By Shamus McKnight NU Athletic Comm
Behind 30 points from Keisei Tominaga, Nebraska clinched a double bye for next week’s Big Ten Tournament with an 85-70 win over Michigan Sunday.Â
Tominaga posted his second 30-point game of the season, hitting 12-of-17 shots from the floor, including five 3-pointers, as Nebraska improved to 22-9 on the season and 12-8 in Big Ten play.
The Huskers will be the No. 3 seed in Minneapolis, following Purdue’s 78-70 win over Wisconsin. The third-place finish matches NU’s best conference finish since 1992-93. Nebraska will play its first game Friday evening at approximately 8 p.m. on BTN and the Huskers Radio Network.
Josiah Allick had 15 points, while Rienk Mast and Brice Williams added 12 and 10 points, respectively. The Huskers shot 58 percent from the field, including 70 percent in the opening 20 minutes.
Tominaga had 23 first-half points, on 9-of-12 shooting, including 4-of-6 from 3-point range as he went over 1,000 career points at Nebraska.
Nebraska trailed 16-14 before Tominaga used a personal 8-0 run, including a pair of 3-pointers, to give the Huskers a 22-16 advantage with 13:29 remaining in the half. Nebraska eventually stretched the lead to eight on two occasions, the last at 43-35 on a Tominaga 3-poionter with 4:24 left in the half but the Wolverines would not go away. Michigan shot 55 percent from the field in the opening 20 minutes, including 8-of-15 from long distance to stay within striking distance.
Dug McDaniel had all 17 of his points for Michigan in the opening 20 minutes, including hitting on his first five 3-point attempts.
Michigan pulled to within 46-43 on McDaniel’s fifth 3-pointer of the half with 1:53 left in the half, but baskets from C.J. Wilcher and Josiah Allick stretched the lead to seven at the break.
Michigan was within 55-48 with just over 18 minutes left before the Huskers took control. NU ran off straight points, the last coming on a Josiah Allick layup to give NU a 59-48 lead with 16:27 left. After a Will Tschetter basket, the Huskers scored the next 11 points to stretch the lead to 70-50 with 13:37 left.
Nebraska kept the Wolverines at bay, holding Michigan (8-23, 3-17) to just 24 percent shooting, including 1-of-13 in the second half.
Terrance Williams II finished with 14 points, as Michigan will play on Wednesday in Minneapolis.
Nebraska Postgame Notes
*-With the win, the Huskers clinch a double bye for next week’s Big Ten Tournament. It is the first time since 2017-18 that Nebraska has clinched a double bye.
*-With the win, Nebraska will finish in a tie for third place in the Big Ten, its best Big ten finish since joining the conference in 2011-12 and program’s best conference finish since tying for second in the Big Eight in 1992-93. Depending on the Wisconsin/Purdue result, it will be either a two-or-three-way tie for third place.
*-Nebraska’s 22 wins ties for second on the Huskers’ all-time single-season list, while the 12 conference wins ties for second all-time.
*-Nebraska picks up its first-ever win in Ann Arbor, as Nebraska was 0-12 all-time at Michigan before today. Today’s win also marks the Huskers’ first season sweep of the Wolverines.
*-Tominaga posted his second 30-point game of the season and third of his career with 30 points, one shy of his career high. He also tied a career high with six rebounds
*-With his 3-pointer with 4:22 left I the first half, Keisei Tominaga went over 1,000 career points at Nebraska. He became the 31st player to reach 1,000 career points at Nebraska. Tominaga has (982+) points at Nebraska.
*-Tominaga scored 20+ points in the first half, becoming the first Husker to score at least 20 points in a half since Rienk Mast did it against Ohio State on Jan. 23
*-Nebraska scored 50 first-half points, the fourth time Nebraska scored 50+ points in a first half this season and the second time in Big Ten play (also at Indiana).
*-Nebraska’s 11-0 second half run was the Huskers’ 21st double-figure run of the season