Nebraska (9-0) used a strong start to each of the halves to dominate in-state rival Creighton (5-4) 71-50. An early first-half explosion from the Huskers kept the Bluejays at arms length. The Huskers kept it rolling in the second-half with an all-around performance.
Rienk Mast put up another 20 point effort and former walk-on Sam Hoiberg added 15 points on an efficient 6-of-10 shooting. NU's defense stifled CU throughout the whole game, holding them under 40 points until the final few minutes of the game.
Nebraska has now won 20 straight non-conference games and have a 13 game win streak dating back to the Crown Tournament last season. It is tied for the Huskers' 2nd longest win streak in school history.
Here is an instant recap from the Huskers thrashing of the Bluejays....
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Nebraska has shown inconsistent starts so far this season. However, the Huskers used a key 13-0 run early in the first-half to assert dominance.
Mast began his night grabbing the first points of the game with a left-handed layup aided by a Berke Büyüktuncel screen at the top of the paint. Creighton's Jasen Green knotted it on the following possession, signaling the makings of a back-and-forth affair. By the second media timeout, the Huskers had eliminated that threat.
Nebraska continued on a 13-0 run. Jamarques Lawrence had five points to lead the run. Braden Frager and Pryce Sandfort added assistance with 3-pointers of their own. Despite the run, the Huskers struggled from the field for most of the rest of the half.
Both teams struggled in the first-half, limiting scoring. Creighton shot an abysmal 6-of-32 from the field and 14.3% from 3-point range. The Bluejays missed their first seven 3-point attempts, with the first coming from Grand Island native Isaac Traudt, who ended the Huskers' run with his make.
Nebraska had its own issues shooting in the first 20 minutes. The Huskers shot 37% from the field and 6-of-15 from long range aided by making their last three attempts in the half. Alarmingly, they also left five points at the free-throw line shooting 7-of-12 for the half. Coming into the game, the Huskers were shooting the ball at a 72.4% clip from the line, which was 13th-best in the Big Ten.
The Huskers heated up at the end of the half with a mini-run. Nebraska went on a 13-5 run to close the half by making those three 3-pointers. Hoiberg, Mast and Lawrence all made shots from long range to give their team a 33-19 lead at halftime.
The Huskers mirrored their strong start from the first-half to begin the second. Nebraska immediately applied pressure to a struggling Bluejays offense with a run to start the second-half. Sandfort got the scoring started with a layup, followed by a Mast mid-range jump shot.
Nebraska continued on a 14-6 run. Mast brought Pinnacle Bank Arena to life with a sequence of 3-pointers to give the Huskers a 44-22 lead with 18 minutes to play. Hoiberg tossed in five points during the run, and Büyüktuncel continued his strong performance with a basket and multiple rebounds.
Büyüktuncel flew under the radar in the first half with six rebounds. When he subbed out for the first time in the second half, he hyped up the crowd with his six points and nine rebounds. He finished the game with double-digit rebounds.
Nebraska reached the 50-point mark with a three-point play from Frager, but it was the Huskers' defense that shined. NU forced more than 10 turnovers and kept Creighton in uncomfortable shooting situations throughout the game. Nebraska entered Sunday averaging 7.4 steals per game, which was good for fourth in the Big Ten. Sandfort had three steals on his own, and the Huskers totaled seven as a team.
The physicality of Nebraska's defense kept Creighton from finding any groove on offense. The Bluejays finished the game under the 20% mark from beyond the arc. With six minutes to play, Creighton was still under 40 points. Hoiberg grabbed a steal, finished the layup and assisted a Mast 3-pointer to propel the Huskers to a 55-37 lead.
The Huskers kept the momentum rolling, facing next to no threat from the Bluejays. Mast led all scorers with 20 points. Hoiberg added 15, and Sandfort finished with 13.
Now 9-0, Nebraska will begin Big Ten play. NU will play host to Wisconsin on Dec. 10 at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Tip-off is scheduled for 8:01 p.m.