By Nebraska Athletics
Huskers Open Big Ten Play at Minnesota Wednesday Night The Nebraska men's basketball team hits the road for the first time this season, as the Huskers travel to Minnesota Wednesday evening. Tipoff from Williams Arena in Minneapolis is set for shortly after 8 p.m. and the game will be televised on BTN and carried on the Husker Radio Network.
Wednesday's game is the first of two Big Ten games this week for the Huskers, as conference play started on Dec. 1 and goes throughout the week before resuming in January. Nebraska's other Big Ten matchup will be on Sunday when the Huskers take on Michigan State.
The Huskers (7-1) look to rebound following a loss to No. 15 Creighton on Sunday afternoon. Nebraska, whose 7-0 start was its best since the 1977-78 season, was held to a season-low 60 points after entering the game averaging over 80 points per game. The Huskers shot just 34 percent from the field, including 2-of-22 from 3-point range. NU led the Big Ten in 3-pointers per game coming into the contest.
One highlight for NU was senior guard Keisei Tominaga who led the Huskers with 20 points for his second 20-point game of the season. Tominaga, who missed the first two games of the season with an ankle injury suffered on Oct. 29, has rounded into form in recent games, averaging 16.8 ppg over his last five games while shooting 58 percent from the floor, including 44 percent from 3-point range.
Tominaga leads a balanced Husker attack which features four players averaging double figures, as Nebraska enters the week ranks sixth in the Big Ten with 78.9 points per game. Juwan Gary has been exceptional off the bench, averaging 14.4 points per game on 54 percent shooting, while newcomers Rienk Mast (14.0 ppg, 9.8 rpg) and Brice Williams (13.5 ppg, 4.6 rpg) round out NU's double-figure quartet.
Minnesota (5-3, 0-1) comes off an 84-74 loss at Ohio State on Sunday night. Dawson Garcia led all scorers with 36 points and 11 rebounds to pace three Golden Gophers in double figures. Garcia tops the Gophers in scoring (20.5 ppg) and rebounding (8.3 rpg) while shooting nearly 50 percent from the field.
About MinnesotaBen Johnson is in his third season at the helm of the Golden Gopher program. Johnson, who played at both Minnesota and Northwestern during his college career, won 13 games in his first season at Minnesota before his team battled through a bunch of injuries in 2022-23. Johnson has ties to NU, as he spent one season at Nebraska as an assistant coach under Tim Miles in 2012-13.
Minnesota has been solid at home with a 5-1 mark, with the only setback being a two-point loss to Missouri on Nov. 16. The Gophers feature one of the best big men in the conference in Dawson Garcia, who played at Marquette and North Carolina before returning to his home state. Garcia is averaging 20.5 ppg on 49 percent shooting while getting to the foul line nearly seven times per contest. He also paces the Golden Gophers with 8.3 rebounds per game. He is the only upperclassmen among the Gophers' top four scorers. Freshman Cam Christie is averaging 11.0 ppg while shooting 52 percent from 3-point range while sophomores Pherrel Payne (9.4 ppg) and Joshua Ola-Joseph (8.8 ppg) are both shooting over 60 percent from the field.
Series History: Nebraska and Minnesota will meet for the 85th time on Wednesday, which is the most between the Huskers and any other Big Ten member. It is NU’s longest-running series in the Big Ten, dating back to February of 1902. The Gophers lead the all-time series, 58-26, while the Huskers have won 11 of the past 16 meetings. Minnesota snapped NU's four-game win streak in the 2023 Big Ten Tournament. The home team has won 15 of the past 17 meetings on campus dating back to March of 2012, with NU posting wins in Minneapolis in 2019 and 2023. Prior to joining the Big Ten in 2011-12, NU and Minnesota met in non-conference action every year from 1995 until 2004 after not playing for 16 years.
Last Meeting: Keisei Tominaga's 23 points led four Huskers in double figures, and Nebraska cut a double-digit deficit to one but could not complete the comeback in a 78-75 loss to Minnesota in the opening round of the 2023 Big Ten Tournament
Tominaga hit 8-of-14 shots from the field en route to his ninth 20-point game, and the junior nearly sent the game to overtime as his halfcourt shot was just off the mark. Sam Griesel added 16 points and 12 rebounds, while Derrick Walker and Jamarques Lawrence chipped in 12 points apiece for the Huskers, who fell to 16-16 on the season.Dawson Garcia ked four Gophers in double figures with 18 points and 13 rebounds, while Ta'lon Cooper (16), Jaden Henley (14) and Jamison Battle (13) all reached double figures, as Minnesota shot 52 percent from the floor and hit 10 3-pointers.
Last Time Out, Keisei Tominaga had a game-high 20 points, but Nebraska was unable to overcome No. 15 Creighton’s 3-point shooting in an 89-60 loss on Dec. 3. Tominaga hit 8-of-16 shots from the floor but was the only NU player in double figures. The Huskers were held to 33.8 percent shooting, including just 2-of-22 from 3-point range in suffering their first loss of the season.
Baylor Scheierman led Creighton with 24 points, including 20 in the first half on six 3-pointers, as the Bluejays went 10-of-23 from beyond the arc in the opening 20 minutes.
Creighton led 20-14 before Tominaga and Juwan Gary led the Huskers on a 9-2 spurt, taking a 23-22 lead after a Tominaga jumper with 8:54 left in the half, as Tominaga had 16 of his 20 points in the opening 20 minutes. Creighton then took over the Bluejays used a 11-2 spurt to build a 33-25 lead with 6:56 left in the half after a pair of Baylor Scheierman 3-pointers. Nebraska was within nine with less than two minutes remaining in the half after a Gary basket, but the Bluejays closed the half on a 9-3 run, including four free throws from Steven Ashworth to take a 52-27 lead in the break.
Nebraska got within 54-39 after a Gary steal and dunk with just over 18 minutes remaining, but Creighton used a 9-2 spurt to push the lead to 62-41, and Nebraska was unable to whittle down the margin.
On the Air Radio: Wednesday's game will be carried on the Huskers Radio Network starting at 6 pm MT and opening tipoff at 7 on KCOW and Panhandle Post.
Kent Pavelka and Jake Muhleisen will be on the call from Minneapolis.