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Nebraska Postgame Notes
*-Bryce McGowens finished with 29 points, which tied for the second-highest total ever by a Nebraska freshman (29 also by Ryan Anderson in 2006-07 and Shavon Shields in 2012-13). Only Tyronn Lue (30) has scored more in a game as a freshman. McGowens also becomes the second Husker freshman to post multiple 25-point games in a season, joining Dave Hoppen in 1982-83
*-Eduardo Andre posted personal bests in both points (11) and rebounds (seven) in 15 minutes off the bench. His previous high in points was nine against Doane on Dec. 17, 2021
*-Nebraska went 26-of-36 from the line as the 26 made free throws was the most by a Husker team since the 2017-18 season. NU went 19-of-23 from the line in the second half.
*-Nebraska overcame a 10-point second-half deficit, the largest the Huskers had overcome under Hoiberg. The previous high was eight against Southern (2019-20) and at Penn State (2020-21). Prior to tonight, the last double-digit deficit NU overcame was against Butler in first round of the 2019 NIT.
Freshman Bryce McGowens
On connecting on the alley oop late
“It felt really good. I don't think it was actually an (alley) oop but I told Zo to look for the backside (alley) oop and I told him I was trailing on that play. It happened to hit the backboard and the rest was history.”
On what was different for you tonight
“Just letting everything come to me and not forcing things. Going into today's game, after the loss Coach told us to just let it flow. I feel like we moved the ball better and it showed in the outcome.”
On Eduardo Andre’s spark
“Me and Ed are really close. I always tell him to stay ready because your time is coming. He came in today, and he was locked in. He’s been working really hard and him coming into the game gave us a lot of energy. We look for that in him every day. Him being able to come in on the basketball floor and help us win was amazing.”
Fred Hoiberg
On how the guys handled adversity tonight
“I was really proud of them for hanging in there when the ball was not going into the hoop. We dug ourselves a hole and found a way to keep grinding. The ball movement was so much better in the second half tonight. Human nature, with a new group of guys, is to try to do it by yourself. To go out there and share the ball a lot better in the second half resulted in some really good possessions.”
On if the win was needed.
“Yes. It's good for morale. It's been a couple of somber days for our group, and we've had a lot of physicality in the last two days in practice and it carried over tonight. Good thing we had two freshmen out there at the end of the game that really helped us extend the lead and finish the game. I think the key person to this whole night was Eduardo. He just gave us such a spark out there when we needed it most. He controlled the glass, was active in the passing lanes and made his free throws. I am happy for him.
On what Eduardo showed the guys tonight
“He did a little bit of everything. He had some really good finishes and the “and-1” dunk gave us a lot of momentum. When he goes out there protecting the rim he certainly was the key to this victory tonight.”
Sam Houston Coach Jason Hooten
On keys in preparing for tonight’s game
“We had to keep them in front and try to keep them out of the lane. They’ve got a couple really individually talented guys that just want to really get to the paint, and we didn’t do a good job of that obviously. Their two best players averaged about 20 shots apiece. We stopped one of them, but didn’t stop the other. Bryce McGowens had a really good game. That was one of our keys, and I guess you could say we got about half of it. The next key was to out rebound them which we did. We did a good job on the glass. The third key is just points off of turnovers. We turned the ball over 18 times, and they outscored us 18-8 off those turnovers. The bottom line is that we are a three-point shooting team, and we were 9-30. If we go 12-30 we win the game.”
On first half compared to second half
“In the first half we did a good job of keeping them out of the paint. We controlled the tempo a lot better in the first half than the second half. We turned it over a few times and they went on a run. There were a couple possessions that where we were wide open and just couldn’t make it. We probably lost a little bit of the tempo in the second half and probably turned the ball over way too much.”
On their focus moving forward
“We don’t run our offense very well right now, but I think with the (transfer) portal and the way the game is going to be now we are probably going to have six or seven new guys every year. We got six guys back that understand and some guys that are trying to figure it out. We just aren’t all there together yet. It takes some time. I do like our group. We play hard and compete. I think when it’s all said and done we will be pretty good before it’s over.”
NU Athletic Communications