Tominaga scores 18, Gary adds 15 and 11 rebounds; Nebraska beats Rutgers 67-56
Nebraska's Josiah Allick celebrates after dunking against Rutgers during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Sunday, March 3, 2024, in Lincoln, Neb. Credit: AP/Rebecca S. Gratz
LINCOLN, Neb. — Keisei Tominaga scored 12 of his 18 points in the second half, Juwan Gary added 15 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks and Nebraska never trailed in its 67-56 win over cold-shooting Rutgers on Sunday night.
Josiah Allick added 10 points and 12 rebounds for Nebraska (21-9, 11-8 Big Ten). The Cornhuskers, who lost 78-69 to Ohio State last time out, have won five of their last six games.
Rienk Mast and Allick each scored four points in an 8-0 opening run and C.J. Wilcher hit a 3-pointer that gave Nebraska a 12-point lead midway through the first half. Allick made a layup that made it 26-15 with 6:23 that sparked an 8-0 run pushed the lead to 17 — the biggest of the game — less than 3 minutes later and Brice Williams made two free throws with 14:36 left in the game that made it 49-33.
Gavin Griffiths scored seven points in a 15-5 spurt that pulled the Knights within six with 7 minutes to play but Tominaga answered with a conventional three-point play on an acrobatic layup and then was fouled as he hit a 3-pointer 48 seconds later and knocked down the and-1 free throw for a four-point play that made it 61-48.
Nebraska led by double figures the rest of the way.
Jeremiah Williams, who fouled with a little more than a minute to play, led Rutgers (15-14, 7-11) with 15 points. Griffiths scored 10.
The Knights, who ended a three-game skid with an 82-52 win over Michigan on Thursday, have lost four of their last five.
Nebraska's Juwan Gary (4) shoots against Rutgers during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Sunday, March 3, 2024, in Lincoln, Neb. Credit: AP/Rebecca S. Gratz
Rutgers made 21 of 64 (33%) from the field, 4 of 25 (16%) from 3-point range and 10 of 19 (53%) from the free-throw line.
Rutgers plays at Wisconsin on Thursday. Nebraska wraps up its regular season next Sunday at Michigan.
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