Tominaga has big second half, scores 28, Nebraska ends 7-game skid against Indiana 86-70

Jan 4, 2024, 04:46 am

LINCOLN, Neb. -- — Keisei Tominaga scored 18 of his season-high 28 points in the second half, including 16 in less that five minutes, and Nebraska pulled away to defeat Indiana 86-70 on Wednesday night.

Tonimaga was 6-of-9 shooting, hitting 3 of 6 3s as the Cornhuskers outscored the Hoosiers 45-37 in the second half to end a seven-game losing streak in the series.

Brice Williams added 15 points for the Huskers (12-2, 2-1 Big Ten Conference), who are 12-2 for the first time since the 1990-91 season. Jamarques Lawrence had 12 points and C.J. Wilcher 11.

Kel'el Ware had 20 points and 10 rebounds for the Hoosiers (10-4, 2-1), who had a three-game winning streak end. Malik Reneau added 14 points and Trey Galloway had 10.

Nebraska took the lead for good on a Sam Hoiberg layup about seven minutes in and Wilcher followed with a 3-pointer to make it 18-13 after a 7-0 run. The lead got to 10 before the Hoosiers got a couple late free throws to make it 41-33 at the half.

Wilcher had 11 points and Tominaga 10 at the break. Both teams had 13 field goals, but Nebraska had four 3s and was 11 of 15 from the foul line while the Hoosiers hit a pair behind the arc and were 5 of 7 at the line.

That trend continued in the second half when Nebraska was 8 of 16 from 3-point range and ended up turning 19 Indiana turnovers into 27 points.

Williams hit a 3-pointer to put the lead in double figures for good at 58-47 with 12:48 to play and Hoiberg followed with three free throws. Then Tominaga took over.

The 6-foot-2 senior guard from Japan, who averages 12.7 points a game, twice hit 3-pointers when the Hoosiers got within 11, the first coming with just under 10 minutes to play. He followed the second with three free throws and then Williams drilled a 3 to make it 73-53. Tominaga sandwich two layups around a 3-pointer and the lead was 80-58 with 5:23 to go.

Indiana hit three 3s down the stretch.

Nebraska's next two games are against ranked teams, at No. 21 Wisconsin on Saturday and home against No. 1 Purdue on Tuesday. Indiana is home Saturday against Ohio State.

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