HUSKER MEN'S BASKETBALL: Nebraska Bounces Back to Edge North Dakota

Nebraska’s Juwan Gary (4) and Josiah Allick (53) defend against North Dakota’s B.J. Omot (20) in Wednesday night’s men’s basketball game at Pinnacle Bank Arena. (Courtesy of Nebraska Athletics)

LINCOLN–(KFOR Dec. 20)–The Nebraska men’s basketball team found themselves down 14 points in the second half and rallied back to defeat North Dakota 83-75 Wednesday night at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

It was the largest comeback for the Huskers since overcoming a 17-point deficit to Wisconsin last season. The largest comeback this season for Nebraska was seven points in the win against Michigan State.

On Wednesday night, the Huskers hit 11 three-pointers and got a team-high 16 points from C.J. Wilcher, who was 4-of-6 from three-point range. Juwan Gary had a double-double for Nebraska, with 12 points and 12 rebounds. However, the Huskers were outrebounded by North Dakota 42-38.

Nebraska head coach Fred Hoiberg after the game said he was pleased to see Wilcher get going off the bench.

” I thought he had patience in there to get some shots at the basket but CJ coming off and he’s been shooting like that in practice and just a matter of time before he had a game like this where he was knocking down shot,” Hoiberg said.

One player missing from the Nebraska lineup was center Rienk Mast, who was out with a knee injury.

““Rienk had some swelling in his knee last week a couple days before the Kansas State game, and got a scan on it just to figure out the best treatment option for him, and they found a little loose piece of cartilage in there. The decision was made to play the Kansas State game,” Hoiberg said.

That loose piece of cartilage was done through surgery, according to Hoiberg, where a decision was made to have the procedure done between his staff, Mast and the doctors. Hoiberg said he was very happen with how the procedure went.

“He’s got very minimal swelling, he’s moving around really well. He actually walked on the treadmill today, a little bit faster than my treadmill workout that I did this afternoon, but overall hopefully we’ll get him back,” Hoiberg said of Mast.

Coaches are hopeful that Mast will be back in early January.

Aside from Wilcher and Gary scoring in double figures, Nebraska also got double-digit scoring performances from Josiah Allick (10), Jamarques Lawrence (14), Keisei Tominaga (14) and Brice Williams (12).

North Dakota (8-5) got a game-high 22 points from Tyree Ihenacho, 21 points from B.J. Omot and 13 points from Treysen Eaglestaff.

The Huskers are now 10-2 on the season and are back in action Dec. 29 hosting South Carolina State for a 6:30pm tip off on Big Ten Plus.