Led by Keisei Tominaga's second-half heroics, Nebraska subdues Rutgers in home finale
Nebraska’s home arena was properly electric for the team’s final home game of this breakthrough season for Fred Hoiberg’s program.
The Huskers sent their adoring fans hope happy.
Led by Keisei Tominaga’s second-half heroics, Nebraska subdued Rutgers 67-56 on Sunday before 15,500-plus fans at charged-up Pinnacle Bank Arena.
Nebraska improved to 18-1 at home on the season, the program’s best home winning percentage since 1965-66. What’s more, the Huskers finished 10-0 at home in Big Ten play, which marks just the 10th time in program history that NU was unscathed in league play on its home court.
Tominaga, a 6-foot-2 guard from Japan, finished with 18 points and came up big as Rutgers made a serious push late in the game. But he wasn’t the only Nebraska player ready for the challenge.
Rutgers crept to 38-29 early in the second half, but Josiah Allick and Rienk Mast responded with back-to-back three-pointers to push Nebraska’s lead to 44-29 with 16 minutes, 30 seconds left in the game.
Rutgers, though, kept coming, pulling to eight behind on multiple occasions. In fact, Nebraska’s lead was down to six, 54-48, with seven minutes to play.
Then came a classic Tominaga uprising. He had a conventional three-point play that was followed by a four-point play on which he was fouled on a three-pointer from near the half-court logo. His surge pushed Nebraska’s lead back to 61-48 with six minutes remaining.
Rutgers was never a serious threat thereafter.
Nebraska, with its fifth win in the last six games, improved to 21-9 overall and 11-8 in the conference, while Rutgers dropped to 15-14 and 7-11.
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In a moving pregame ceremony, Nebraska honored seniors Allick, Tominaga and Jarron Coleman as well as C.J. Wilcher, who received his undergraduate degree in December.
Hall of Famer Kevin McHale attends Nebraska’s Senior Night vs. Rutgers
Rutgers breaks from gate ice cold
Rutgers seemed overwhelmed early in the game, missing its first eight shots while failing to score for the first four minutes as Nebraska bolted to an 8-0 lead. Noah Fernandes’ three-pointer with 16 minutes left in the first half ended the Scarlet Knights’ dry spell.
Nebraska’s strong overall effort was evident immediately as it pulled down seven offensive rebounds in the first seven minutes as the Husker lead expanded to 14-5 on Tominaga’s follow shot of his own miss. As NU’s lead grew to 26-15, the Huskers held an 18-8 rebounding advantage.
The tone had been set.
Allick, a 6-8 forward, finished with 12 rebounds in addition to his 10 points.
Juwan Gary, a 6-6 junior forward, was his usual explosive self, finishing with 15 points and 11 rebounds.
Nebraska now has a week off before returning to action next Sunday with an 11 a.m. game at Michigan (8-22, 3-16), loser of seven straight games.
