Nebraska’s four-game road winning streak came to an end Wednesday evening as the Huskers fell to Penn State, 89-72, at the Bryce Jordan Center. The Nittany Lions capitalized on a hot shooting night, never trailing in the contest and securing a crucial home victory.
Penn State’s Dominant Performance
Penn State (14-13, 4-12 Big Ten) shot an impressive 61 percent from the field, including a blistering 67 percent in the first half. Six Nittany Lions finished in double figures, led by Zach Hicks and Yanic Konan Neiderhauser, who each contributed 19 points. Their balanced offensive attack and efficiency proved too much for Nebraska to handle.
Husker Leaders in Defeat
Despite the loss, Nebraska (17-10, 7-9 Big Ten) had some standout individual performances. Connor Essegian led the team with 20 points off the bench, while Andrew Morgan and Brice Williams added 18 and 17 points, respectively. The Huskers shot 52 percent from the floor but were undone by 16 turnovers, which allowed Penn State to seize control early.
Fast Start Fuels Penn State
The Nittany Lions came out firing, opening the game with a 14-2 run in the first five minutes. Nebraska managed to cut the deficit to 17-9 after a three-pointer from Williams at the 13:00 mark, but Penn State quickly answered with a 6-0 run to extend their lead to 23-8.
The first half was dominated by the hosts, who shot 66 percent from the field and made 11-of-12 free throws. Neiderhauser was instrumental in the early onslaught, scoring 15 of his 19 points in the first half. Meanwhile, Nebraska struggled offensively, shooting just 36 percent from the floor and committing 11 turnovers, which led to 11 points for Penn State. The Nittany Lions closed the half on a 9-2 run to take a commanding 50-27 lead into the break.
Second Half Effort Falls Short
Nebraska started the second half strong, hitting five of their first six shots. Morgan sparked a Husker comeback attempt with nine points in a 13-6 run, cutting Penn State’s lead to 56-40 with 16:28 left. However, the Nittany Lions responded with a 7-0 run of their own, pushing the lead back to 23 points on an Ace Baldwin Jr. basket at the 14:28 mark. Nebraska never got closer than 17 points for the remainder of the contest.
Looking Ahead
The Huskers will return home for a pivotal matchup against No. 12 Michigan at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Monday. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m., and tickets are available at Huskers.com/Tickets.
Game Notes:
- Brice Williams reached double figures for the 25th time in 27 games, finishing with 17 points. His streak of 20-point games ended at six.
- Williams is now 22 points away from 1,000 for his Nebraska career.
- Andrew Morgan recorded his 12th double-figure game of the season, finishing with a season-high 19 points, including 17 in the second half. His previous season high was 17 at Maryland on Jan. 19.
- Connor Essegian notched his fourth 20-point game of the season and sixth of his career. It was also the 25th double-figure effort by a Husker reserve this season.
- Penn State became just the fourth team to shoot over 50 percent against Nebraska this season.
Nebraska will look to regroup and defend their home court as the postseason approaches.