Huskers Prevail in their First Game in Italy, Defeating Stella Azzurra Academy 87-56

Junior guard/JUCO transfer Jervay Green led the way in scoring for the Huskers with 15 points in their 87-56 win to open their Italian trip on Monday. All 12 Nebraska players who dressed, scored.

Freshman forward Kevin Cross, junior guard Dachon Burke and senior guard Matej Kavas all scored in double digits, scoring 13, 11 and 10 points, respectively.

Nebraska is missing sophomore guard Cam Mack who took ill before the trip and are also reportedly missing freshman forward Akol Arop, who had problems with securing proper documentation for the trip, according to an Omaha World-Herald report.

Nebraska will have Tuesday off to sightsee but will be back in action on Wednesday to take on Lithuanian side, Silute BC. Tip-off for that game will be at 1 p.m. central time.

Read the full recap, courtesy of NU Athletic Comunications, below:

Jervay Green’s 15 points led four Huskers in double figures, as Nebraska opened its Italian Tour with an 87-56 win over Stella Azzurra Academy Monday evening.

Green led a balanced attack that saw all 12 players who dressed break into the scoring column. Freshman Kevin Cross tallied 13 off the bench while Dachon Burke and Matej Kavas added 11 and 10 points, respectively.

The Huskers who spent most of Monday morning walking around and touring Vatican City, got off to a slow start and trailed for most of the first five minutes before Kavas scored five straight points and a Burke basket gave the Huskers an 11-10 lead. The hosts were within 17-14 before Cross’ three-point play sparked an 8-2 NU run, as the Huskers extend their lead to 25-15 at the end of the first quarter.

Nebraska continued to stretch the lead, scoring 18 of the first 21 points of the second quarter to push the lead to 43-18 after six straight points from Green and took a 47-28 lead into the locker room.

In the third quarter, the hosts got to with 17 on two occasions, the last being 54-37, before baskets by Samari Curtis and Kevin Cross pushed the margin back to 21 points and NU led 64-41 at the end of three periods.

Nebraska opened the fourth quarter with an 8-2 run, including 3-pointers from Cheatham and freshman Charlie Easley, to put the lead back to 29 points. NU used its bench for a good portion of the period in posting the 31-point win.

The Huskers will wrap up their stay in Rome on Tuesday before leaving for Florence and a matchup with Silute Basketball Club Wednesday evening (1 p.m. Lincoln time).

(Photo – Kenny Larabee)