Sparty goes crazy with 16 threes to stun Cornhuskers

Wednesday, March 1, 2023
Nebraska's Sam Griesel had 12 points and eight rebounds on Senior Nigh Tuesday against Michigan State.
Scott Bruhn/Nebraska Communications

LINCOLN, Neb. — Keisei Tominaga totaled a team-high 20 points to lead four Huskers in double figures, but Michigan State erupted for 12 3-pointers in the second half to erase a 14-point deficit in a 80-67 win.

Tominaga hit 7-of-10 shots, including four 3-pointers, en route to his eighth 20-point game of the season, while freshman Jamarques Lawrence added a career-high 15 points in a losing effort.

Seniors Derrick Walker (13) and Sam Griesel (12) also finished in double figures, as Nebraska shot 51 percent from the field, but could not withstand Michigan State's sharp-shooting in the second half

Nebraska built a 14-point lead in the opening minutes of the second half, but Michigan State (18-11, 10-8 Big Ten) opened the second stanza by hitting its first five 3-pointers to trim the lead to 48-45 after Malik Hall's 3-pointer with

just under 15 minutes remaining.

Nebraska would run off seven straight points to take a 55-45 lead after Tominaga's fourth 3-pointer of the game with 14:01 left, but MSU would take control from there. The Spartans used a 15-1 run to regain the lead at 60-56 after consecutive 3-pointers from Tyson Walker and Joey Hauser

Hauser led MSU with 20 points, including 6-of-11 from long distance, while Walker added 19 for the Spartans. A.J. Hoggard finished with a double-double with 10 points and 14 assists, as MSU shot 68 percent in the second half, including 12-of-17 from 3-point range.

Nebraska got to within 63-60 after Derrick Walker's basket with 5:23 left, but MSU used a 12-1 spurt to put the game out of reach, as Tyson Walker scored seven straight points to push the lead to 14, at 75-61.

The first half was all Nebraska, as the Huskers shot 58 percent in the opening 20 minutes to build a 38-26 halftime lead.

Lawrence and Tominaga keyed a big first half run, as Nebraska used a 17-2 spurt to break open a 10-all tie and build a 27-12 lead after five straight points from Tominaga. NU led by double figures the final 8:29 of the half and led by as much as 15 before taking a 12-point lead into the locker room.

MSU struggled from the field in the opening 20 minutes, connecting on just 28 percent from the field, including 4-of-12 from 3-point range.

The Huskers close out the regular season Sunday afternoon as the Huskers travel to Iowa. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. and the game will be televised on BTN and carried on the Huskers

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