%20--%3e%3csvg%20version='1.1'%20id='Nebraska_N'%20xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20xmlns:xlink='http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink'%20x='0px'%20y='0px'%20viewBox='0%200%20163%20152'%20style='enable-background:new%200%200%20163%20152;'%20xml:space='preserve'%3e%3cstyle%20type='text/css'%3e%20.st0{fill:%23FFFFFF;}%20%3c/style%3e%3cg%3e%3cpath%20class='st0'%20d='M159.1,144c-2.3,0-4.1,1.8-4.1,4s1.8,4,4,4s4-1.8,4-4S161.2,144,159.1,144z%20M159,151.2c-1.8,0-3.2-1.4-3.2-3.2%20s1.4-3.2,3.2-3.2c1.7,0,3.2,1.5,3.2,3.2C162.2,149.8,160.8,151.2,159,151.2z'/%3e%3cg%3e%3cpath%20class='st0'%20d='M157.4,145.6h1.4c0.6,0,0.8,0,1.1,0.2c0.4,0.2,0.6,0.6,0.6,1.1c0,0.4-0.1,0.7-0.3,1c-0.1,0.2-0.3,0.2-0.6,0.4%20h-0.1l1.1,2.1h-0.8l-1-2h-0.6v2h-0.8L157.4,145.6L157.4,145.6z%20M158.6,147.7c0,0,0.3,0,0.4,0c0.4-0.1,0.6-0.3,0.6-0.8%20c0-0.3-0.1-0.5-0.4-0.6c-0.1,0-0.1,0-0.6,0h-0.4v1.4L158.6,147.7L158.6,147.7z'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/g%3e%3cg%3e%3cpath%20class='st0'%20d='M147,0H93h-5v5v35v5h5h5v24.8L55.2,2.3L53.7,0H51H5H0v5v35v5h5h5v62H5H0v5v35v5h5h54h5v-5v-35v-5h-5h-5V82.2%20l42.8,67.5l1.5,2.3h2.7h46h5v-5v-35v-5h-5h-5V45h5h5v-5V5V0H147z%20M150,5v35v3h-3h-7v66h7h3v3v35v3h-3h-46h-1.6l-0.9-1.4L52,75.3%20V109h7h3v3v35v3h-3H5H2v-3v-35v-3h3h7V43H5H2v-3V5V2h3h46h1.7l0.9,1.4L100,76.7V43h-7h-3v-3V5V2h3h54h3V5z'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3cpath%20class='st0'%20d='M103,87L103,87L51,5H5v35c0,0,7.8,0,10,0c0,3.3,0,68.7,0,72l0,0c-2.2,0-10,0-10,0v35h54v-35c0,0-7.8,0-10,0l0,0%20c0-2.6,0-47,0-47l52,82h46v-35c0,0-7.8,0-10,0l0,0c0-3.3,0-68.7,0-72c2.2,0,10,0,10,0V5H93v35c0,0,7.8,0,10,0%20C103,42.6,103,87,103,87z'/%3e%3c/svg%3e)
Nebraska Postgame Notes
- CJ Wilcher led Nebraska with 15 points on 6-of-10 shooting, including 3-of-6 from 3-point range. Wilcher’s 15 points were his most in a Big Ten Conference game and were just two shy of his career high (17 vs. Auburn).
- Wilcher now has nine double-figure games this season and it marked the 15th double-figure effort from a Husker reserve this season.
- Bryce McGowens added 10 points, his 18th game in double figures this season. McGowens moved past Jerry Fort (376, 1972-73) for third place on NU’s all-time freshmen scoring list. He now has 385 points on the season and is 15 points away from being the third Husker freshman with 400 points in a season.
- Eduardo Andre matched his career high with two blocks, the fourth time in his career he has blocked two shots in a game.
- Alonzo Verge Jr. dished out a team-high six assists, his highest total since Jan. 11
- Keon Edwards made the first 3-pointer of his Husker career.
- Jackson Cronin scored the first two points as a Husker in his ninth career game.
- Nebraska had 30 bench points in the game, the Huskers’ highest bench total in Big Ten play this season. Overall, Nebraska’s bench has scored 30 or more points six times this season, and the Huskers bench has totaled 56 points over the past two games.
- Northwestern was 13-of-31 from the 3-point line after Nebraska had held its previous two opponents to just 5-of-34 from beyond the arc.
Nebraska Head Coach Fred Hoiberg
On what the difference was today
“Yeah, I thought we really turned a corner every night coming out and playing with great energy and intensity. We played with unbelievable urgency and energy and that’s what gave us a chance to win those games. I think there was a 11 early transition points off of our turnovers, and we were still in it even though we weren’t playing great. The overall urgency early in that game was so disappointing to me in our building in an afternoon game on a reunion weekend. You want to give your alumni something to cheer for and be proud about. We were awful in that area.”
On the amount of three-pointers they hit
“We knew this was a much better team than what their record had indicated. They played a ton of close games and we knew this team posed a lot of different challenges because of a spread five. The rotation and getting off the double-team wasn’t there. We work on those things every day. We tried everything to slow them down and those 10 threes in the first half did us in.”
On if you think the players weren’t prepared to fight
“No I did not sense it. We’ve been playing with great effort. We’ve been playing with great intensity. We’ve obviously not gotten any wins, but I thought they were coming just because of the way we had been playing. I did not anticipate us coming out like that. We came in this morning, and I thought we were sharp and thought it would carry over. Obviously, it didn’t."
On how you put something like this behind you
“We are going to watch it. You have to especially early to see both ends. We are going to watch and learn from it. You have to and then we will get out there and compete and put it behind us and try and go out there and get a win on Wednesday night.”
Nebraska Guard C.J. Wilcher
On the difference between today and the previous four games:
“I think it was our intensity. We competed in those games before today. We started the game off hot every game. Of course, we died down a little bit but the new found a way to pick it back up. I think that was what was missing today. Just that fire just that edge that we have used to compete in those games before.”
On where the intensity lacked:
“I think on both ends of the floor. I think we just did not really execute the offense. On defense I saw it happen you guys saw what happened. We just gave up a lot of buckets we were not getting to the 50/50 balls or the rebounds early on and I think those are the plays that we needed.”
Northwestern Head Coach Chris Collins
Opening Statement
“Needless to say, this was a big win for us today. I thought that coming into the game, both teams had been playing really well, especially Nebraska – once they got Trey back these last four games, they easily could’ve won their last four games. We knew we were going to face a hungry team coming into today. We had just come off a win ourselves after some real tough losses, so it was an important game for our guys. I thought they showed it with their energy. Our backcourt was really good today. I thought Boo (Buie) was tremendous. We were able to get him some clean looks early to get going from three. Then, he was able to get downhill and drive the ball really well in the second half. I thought Chase (Audige) was fantastic. The job he did defensively on Bryce McGowens, who in my opinion, was as hot as any player in the conference coming into the game – I thought Chase did a good job trying to make him take tough ones. It’s not like you’re going to shut somebody out. He still got 10 points, but I thought we did a good job of not letting him take over the game, get to the foul line, get going. We did a good job on their other shooters, with the exception of CJ (Wilcher), who got going for them. It was a really good game for us. We were able to string two wins together this week. Every game in the Big Ten matters, and to come on the road, especially to get a road win was really good. So I’m really proud of my team today.”
On the defense
“Some of it is that they missed some shots. Let’s be honest. I still thought they got some good looks. We tried to do our best to limit their guards – their guards can really spread you and really drive you. Derrick (Walker) is such a good passer and playmaker out of the post. Fred (Hoiberg) runs really good stuff. Their spacing and continuity and their movement; they put you in some tough spots. Our ability to guard the three-point line – they only had seven threes, and I want to say two or three of them might have been in the last two minutes, when a lot of the subs were in – I thought we guarded the three well and did a really good job staying in our gaps and trying to make them take tough shots.”
NU Athletic Communications