HUSKER MEN’S BASKETBALL: Roby Has Double-Double, As Nebraska beats Northwestern

By KENT WOLGAMOTT
Associated Press

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) – Isaiah Roby had 19 points, 16 rebounds and blocked five shots to help Nebraska pull away late to beat Northwestern 59-50 on Saturday night.

Nebraska (15-11, 5-10 Big 10) has won consecutive games since snapping a seven-game skid. Northwestern (12-13, 3-11) has lost six straight.

The Cornhuskers trailed just once in the last 35 minutes of the game, but they never led by more than seven until it went up 50-41. Glynn Watson Jr.’s layup with 4:36 left. Watson’s 3-pointer on their next possession gave the Huskers a 53-41 lead, capping an 11-0 run.

Northwestern clawed back to take a 36-35 lead on Dererk Pardon’s hook shot with 14:27 left as Nebraska hit just three of its first 15 second-half shots. But the Huskers responded with a Roby 3-pointer and a Tanner Borchardt follow shot to go back up by four.

The Wildcats repeatedly cut the lead to one. Then saw Nebraska’s defense, which switched from man-to-man to 1-3-1 zone force six turnovers in a five-minute stretch to trigger the 11-0 run.

Nebraska got the win despite shooting just 33 percent from the field. The Huskers outscored Northwestern by six from the free-throw line and had just one more field goal and one more 3-pointer than the Wildcats, who shot 35 percent.

James Palmer Jr. had 13 points and six assists for Nebraska. Watson finished with 12 points.

Vic Law led Northwestern with 15 points. Pardon had 13 and Anthony Gaines had 10.

ALSO READ: Husker women’s basketball team upsets No. 24 Michigan State.