Postgame Notes

• With the 80-74 overtime win over No. 18 Illinois, Nebraska improved to 3-2 against ranked opponents this season. NU has three ranked wins in a season for the first time since 2013-14.
• The win snapped a nine-game losing streak to Illinois dating back to 2018-18, as the Huskers tied the all-time series between the two programs in Lincoln (6-6).
• Nebraska improved to 1-1 in overtime games this season. The Huskers snapped a two-game overtime losing streak, posting their first overtime victory since an 80-72 win over No. 6 Wisconsin at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Feb. 1, 2024.
• The Huskers never trailed and led for a total of 39:30.
• Fred Hoiberg earned his 31st career victory over a ranked team.
• Nebraska committed only six turnovers in the game, including just one in the first half. The Huskers did not turn the ball over for the first 15:26 of the game.  The six turnovers tied for Nebraska’s fewest of the season, as the Huskers also had six turnovers against North Florida on Dec. 1.
• Nebraska forced 17 Illinois turnovers, which marked the second-most turnovers by the Illini this season.
• NU was plus-nine in the turnover department, its best mark in Big Ten play this season and its third-best margin of the season overall.
• The Huskers held a 44-28 advantage in points in the paint. Nebraska is just the second team this season to outscore Illinois by 15 or more points in the paint.
• Brice Williams scored a game-high 27 points, his ninth 20-point game of the season and the 25th of his career. Williams scored eight of his 10 points in overtime, as he personally outscored Illinois 8-4 in the extra period.
• Williams made 10 field goals in the game, tying his season high and marking the fourth time this season he has made 10 field goals.
• Along with his 27 points, Williams added eight rebounds and four assists. His eight rebounds were a season high, and his four assists were his third-highest total of the season.
• Juwan Gary had 13 points, eight rebounds, three steals and two blocks. Gary reached double figures for the 12th time this season, and his two blocks tied his season high, and his three steals were his second-highest total of the season.
• Connor Essegian scored 14 points off the bench, the 11th time he has scored in double figures this season and the 10th time he’s reached double figures off the bench. Nebraska’s bench was outscored 34-21.
• Nebraska used its sixth different lineup of the season, as Rollie Worster returned to the starting lineup. It was Hoiberg’s second straight start for the Huskers and third in his career. 

Head Coach Fred Hoiberg

On toughness from the team
“Obviously they got a ton of offensive rebounds, that’s what they do, they lead the nation in rebounding. I was disappointed in a couple of those where we didn’t finish off the possession. I think (Tre) White had five offensive rebounds at halftime, five of their ten. Those other guys we did a pretty solid job on, and then in the second half, some of those 50/50 plays – we’ve got to find a way to finish off those possessions. I thought we kept playing, some of those other ones, we’d give up an offensive rebound and then give up an open three. We kept rotating and contesting, and made a couple big stops late. We got the ball to the right guy, we wanted to get the ball in Brice’s (Williams) hands, and he made a couple phenomenal plays.”

On getting that winning feeling back
“It wasn’t crazy in there, guys are obviously very happy. Winning sure as hell beats losing. It was a business-like approach. The guys know we have to get over it quickly, if we don’t, it’s going to affect us in our game in Oregon and it’s not going to be pretty. We can’t have a hangover effect. We’ll put a game plan together, we’ll do some station work tomorrow. We can’t put a lot of impact on their bodies with the overtime game, but we’ve got to get over this quick. Everybody is going to have to be ready. Braxton (Meah) is going to have to be ready on this trip, all of our guys. Cale (Jacobsen) gave us a couple of really good minutes. Gavin’s (Griffiths) got to be ready. Ahron (Ulis) gave us good minutes out there as well when Rollie (Worster) picked up his second foul, so that’s what it’s all about is going out there and making winning plays when your name is called. We had a lot of guys that made big plays over the course of that 45 minute game.”

On Brice Williams and Juwan Gary getting the team back on track
“Those two guys, they’ve helped us win a lot of games these last couple years. Brice was playing as well as anybody in the league when you look at the early portion of the non conference schedule and the first couple games of league play, and I thought he got back to that tonight. He was aggressive and he took his shots with no hesitation. I thought he guarded better, he rebounded. He got five defensive rebounds. I was just really pleased with Brice and how he responded. We’ve had a tough couple of days, and we knew how big this game was for us to hopefully end this slide. It’s important for us now after losing a couple of home games at some point in these last ten, we’re going to have to steal some road games. Get over it quick, and hopefully go out there and play well, play with effort, and give ourselves a chance.”

Senior guard Brice Williams

On tonight’s response
“It was our two best practices leading up to this game. It was focus, intensity and just getting back to us. We didn't shoot the ball too well tonight, but our defense kept us in the game. We reached most of our goals tonight. We had to wake up, and tonight we woke up.” 

On what he got going in overtime
“I actually didn't feel like I had it going, I didn't make shots throughout the game. When the game was on the line, I realized I had to be aggressive and take it to them, whether it was to score or to create, and it showed up in the last few minutes. The last few buckets were crucial.” 

Senior forward Juwan Gary

On the pressure to step up
“We didn’t come back just for a downfall season. Us two in particular, guys are going to follow us for sure, where we lead, how we lead, they're going to follow us. They’re going to look toward us for guidance. When me and Brice (Williams) go out there with the mindset of focus, the intensity, the juice of who we actually are, then the other three, five, or ten guys are going to chip in. We definitely saw that tonight. Andrew (Morgan) made some key plays, Connor (Essegian) made some key shots, Sam (Hoiberg) made some key shots. Everybody contributed today. Like Brice said, we’ve had the two best practices that we’ve had in a very long time. We got the recipe, so if we go away from it, we get crazy. We know we didn’t make shots today, at the end of the day, we’re a defensive team. Our heart knows who we actually are, that’s our identity, so we got that done tonight too. But this is a start for us, we know what we have to do. We’re going to take it on the road and capitalize on it.”

On responding to adversity
“It’s what we've been going through. A six game losing streak is all the adversity we need. When they make a run, what's the point of hesitating or even folding? We have been doing that the past seven games. We harp all day in practice, we know they are going on a run, they have a great team, they have great players, a great head coach. At the end of the day we can withstand the grinds. No matter how many runs they go on, two runs, three runs, at the end of the day we have to shut them down. That's what we did. We rang that bell. We answered the bell and we shut down. We got three stops when we actually needed them at the time. It was difficult sometimes, (Will) Riley and their point guard, they were going for sure, but at the end of the day, they are hoopers. They are going to score the basketball. It was a tough challenge, but we faced it. We conquered it and came out with a W.”

Illinois Head Coach Brad Underwood

On the team’s performance
“It was a great fight to come back. I give Nebraska a lot of credit. I thought they had the best player on the court in Brice (Williams). For the most part, you can’t turn it over. I write on the board every game, 10 turnovers or less. You cannot turn it over on the road. We repeatedly made scouting report mistakes tonight that we hadn’t made. They’ve shot 100 more free throw attempts at home than they have on the road. I thought our defense had a chance early, but we just put them to the line. It’s one of the big discrepancies with them home and away, is their free throw attempts. They’re through the roof at home and not so much on the road. They played great, we fought back. Our bench was terrific. I thought Tre White was outstanding with 13 rebounds. Without Tomi (Tomislav Ivisic) we’re really thin up front. We kind of had to slop our way through the first half with some really different lineups but give them credit. 

On the lack of offensive ball movement
“It stunk, it was terrible. That’s part of the problem with not having Tomi (Tomislav Ivisic). That’s one of the things that we need to get figured out, because I have no idea when we get him back. But they do a good job. There’s a reason they’ve beaten Purdue as much as they’ve beaten Purdue. They do a great job with their low holds, taking away post ups. When we did try to throw it to Morez (Johnson Jr.) on rolls, the results weren’t great. We told our team, you really can’t throw them there. It’s their defensive scheme. If you slip your guards, which we’ve been really good at, there’s a low hold there, and it’s just tough sledding. It’s why you take 50 threes, and we didn’t make very many of them.”