Nebraska gets dismantled 89-52 by Michigan State in Big Ten opener
Nebraska head coach Fred Hoiberg already knew full well how difficult it was to win in the Breslin Center. When pretty much nothing goes your way, that task becomes borderline impossible.
Such was the case for the Huskers on Saturday, as they allowed Michigan State to do whatever it pleased in an ugly 89-52 defeat.
After trailing by 10 at halftime, NU (6-2, 0-1 Big Ten) had no answers as the Spartans completely took the game over in the second half. Nebraska missed 14 of its first 15 shots after the break, while MSU used a 27-5 run to push its lead to as many as 42 points.
The 37-point final margin tied for the Spartans’ second-largest victory ever in Big Ten Conference play.
Michigan State (8-2, 2-0) dominated the boards from start to finish, owning a staggering 48-19 advantage on the glass. Nebraska shot 33.3% from the field, including 28.6% (8-of-28) in the second half. On the other end, MSU hit a blistering 61% for a 48-21 point advantage after halftime.
Andrew Morgan led the Huskers with 14 points and seven rebounds, while Brice Williams was the only other player in double figures with 11.
Ten of the 13 Spartans who saw the floor scored in the win, led by 18 from Jaden Akins. MSU assisted on 20 of its 29 made baskets, while Nebraska had just eight assists on 18 makes.
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The Huskers return to action on Friday, Dec. 13, for their first Big Ten home game against Indiana.
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Fouls, rebounding set the tone early
An inauspicious start put Nebraska into a 7-0 hole out of the gate. Morgan helped stop the bleeding off the bench with nine of his 14 points in the first half, and the Huskers pulled within 26-21 with six minutes left before the break.
Jase Richardson scored seven points during an 11-1 Spartan run from there, though, putting MSU up a commanding 37-22. A questionable – at best – flagrant foul on Connor Essegian padded that run with a four-point MSU possession.
Trailing by 15, Nebraska picked up its offensive aggressiveness, and five straight free throws sparked a 9-0 rally that cut the deficit to 37-31 with 1:15 remaining.
But a second-chance basket by Jaxon Kohler, an NU turnover, and another Kohler bucket in the final seconds made it 41-31 at the half.
Williams had nine of his 11 points at intermission, but the story of the first half was on the glass. Michigan State dominated the boards for a 24-10 advantage, including eight offensive rebounds for 10 second-chance points.
