Nebraska 53 Northwestern 49
Player of the Game:
Walter Pitchford- Things didn’t look good for Pitchford in
the first few minutes of the game. The 6-foot-10 forward committed his second
foul before the first media timeout. But he was able to avoid foul trouble the
rest of the game and was the spark Nebraska needed in the second half.
Pitchford made 3-of-4 3-point jumpers en route to 15 points to go along with 5
rebounds. He has been in double figures the last four games for Nebraska. It was the timing of his shots that made him the game’s most
important player. Every time Nebraska needed a bucket in the second half, he
made one, including a three to put the Huskers up five points with under a
minute to play. This was one of Pitchford’s best games, and Nebraska needed it.
Key Stat:
Turnovers- Yes, making shots helps. But Nebraska won this
game because it was able to protect the basketball and force Northwestern miscues.
The Huskers committed more turnovers (7) than field goals (6) in the first
half. The second half was a different story. The Huskers only had 5 turnovers
after halftime, and they were able to pick up the tempo by forcing turnovers.
Benny Parker had a steal and a layup that really changed momentum late in the
game. Nebraska finished with 14 points off turnovers. It’s all about protecting the basketball on the road and the Huskers did
that.
Play of the Game:
Under 30 seconds left in the game, Nebraska seemed to be
lost on offense. Ray Gallegos and Petteway were fumbling around with the ball.
It looked like Nebraska was just going to have to throw up a wild shot. Then
Petteway gathered the ball and knocked down a 3-point jumper with 23 seconds
left to give the Huskers a five-point lead, which proved to be the difference
in the game. If Nebraska is going to continue to win in the Big Ten, Petteway
has to continue to make big shots.
Other Notes:
-This is Nebraska’s first true road win of the season. Their
last road win came against Penn State last season.
-Nebraska has now won four of its last six games.
-The Huskers are now two conference wins away from last
season’s total. They finished 6-10 in Big Ten play last year.
-Nebraska’s 16 first half points were a season low in a
half.
-Nebraska’s win ended Northwestern’s three-game winning
streak. All the Wildcats’ wins during the streak were on the road.
-Tim Miles is 11-2 in games decided by five points or less at Nebraska. Not too shabby.
Thanks for reading! Have a good rest of your weekend!
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