LAS VEGAS – After trailing by as many as seven points in the first half, Nebraska took control and never looked back in a 79-69 win over Boise State. The Huskers now move onto their first postseason championship appearance in 25 years at the College Basketball Crown.
Here are three of my biggest takeaways from the win and what it means for NU going forward…
RELATED: Nebraska powers past Boise State 79-69 in College Basketball Crown semis
When Nebraska’s regular-season bottomed out with six losses in its final seven games, words like “stagnant” and “sloppy” best described NU’s play.
However, since rallying back from an early double-digit deficit in the first round vs. Arizona State, the Huskers have been clicking on all cylinders.
As usual, Brice Williams (14 points) and Juwan Gary (21) got theirs. The difference on Saturday was that everyone who saw the floor made an impact for the second game in a row.
By the time the final buzzer sounded, all nine Huskers who played had scored in the win. Six of those nine made at least one 3-pointer, and five made two or more free throws. NU assisted on 18 of its 26 made baskets.
On defense, Nebraska held a Boise State team that had averaged 94.5 points over its first two games in Vegas to 69 on 39.7% shooting.
“Guys played very unselfishly,” head coach Fred Hoiberg said. “This was the classic game of everyone who stepped on the floor made an impact.”
Ahron Ulis’s Nebraska career has been filled with one frustration after another. He had to sit out last season due to his involvement in a gambling investigation at Iowa.
Finally eligible again this year, the senior point guard found himself in and out of the rotation after struggling on the court. He played less than 10 minutes in nine of NU’s final 11 regular-season games and didn’t play at all in four games. Ulis also went scoreless in eight of his 27 appearances.
In an opportunity for his team to advance to the College Basketball Crown title on Saturday, Ulis had arguably his best game as a Husker.
The former Iowa transfer finished with eight points – matching his second-highest scoring output of the season – and went 2-of-3 on 3-pointers. He also grabbed five rebounds – three offensive – and dished out two assists without a turnover in his 18 minutes off the bench.
“It feels great going out there and doing whatever I need to do to help my teammates get the win in the end,” Ulis said. “I’m just glad that all my teammates are there supporting me. The key is just staying ready and being ready whenever your name is called.”
Regardless of your thoughts on the inaugural College Basketball Crown, Nebraska’s three-game run in Vegas is its most postseason success in decades.
Sunday will mark the first time the Huskers have played for a postseason tournament championship since the 1996 NIT. This also marks only the third time the program has won three postseason games, joining the NIT runs in 1982-83, 1986-87, and 1995-96.
Saturday put NU at 20 victories on the year, marking its second straight 20-win campaign. The last time that happened was 1997-98 and 1998-99.
All of that could be enough for the Huskers to feel fat and happy about ending their season on a high note. Instead, Gary said he and his teammates remained on bringing home a Crown championship.
“Like Coach (Fred Hoiberg) always says, our best offense is our defense. Once we get the ball off the rim and get a stop or two, we get to playing in a flow. Everybody who was on the court scored the basketball. So, if we keep moving and having great pace and great cuts, nobody in the country can stop us. That’s what we did today. That was one of the best offensive games we’ve had for a long, long time.”
-Senior forward Juwan Gary on Nebraska’s confidence and flow on offense.
