Nebraska Postgame Notes/Quotes vs. Penn State

Nebraska Postgame Notes vs. Penn State 

• Keisei Tominaga scored a career-high 30 points. His performance was the first 30-point game by a Husker since Alonzo Verge had 31 points against Michigan on Dec. 7, 2021. It marked his third 20-point game of the season. Before today, Tominaga’s career high was 23, most recently against Boston College on Nov. 30.

• Tominaga’s five 3-pointers was a season high for any Husker. Tominaga was also the last Husker to have five 3-pointers in a game at NC State on Dec. 1, 2021.

• The Huskers shot 53 percent from the field in the win, marking the Huskers’ eighth game this season shooting 50 percent or better. The field goal percentage was NU’s second-highest mark in Big Ten play this season.
• Nebraska committed a season-low seven turnovers in the game. The Huskers’ previous low had been nine turnovers on three separate occasions, most recently at Penn State on Jan. 21.
• Jamarques Lawrence narrowly missed his first career double-double with 11 points and nine rebounds. His 11 points were one shy of his career high, while his nine rebounds were a career high. Lawrence also had a career-high two steals and matched his career high with three assists.
• Derrick Walker filled up the stat line with nine points, six rebounds and a career-high seven assists. He also had seven assists at Minnesota on Jan. 7.
• The win marked NU’s first home win over Penn State since 2019. NU had lost the last two matchups in Lincoln.
• Nebraska’s 72 points was its highest total since scoring 81 in an overtime win at Minnesota on Jan. 7
• Nebraska held Penn State to 40 percent shooting, the ninth time NU has held an opponent to 40 percent or less from the field
• Nebraska out-rebounded Penn State, 33-32, and is 4-0 in conference games when out-rebounding its opponent.
• Nebraska never trailed in the game and led for all but 1:16. For the first time this season, the Huskers never trailed in a Big Ten game. Overall, it was the fourth time Nebraska has not trailed in a game this season.
• The Huskers shot 55.6 percent (15-of-27) in the first half, their best shooting performance in the first half of a Big Ten game this season.
• In the first half, Tominaga scored 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting, including 2-of-4 from beyond the arc. He then scored 16 points in the second half on 6-of-9 shooting, including 3-of-6 from the 3-point line.
• Seth Lundy made eight 3-pointers for the Nittany Lions. The eight treys were a Penn State program record and tied the Pinnacle Bank Arena record. Minnesota’s Malik Smith in 2014 and Wisconsin’s Brad Davison in 2020 also knocked down eight in Lincoln.

Nebraska Head Coach Fred Hoiberg
On the fast start to the game and cutting turnovers
"We talked a lot about that after our road trip. We had 19 and 15 turnovers in back-to-back games and everything started, and we talked about this a lot after the Illinois game. It started with our preparation and how we were going to turn the page and come back in here and get back to work and the guys were very resilient. It started with our scout group. Everything they do it does not go unappreciated by anyone in our program. Those guys come to work every day and they give our guys a great look and it is a matter of time before they get their opportunity, so it starts with those guys. They were phenomenal and made our guys work. We really worked on execution and taking care of the ball. Two-hand passes and jump stops which we did a much better job of this game and seven turnovers I think we had today after what we did on the road it is at least going to give you a chance. We won the glass. We talk a lot about that. That is a big theme for our team.  If we win the glass, we have a pretty good chance to win the game. With all the adversity we have faced this season starting with (Quaran McPherson) going out in the preseason and then you lose Emmanuel (Bandoumel) and you lose Juwan (Gary). Blaise (Keita) still is nursing the ankle. You have to have guys step up. Everybody that stepped on the floor today made a great impact on that win. Jamarques (Lawrence) who our guys rallied around the last game at Penn State. The kid was in tears after the last time we played there because I think a big part of it was the free throws and makes the big shot at the end to kind of put it away and then makes the free throws and just so happy for that kid and how he approaches it every day. When he was out of the rotation early, he kept coming in to get work and made huge play after huge play. Sam (Griesel) had a big steal at the end. They had a great block-out to get himself to the free-throw line and made a big one-in-one after Derrick (Walker) had missed a couple of them. Derrick’s stroke was beautiful it just hit every part of the rim unfortunately on that second one-in-one. I am really proud of the guys for coming back. They showed a lot of grit. We withstood runs. We got off to a fast start which was so important. It is important in these afternoon games and our pace the way we were executing our offense in the first ten minutes was something we need to bottle up and build on and carry that over for the rest of the season.”
 
On when he knew that Tominaga was going to have a good game
“Probably when he hit the one from halfcourt. I think that that was the one where I kind of knew that it was Keisei’s night. He had a great finish in transition, and Jamarques (Lawrence) made a great play on a steal and gave it to Keisei, and he kind of had a circus underhand, up-and-under layup. I think he was seven-for-eight on his two-point shots. People label Keisei as a shooter, but his cutting off of Derrick (Walker), off of (Sam) Griesel, is really impressive, and when teams are hugging him like they were today, and like they always play him, cutting is something that he has to do. CJ (Wilcher) has been a recipient of that as well, cutting to the basket. It was good to see Keisei really get us going early. He did the same thing against Northwestern. Obviously, we didn’t finish that one, but he got off to a great start and sustained it for 40, and did it with cramps. He had cramps in both legs, his back was acting up, and it was fun. The passion the kid has. I was just watching the first eight minutes back in the locker room, and he hit the one three and he was backpedaling, raising the roof, and (Andrew) Funk sprints off and hits a three in his face. Those can’t happen, celebrate after the play, not when we’re going back the other way. I’m never going to try and do anything to take that kid’s passion away. He’s so much fun to root for and coach just because of how much fun he has playing the game.”
 
On how infectious Keisei Tominaga’s energy is with the fans
“It is infectious. You see that when he hits those shots, when he gets to the end of the lane and hits those circus shots, you see the bench go crazy for him, you see his teammates out on the floor. It’s just fun to have a guy play with that much passion and energy.”
 
On seeing Jamarques Lawrence grow more confidence
“The thing I love about it is seeing how much our guys rallied around him. Everyone in that locker room went over there and gave him a hug after that game, and that’s what it’s all about – when you’ve got guys like Juwan (Gary) and you’ve got guys like Emmanuel (Bandoumel) in the locker room before the game, talking to our young guys. We’ve got great leadership on this team. It’s too bad, what happened to our team with the injuries, but those young guys are getting so much valuable experience, and you see Jamarques having an impact, Sam (Hoiberg) is showing that he’s a kid that can go out and make contributions and make plays, Wilhelm (Breidenbach) hit a big shot out there for us, CJ (Wilcher) is a sophomore, he’s a guy that had some good plays for us out there. You don’t see Ramel (Lloyd Jr.), every day in practice and what he’s doing. We’re doing this thing right now with eight or nine guys. You’ve still got Blaise (Keita), who’s going to be a big factor. We have to have him for the Michigan game. His jump numbers are back to where they were pre-injury, finally, after a high-ankle sprain that kept him out. Oleg (Kojenets) will get another chance, as well, so just going out there and fighting, I know our guys will, and hopefully give ourselves a chance. I appreciate the support after a tough road trip, coming back into this building with a full house. The students were awesome, and I think this team has had it all along. It's been one of the more enjoyable groups I’ve coached, and I think they’re an easy team to root for because of how hard they play every time they step on the floor.”
 
On defending Seth Lundy and Penn State as a team
“When a guy gets going like that, you may have to skip a rotation and go to the hot shooter and close out short to the other guy. We ended up going more one-on-one at the end. Sam (Griesel) did a good job on one possession of contesting. (Jalen) Pickett puts you in such a tough position, they screen with the guy they want to get the matchup against, then they get them in the low post, and you’re forced to help or they get a layup. Just gotta rotate, and once we got Lundy out of it then (Andrew) Funk hit a couple. It's what they do, they hit 18 three's a couple times this season. It's pick your poison against this team. One thing we have done and been consistent with is our post doubles. Give Micah (Shrewsberry) credit for what he's doing with this team, they really put you in a tough spot.” 

Nebraska Guard Jamarques Lawrence
On getting Keisei Tominaga going early
“Most of our plays are for Keisei (Tominaga) to get him going. When he's going, you see how that goes. That was the plan.” 

On his three-pointer (with :45 left) to seal the win
“Sam (Griesel) passed me the ball in rhythm, I can shoot those types of shots. It's all about confidence now. Stepped in and knocked it down.”

On snapping the four-game losing streak and what the win today meant
“We still believe in what we can do and what we can accomplish. Those four games, it was rough, but we stayed through it. We needed this win today.”

Nebraska Guard Keisei Tominaga
On when he knew he was feeling it
“Probably the first shot. I think our movement at the beginning of the game was very good. We shared the ball with each other, so that's why I think I got in a rhythm easily.”

On what it meant to score 30 points
“Just keep going."

Penn State Coach Micah Shrewsberry 
On Keisei Tominaga’s performance
“He had 30 points. I know it doesn't look like anything changed, but he does a good job cutting, he does a good job moving. (Derrick) Walker is such a good passer that he can spring off those screens and get shots. He can back cut you and can get shots. We didn't do a good job. We didn't do a good job at all, but I thought he was great. I thought he got into a rhythm early by getting layups. Everything starts to fall from there.”
 
On Penn State’s offensive execution
“There are probably things that we could have done better. We got good shots I thought. We have to do a better job of continuing to attack the rim and get some layups and try and score in other ways where it's not kicking out threes but that's what they force you to do. And I thought they did some things and adjusted and really doubled down, made it hard on (Jalen Pickett) to catch it and score it and switched up some coverages. So hats off to them.”
 
On slowing down Derrick Walker and Sam Greisel
“Walker is just so tough in how he handles the ball, and he makes plays. Seven assists are huge. That's more than the points and the rebounds for him. (Sam) Griesel, he just gets them into their stuff. He stabilizes that team. He's what they need to get everything running. They need all of it together. They need Griesel to stabilize them to give them an offense, they need Walker to make passes or make plays off of the dribble, they need Tominaga’s cutting. It all works together. And I thought all of it was clicking.”
NU Athletic Communications