program record, while NU won multiple road games against ranked teams for the second time in the Big Ten era
In the first half, the Huskers played some of their best basketball of the season in the first 15 minutes, building a double-digit lead before Oregon’s late comeback made it 34-28 at the half.
Nebraska took control early as Gary and Williams combined for eight points in a 12-2 spurt that gave the Huskers an early 12- 4 lead at the 13:28 mark of the first half as the Huskers forced Oregon to miss nine of its first 11 shots from the field. Oregon fought back and was within 14-12 before a Rollie Worster jumper and a layup from Williams sparked a 9-2 run that pushed the Husker cushion to nine, at 23-14.
Leading 25-17, Nebraska ran off nine straight points en route to building its largest lead of the day at 32-17 with just under 5:00 in the first half before Oregon mounted a comeback. The Ducks took advantage of four Husker turnovers to run off 11 straight points, pulling within 32-28 on a 3-pointer from Jadrian Tracey with 1:29 left before a Williams slam dunk ended the Ducks’ run and gave NU a six-point halftime lead.
The Huskers shot 52 percent from the field while holding the hosts to 32 percent shooting in the opening 20 minutes. NU also out-rebounded the Ducks, 20-16, in the opening 20 minutes, as Berke Büyüktuncel grabbed six of his season-high boards in the half.
Nebraska extended the lead to 10 in the opening minutes of the second half and the Huskers responded every time the Ducks made a run. Oregon cut NU’s margin to 58-53 with just under six minutes left after a 3-pointer from Jackson Shelstad, who led Oregon (16-6, 5-6) with 16 points. Gary stretched the lead back to eight with a 3-pointer – NU’s only 3-pointer of the second half before a pair of Williams free throws pushed the lead to 65-55 with 4:16 left.
Oregon would not go away and got to within six at 65-59 before Rollie Worster, who finished with 11 points off the bench, hit a jumper with 1:51 left to push the lead back to a three-possession game. NU, which went 16-of-20 from the foul line in the second half, sealed the game at the foul line, going 10-of-12 from the line in the final 1:34 to clinch the win.
In addition to Shalstad, Brandon Angel had 15 points while TJ Banba added 13 in the loss.
The Huskers continue the West Coast trip on Wednesday, Jan. 5, as they travel to Washington. Tipoff is set for 9:30 p.m. (central) and the game will be televised on BTN and carried on the Huskers Radio Network.