Rutgers answered the bell on Wednesday night, overcoming a 12-point deficit in the second half to emerge with an 87-82 overtime win over Nebraska in a hard-fought battle.
Down 63-51 with 8:22 left in the game, Rutgers pulled off the impressive comeback and were the better team in overtime.
As the Scarlet Knights improved to 10-7 (2-4 Big Ten) on the season, they were led on the night by Aundre Hyatt and Mawot Mag. That talented duo combined for 37 points and came through in overtime. Two free throws from Hyatt made it an 83- 79 game with less than a minute left in overtime, giving the Scarlet Knights a lead they would not relinquish.
Additionally, Rutgers dominated in the paint, scoring 34 points while only allowing 24. Their play in the paint was key as Rutgers slowly put the game out of reach.
BIG CLIFF ‼️🔨😤#TheKnighthood🛡️⚔️ | @wizcliff77 pic.twitter.com/mvwkiSRdKK
— Rutgers Men’s Basketball 🏀 (@RutgersMBB) January 18, 2024
While the Cornhuskers hard work went unrewarded, they still had some strong performances on the road. Those include the play of Brice Williams, who led the way offensively with 22 points. It marked the first time since he reached the 20-point mark since November 18. He got some help from Keisi Tominaga, who added 16 points.
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Although Rutgers was far from perfect, they showed a lot of grit in this game. They were able to wear down the Cornhuskers and end their losing streak in conference play.
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Rutgers will get a chance to build on their success on Sunday when they take on No. 14 Illinois. On the season, Illinois is playing well and currently is 12-4 (3-2 Big Ten).