Nebraska secured its 20th consecutive home victory, handing No. 15 UCLA its first loss in Big Ten play with a score of 66-58 on Saturday. Brice Williams led the Cornhuskers with 16 points, while Andrew Morgan contributed 12 points off the bench.
The Cornhuskers, boasting a record of 12-2 and 2-1 in the Big Ten, matched the school’s home win streak record.
Midway through the second half, Nebraska seized the lead and successfully fended off the Bruins, who held a record of 11-3 and 2-1 in the conference.
As the game neared its end, UCLA narrowed the gap to 61-58 in the final 30 seconds. However, Sam Hoiberg’s two crucial free throws and Juwan Gary’s block of Dylan Andrews’ layup were pivotal in securing the victory for Nebraska.
Tyler Bilodeau led UCLA’s efforts with 15 points, while Lazar Stefanovic added 10. Sebastian Mack, who scored nine points, made his first start of the season in place of the sidelined Eric Dailey Jr.
The Bruins struggled from beyond the arc, shooting just 14.3% on three-pointers (4 of 28), marking their worst performance in that area since a previous loss to Ohio State.
Takeaways
UCLA: This game marked the Bruins’ most challenging offensive outing of the season, occurring during their first Big Ten match outside the West Coast.
Nebraska: With this victory over a ranked opponent, the Huskers positioned themselves close to breaking into the AP Top 25 for the first time since the 2018-19 season.
Key moment
Andrew Morgan, the Huskers’ impactful reserve, energized the team with a 3-point play, followed by a steal at halfcourt and a reverse layup that secured Nebraska’s lead with 14:45 remaining.
Key stat
During a critical stretch in the second half, UCLA managed only two field goals in an eight-minute span, allowing Nebraska to transform a one-point deficit into a double-digit lead.
Up next
UCLA will host Michigan on Tuesday, while Nebraska is set to visit Iowa on the same day.
