Unbeaten Huskers Host No. 15 Creighton

Unbeaten Huskers to Host No. 15 Creighton on Sunday

The Nebraska men's basketball team faces a big early season test on Sunday afternoon, as the Huskers host No. 15/14 (AP/Coaches) Creighton at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Tipoff between the Huskers and Bluejays is set for 3 p.m. and a sellout crowd of well over 15,000 is expected.

The Huskers (7-0) have been off since an 85-72 win over Cal State Fullerton on Nov. 26. Rienk Mast's 19 points and nine rebounds led five Huskers in double figures, as Nebraska moved to 7-0 for the first time since the 1992-93 season. Mast hit three of Nebraska's season-high 12 3-pointers in the win over the Titans while falling one rebound shy of his fourth double-double of the season.  The 7-0 start marks the fifth time in program history that Nebraska has opened the season with seven-or-more wins. A win on Sunday would give NU its best start since 1977-78.

Best Starts in School History
No.	Wins	Year
1.	10-0	1977-78
2.	9-0	1915-16
3.	7-0	2023-24
	7-0	1992-93
	7-0	1984-85

 Mast has been a focal point for the Huskers this season, as the 6-foot-10 center is averaging 14.7 points, 10.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game. Mast, who is second in the Big Ten in both rebounds per game and double-doubles (three), has been in double figures in all seven of Nebraska's games. He showed his versatility in the win over Cal State Fullerton, going 3-of-3 from 3-point range, and he is shooting 35 percent from beyond the arc. 

Mast is one of four Huskers averaging at least 14.6 points per game, as the Huskers enter the weekend ranked fourth in the Big Ten in scoring offense at 81.6 points per game. NU has scored 80 or more points in six of its first seven games and is averaging 85.5 ppg since Juwan Gary returned to action on Nov. 15. 

Creighton (6-1) comes of a 79-65 win at Oklahoma State on Thursday. Baylor Scheierman's 21 points and eight rebounds led four Bluejays in double figures, while CU used a 17-0 run late in the first half to take control of a tight contest.

Numbers to Know
81.6 - Nebraska is averaging 81.6 points per game, which is fourth in the Big Ten as of Dec. 1. The last time NU averaged more points per game in its first seven games was in 1995-96 (89.7 ppg).

9.6 - Nebraska leads the Big Ten with 9.6 3-pointers per game as of Dec. 1. NU has averaged more than 8.0 3-pointers/game twice in program history (2001-02 and 2020-21).

7 - Nebraska has had seven runs of at least 10-0 in the first seven games of the season, including a 20-0 run against Oregon State and 17-0 against Rider. The Cal State Fullerton game was the first time this season that NU did not have a double-figure run. 

2- Nebraska matched a school record with two turnovers in the win over Duquesne on Nov. 22, matching a record originally set in 2013. As of Dec. 1, it ties for the lowest total by a power conference team in 2023-24.

1.71 - Nebraska's assist-to-turnover ratio this season, which is second in the Big Ten and in the top 20 nationally as of Dec. 1. NU's best assist-to-turnover ratio in the last decade is 1.32, set in the 2018-19 season. That season, NU had 9.96 turnovers per game, the lowest average since assists were tracked in 1978-79.

Worth Noting

• The Huskers are 13-3 over the last 16 games dating back to Feb. 1, 2023. A big reason for that is NU's offense, as NU has averaged 77.6 ppg on 48 percent shooting in that stretch. For the first 23 games last year until Feb. 1, NU was at 65.4 ppg and scored 70 or more points seven times. NU has scored 70+ points in 14 of the past 16 games and has scored 80+ six times in seven games this season.
• Nebraska is 20-4 under Hoiberg when scoring at least 80 points including 15-1 over the last three seasons. The only loss was a 104-100 quadruple overtime game at North Carolina State on Dec. 1, 2021. NU has won its last 13 games when reaching the 80-point plateau. 
• Nebraska has won its first seven games by 10 or more points. It is just the second time in over 100 years - the other was in 1991-92 - that the Huskers won seven straight games by double figures. Nebraska has been stout on the defensive end during the early portion of the season. The Huskers are among the Big Ten leaders in points per game (61.9, third), field goal percentage defense (.361, third). 3-point percentage defense (.262, third) and rebound margin (+8.6, fourth).
• Sunday's game features two teams that are among the nation's best in not fouling. Crieghton leads the nation at 9.1 fouls per game, while Nebraska is second in the Big Ten and seventh nationally at 13.1 fouls per game as of Dec. 1
• Nebraska has been exceptional at the foul line in the last two games. The Huskers are 47-of-51 (.922) over the last two games and have posted the two highest single-game percentages in the past five years. NU's 19-of-20 effort against Cal State Fullerton, its best percentage (min. 20 att.) since going 20-of-21 (.952) against Minnesota on Nov. 26, 1995.
• Nebraska had multiple 20-point scorers against Duquesne on Nov. 22 (Keisei Tominaga-23; Juwan-Gary 20) for the eighth time in Fred Hoiberg's five seasons.
• Nebraska is 63-15 (.808) in non-conference games at Pinnacle Bank Arena since the building opened in 2013. NU comes into Sunday's game with a 12-game win streak at home against non-conference foes.  
• NU will look to knock off a ranked Creighton team for the second straight year. NU is 3-12 all-time against teams ranked No. 15 in the AP Poll with wins over Colorado (1996-97), Michigan State (1994-95) and Arkansas (1983-84).
• Nebraska is 3-3 in its last three games against ranked teams dating back to March 1, 2022.
• Nebraska's bench has provided a spark, averaging 26.0 points per game in the first seven contests. The Huskers' leading scorer has come from the bench three times (Hoiberg-Lindenwood; Wilcher-Rider; Gary-Stony Brook), and NU has had at least one double-figure effort from its bench in all seven games.
• Juwan Gary's 20-point effort against Duquesne on Nov. 22 marked the seventh time under Fred Hoiberg that NU had a player score at least 20 points off the bench.
• Another area of significant improvement is reducing turnovers. Through seven games, NU is third in the Big Ten with 9.9 turnovers per game. Last year, the Huskers averaged 13.7 turnovers during their first seven contests.  

Looking at Creighton
Creighton comes to Lincoln with a 6-1 mark after defeating Oklahoma State, 79-65, on Thursday in Stillwater. The Bluejays returned three starters from a team that won 24 games and reached the Elite Eight before falling in the final seconds to San Diego State.  Creighton was picked second in the Big East preseason poll. 

The Bluejays are a potent offensive club, averaging 83.3 points per game while shooting 50 percent from the field and 40 percent from 3-point range. Creighton is among the national leaders in 3-pointers per game (12.0) and has a +10.7 rebound margin. Creighton is led by a trio of veterans in Ryan Kalkbrenner, Trey Alexander and Baylor Scheierman, all of whom average at least 15.0 points per game.  Kalkbrenner, the two-time Big East Defensive Player of the Year, anchors the inside and averages 15.4 ppg on 58 percent shooting and 6.4 rebounds per game. Scheierman averages a team-high 18.6 ppg while shooting 40 percent from 3-point range and averaging a team-high 7.1 rebounds per game. Alexander is at 16.4 ppg and tops CU in assists at 4.4 per outing. 

Series History: Nebraska and Creighton are meeting for the 57th time in series history on Sunday afternoon, as Creighton holds a 29-27 lead. Creighton had won seven straight meetings between 2011 and 2017 before Nebraska snapped the streak in 2018. Creighton then won the next three before NU's win in Omaha last December. Nebraska is looking for consecutive wins in the series for the first time since winning seven straight games from 1990 to 1997.  Sunday's game will be the fifth head coaching matchup between Nebraska’s Fred Hoiberg and Creighton’s Greg McDermott. Besides the last four seasons, Iowa State beat Creighton, 91-88, at the Global Sports Hy-Vee Challenge in Des Moines, Iowa on Nov. 21, 2010.  

Last Meeting: Derrick Walker and Sam Griesel combined for 40 points and 20 rebounds, as Nebraska knocked off No. 7 Creighton, 63-53, at the CHI Health Center on Dec. 4, 2022.  Walker led three Huskers in double figures with a career-high 22 points on 11-of-16 shooting and eight boards, while Griesel added 18 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists. Griesel scored six straight in a decisive run after Creighton cut an eight-point lead to 36-33 with just over 10 minutes remaining. His spurt pushed the Husker lead to nine, as Nebraska shot 52 percent in the second half and withstood a barrage of Bluejay 3-point attempts.  Creighton pulled to within 44-39 after Francisco Farabello's 4-point play, but Griesel came back with a three-point play on the ensuing possession, and Nebraska stretched the lead in the final minutes in picking up its first win over the Bluejays in Omaha since 2004. 

Last Time Out
Rienk Mast’s 19 points and nine rebounds led five Huskers in double figures, as Nebraska improved to 7-0 with an 85-72 victory over Cal State Fullerton on Nov. 26.  Mast led a balanced attack with 19 points on 8-of-12 shooting, including 3-of-3 from 3-point range, as Nebraska improved to 7-0 for the first time since 1992-93 and the fifth time in school history.    Nebraska, which has scored 80-or-more points in each of the last four games, got 17 points from Keisei Tominaga, who hit all five of his shots from the field, including 3-of-3 from 3-point range. Brice Williams (14), Juwan Gary (13) and Jamarques Lawrence (11) all finished in double figures, as Nebraska shot 47 percent from the field, hit a season-high 12 3-pointers and had 18 assists and just nine turnovers.

Finding Balance
Nebraska relied on its depth and balance early in the season. While the Huskers have four players averaging double figures, four others are between 5.0 and 7.4 ppg after seven games. 

• Nebraska has had nine different players reach double figures and have six different leading scorers. Rienk Mast became the first Husker to lead NU in scoring twice with his 19-point effort against Cal State Fullerton. 
• No Husker averages more than 28.5 minutes per game, while 10 Huskers are averaging double figures in minutes. Despite the number of different lineups NU has been forced to use, the Huskers have had at least eight players play double-figure minutes in each of the first seven games. 
• NU has gotten at least one double-figure effort from its bench in each of the first seven contests. The Huskers have gotten over 32 percent of their scoring from the bench over the first seven contests. 

Mast's Massive Night
Rienk Mast put together a strong performance in Nebraska's win against Florida A&M on Nov. 9. The 6-foot-10 forward had game highs of 20 points and 16 rebounds for his first double-double as a Husker. 

• He became the first Husker in the Big Ten era (2011-12 to present) to have a game with at least 20 points and 15 rebounds, and the first Husker to do so since All-Big 12 performer Aleks Maric in 2008. 
• Since 1990, only six Huskers have had games with at least 20 points and 15 rebounds. That list includes Aleks Maric, Kimani Ffriend, Venson Hamilton, Mikki Moore and Eric Piatkowski. 
• Mast’s 16 rebounds were the most by a Husker since Yvan Ouedraogo had 19 rebounds against Northwestern on March 1, 2020, and the second-highest rebound total in Hoiberg’s four-plus seasons at Nebraska.
• Mast enters the weekend in the top-20 in the Big Ten in both scoring (14.7 ppg) and rebounding (10.1 rpg) while averaging 2.9 assists per game. Mast is the only power conference player in the nation - and one of eight players nationally - averaging a double-double with at least 2.5 assists per game as of Dec. 1.

New Faces, New Roles
Nebraska made a big splash in the transfer portal, adding five players to the roster, and their impact is already being felt during the early portion of the season. The group of Josiah Allick (New Mexico), Jarron Coleman (Bradley), Rienk Mast (Bradley), Ahron Ulis (Iowa) and Brice Williams (Charlotte) combined for more than 4,300 points, 2,100 rebounds and 800 assists entering this year.

• Mast is averaging 14.7 points per game while leading the Huskers in rebounding (10.1 rpg) and ranks second in assists (2.9 apg). He is the only power conference player as of Dec. 1 averaging at least 10.0 points, 10.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. Mast currently ranks second in the Big Ten in rebounding and 16th in scoring.  The 6-foot-10 forward has been in double figures in all seven contests - the only Husker to do so - including a 20-point, 16-rebound effort against Florida A&M. He is also third in the Big Ten with three double-doubles this season and has 23 career double-doubles, a total which is 20th nationally and second among active Big Ten players.
• Allick has been a force inside, averaging 7.4 points per game and 5.9 rebounds per game. He is 18th in the Big Ten in rebounds and is a big reason why the Huskers are among the Big Ten leaders in rebounding margin. Allick has three double-figure efforts this season, including 12 points, seven rebounds and five assists vs. Duquesne.
• Williams has started all seven contests and is 18th in the Big Ten in scoring at 14.6 points per game, while chipping in 4.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game. The 6-foot-7 guard has been in double figures six times this season, highlighted by a 25-point effort in the win against Oregon State on Nov. 17 and a 17-point, nine-rebound, four-assist effort against Stony Brook on Nov. 15. Williams is 97 points away from 1,000 points for his career. 
• Coleman has come off the bench in all seven contests and is second on the team in assists at 2.9 per game while posting a 1.8-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio. 

Improved Board Work 
One area where Nebraska has made significant improvement is on the glass. The additions of Rienk Mast, Josiah Allick and Brice Williams along with the return of Juwan Gary have made the Huskers formidable on the glass.

• Nebraska has a +8.3 rebound margin through seven games to rank fourth in the Big Ten. Last season the Huskers were 11th in rebound margin (-1.0).
• NU had a positive rebound margin (+3.1) prior to Juwan Gary's season-ending injury last January. Gary was second on the team in rebounding (6.5 rpg) and 15th in the Big Ten in that category on Jan. 10. Over the final 16 games of the 2022-23 season, NU was outrebounded by 5.1 rebounds per game. 
• Mast (MVC) and Allick (Mountain West) both ranked second in their respective conferences in 2022-23 in rebounding, while Williams was 15th in Conference USA. In addition, Mast led the MVC in rebounding during the 2021-22 season. 
• NU out-rebounded four straight opponents by at least 10 boards from Nov. 9-18, the first time that happened since the first four games of the 2004-05 season.

Tominaga Returns to All-Big Ten Form
Nebraska's lineup has been boosted by the return of fifth-year senior Keisei Tominaga, who missed NU's first two games with an ankle injury. He is tied for third on the team in scoring at 14.6 ppg while shooting 51 percent from the field and 40 percent from 3-point range.

• Over his last four games, Tominaga is averaging 16.0 points per game while shooting 62 percent from the field and 47 percent from 3-point range.
• Tominaga has a season-high 23 points in NU's win over Duquesne on Nov. 18, his 11th career 20-point game. That effort was highlighted by going 9-of-10 from the foul line.
• He comes off a perfect shooting performance against Cal State Fullerton on Nov. 26, as he went 5-of-5 from the field, including 3-of-3 from 3-point range, and 4-of-4 from the foul line.   Prior to Tominaga, the last player to have at least 15 points on a perfect shooting night was David Rivers at Michigan State on Jan. 13, 2013 (8-8 FG, 1-1 3Pt, 1-1 FT).  According to Sports Reference, it was one of seven performances in 2023-24 where a player had least 15 points on a perfect shooting night. Of those seven, only three are against Division I opponents, including two by power conference players. 

Power Conference Players with at Least 15 Points on Perfect Shooting

Player	Opponent	Date	FG	3Pt	FT	Pts
Olivier Nkamhoua  (Mich.)	Youngstown State	Nov.10	7-7	1-1	2-2	17
Keisei Tominaga (Neb.)	Cal State Fullerton	Nov. 26	5-5	3-3	4-4	17

Tominaga was named to the preseason All-Big Ten team, becoming just the third Husker to receive the honor since Nebraska joined the conference in the 2011-12 season.  Last season, he averaged 13.1 points per game on 53 percent shooting, including 40 percent from 3-point range, while appearing in all 32 contests.  Tominaga led the Huskers in 3-pointers with 66 and was one of only six players nationally to average double figures and shoot 50 percent from the field, 40 percent from 3-point range and 85 percent from the foul line.  During Big Ten play, he led NU in scoring at 14.2 ppg to rank 15th in the conference while also ranking among Big Ten leaders in field goal percentage (.512, seventh) and 3-pointers per game (2.3, sixth) as he shot 41 percent from beyond the arc. He had seven 20-point games during Big Ten contests, including a career-high 30-point effort against Penn State.