Nebraska
No. 15 Nebraska’s offense picks up in second half to put away UND
LINCOLN, Neb. — No. 15 Nebraska found itself in a rock fight with UND at halftime on Sunday evening.
The Cornhuskers shot 28.1% from the field, barely worse than the Fighting Hawks’ 31.3%, and trailed by two points.
It didn’t take long for the Husker offense to find its rhythm in the second half, though.
Undefeated Nebraska (12-0) pulled away quickly for a 78-55 win at the Pinnacle Bank Arena, shooting 63.3% in the second half.
The Huskers found scoring from across the lineup, as four different players notched 12 or more points. Forward Braden Frager led the way with 17 points.
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UND fell to 5-10. The Hawks will close up non-conference play next Sunday, hosting Dakota State.
The Hawks ended the day shooting 33.3%. They actually were better from beyond the arc than from the field, shooting 34.5% from deep with 10 triples.
Senior guard Eli King scored a team-high 13 points. Freshman forward Marley Curtis contributed 10 points and six rebounds after missing last Thursday’s game against Winthrop.
Redshirt sophomore guard Zach Kraft did not play against Nebraska. He was out due to illness, according to the broadcast.
King started hot, nailing two 3-pointers as UND jumped out to an 8-2 lead.
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The Hawks clung onto a slight advantage for the entire first half, leading by as much as nine points. By halftime, they led the Huskers 26-24.
Nebraska, which entered Sunday’s contest averaging 11.2 3-pointers per game, shot 2-for-18 from beyond the arc in the first half.
The Huskers ripped off a quick 6-0 to start the second half, capturing a 30-26 lead.
UND counterpunched with a layup from freshman guard Anthony Smith III and a triple from senior guard Garrett Anderson for a one-point advantage.
That was the last time the Hawks led. Nebraska responded with a 13-1 run, and its lead slowly ballooned as the second half progressed.
The Huskers made a concerted effort to push the ball inside. They made just four triples, content to create easy field goals and force contact by attacking the rim.
Nebraska was 12-for-13 from the stripe in the second half.
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Staff reports and local scoreboards from the Grand Forks Herald Sports desk.