Tominaga Scores 22 Points in Loss to Northwestern

Keisei Tominaga paced the Huskers with 22 points, but Nebraska was unable to keep up with Ty Berry and Northwestern, as the short-handed Huskers fell to the Wildcats 78-63 Wednesday evening. 

 

Tominaga racked up 22 points, his second 20-point effort of the season, on 9-of-17 shooting for the Huskers. True freshman Jamarques Lawrence added a career-high 12 points, including four three-pointers, which ties the most three-pointers made by a Husker this season.

 

In all, the Huskers (10-11, 3-7 Big Ten) hit nine 3-pointers and shot 47.2 percent from the field, but Northwestern shot 52 percent and enjoyed a 35-23 advantage on the boards.

 

Berry notched career-highs in points (26) and three-pointers made (6), as Northwestern (14-5, 5-3 Big Ten) posted its second win in three days. Boo Buie added 17, while Chase Audige chipped in 15 points, as Northwestern took control with a 21-5 spurt in the final eight minutes of the first half.

 

Nebraska used the hot hand of Tominaga in the first half, as the junior guard had 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting from the floor, as the Huskers shot 50 percent from both the field and 3-point line in the opening 20 minutes. Nebraska trailed 22-16 but used a 9-0 run over a 1:40 span to take a 25-22 lead after Denim Dawson’s 3-pointer. The Wildcats came right back with an 8-0 spurt, including back-to-back 3-pointers from Berry to build a 30-25 lead.

Nebraska chipped the deficit to 33-30 on a Derrick Walker basket with 4:37 left in the half, but Berry’s 3-pointer started a 10-0 run for the Wildcats, who took a 13-point lead into the locker room.

Berry had 21 first-half points on 8-of-9 shooting, including 5-of-5 from the 3-point line, as Northwestern shot 55 percent, including 8-of-15 from 3-point range in the opening 20 minutes.

Nebraska got the Wildcat lead down 46-35 with 18 minutes left, but Northwestern responded with a 14-2 run of its run to push the lead to 23 with 12:51 left. The Huskers made one last run, using a 9-0 spurt to get to within 68-56 on Derrick Walker’s basket with 4:12 remaining, but could not get closer.

The Huskers return to action on Saturday, Jan. 28, as Nebraska travels to Maryland. Tipoff is set for 3:30 p.m. central and the game will be carried on BTN and the Husker Radio Network.