:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67993836/usa_today_15243877.0.jpg)
Nebraska took on the North Dakota State Bison in their second game of the Golden Window Classic in Lincoln. It was the first time since 1933 the two teams have played against one another.
North Dakota State had finished the 2019-20 season with a 25-8 record overall, 18-3 in the Summit League. They finished in a tie for the Summit League regular season championship. They won the 2020 Summit League Tournament, earning an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament before everything was canceled because of the pandemic. NDSU had won the past two Summit League Championships.
Nebraska got off to a fast start, but allowed NDSU to get back into the game just before the the half. The Huskers had enough of that in the second half, shutting down the NDSU offense while scoring 36 second-half points to win easily 79-57.
Nebraska built a 13-2 lead as Teddy Allen hit a three, and Lat Mayen added two more threes to extend the lead to 19-4. From there, our beloved Huskers got a little sloppy as the Bison began to hit some shots. At the under eight-timeout, Nebraska’s lead dwindled to 24-12, not quite the butt-kicking it was earlier.
NDSU’s first three-pointer came from Rocky Kreuser at 6:49. It was also the Bison’s first assist. The three put Nebraska’s lead at 24-17.
Our beloved Huskers were up 39-29 at the under 4 timeout, but NDSU’s Jaxon Knotek hit a three at the buzzer just before the half to cut the lead to 43-36. Trey McGowens led Nebraska at the half with 10 points, Mayen with 9, and Dalano Banton had 8. NDSU stayed in the game because of 16 second chance points on nine rebounds.
NDSU had a chance to cut into Nebraska’s lead, but a Teddy Allen drive put Nebraska up 53-37 at 15:07 to give the Huskers their largest lead of the game at 16. Rocky Kreuser picked up his fourth foul at 12:09, hacking Banton on his way to the rim. Kreuser went to the bench.
At the under 12 media timeout, Nebraska had held NSDU to five points. Nebraska extended the lead to 66-50 as Allen made a steal, then executed a perfect alleyoop to McGowen. The lead got even larger as Allen made a layup to make it 71-51 with 4:05 left. At that point, the Bison hadn’t made a field goal in six minutes. They’d go almost seven minutes without a basket.
Allen put on a show in the second half. He had five points in the first half, but finished with 22. He added seven rebounds, two assists and five steals in 31 minutes of play. McGowens finished with 19 points and five rebounds while Banton and Mayen added 12 points apiece.
NDSU was lead by Knotek’s 16 points as he went 6-for-15 from the field. Tyree Eady pulled in 13 rebounds to lead the Bison, while Griesel grabbed 12 and just missed out on a double-double with nine points.
Nebraska shook off the tired legs problem they had on Thursday but turned in a still less than ideal shooting performance. The Huskers shot 46-percent from the field overall, and went 8-for-32 from three. The team also only managed 60-percent shooting from the free throw line, going 12-for-20. Finally, rebounding was a struggle as the Bison got far too many second chance point attempts off of 22 offensive boards. The Huskers won at the defensive end narrowly, 32-29, but lost the overall margin 51-42.