The Nebraska Cornhuskers faced a 16-point deficit inside a hostile Bloomington Assembly Hall on Saturday, and their unbeaten start to the season looked in danger of ending against a plucky Indiana Hoosiers defense. The No. 10 Cornhuskers mounted a stirring comeback led by guard Jamarques Lawrence, who dropped a career-high 27 points to win 83-77.
The contrast between the Cornhuskers’ first half, where they managed to shoot 40% and did not score from the free throw line, and the second half, where they shot 48% and went 11-of-14 from the charity stripe, was the difference between their first loss of the season and a breathtaking win.
Nebraska Coach Explains His Team’s Resiliency This Season
Nebraska is just one of five undefeated teams remaining in Division I basketball, alongside Miami (Ohio), Vanderbilt, Iowa State, and Arizona. The Cornhuskers have been pushed to the limit, overcoming huge deficits, cold shooting, and beating top-tier opponents like the No. 16 Illinois Fighting Illini on the road and the No. 12 Michigan State Spartans at home.
During his postgame news conference after beating Indiana, Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg detailed his team’s resiliency, which has allowed them to overcome various game conditions and remain unbeaten.
“That’s a gutty win by our guys,” Hoiberg said. “And you know, you go down 16, you have adversity. You’re coming off two really emotional games. Find a way to bounce back and get another big one. We did have a great start. That’s what we talked about coming into this one.”
“It’s what has allowed us to survive the other two road wins against Illinois and against whoever the hell else we had. But the resolve of this team, it just keeps showing up. That’s what we talked about in the locker room. We had seven deflections in the first five minutes, and then it was non-existent for a while and then we got going again.”
The Cornhuskers are 5-0 in conference play for the first time since the 1965-1966 season. They are on a 20-game winning streak, stretching back to last season’s College Basketball Crown Championship, and cementing their impressive form as consistent rather than a fluke.
The win against the Hoosiers represented the fifth Quadrant One win of their remarkable season. With the added motivation of not having reached the Final Four since 2017, the top seed looks even more tantalizing for the Huskers as the season heats up and the NCAA Tournament approaches.
The Cornhuskers will face the Oregon Ducks next on Jan. 13 at 9 pm ET.
