Jackson Leads Texas Tech Past Huskers

Lincoln, Neb. ? Texas Tech's Jarrius Jackson scored a career-high 41 points and had an answer for every Nebraska run as the Huskers fell to the Red Raiders, 70-64, Saturday at the BobDevaneySportsCenter.

 

Jackson hit 15-of-23 shots from the field, including 5-of-7 from behind the arc for the Red Raiders (14-12, 6-6 Big 12). Freshman guard Jamel White led three Huskers in double figures with 18 points. Senior guard Jason Dourisseau added 15, while sophomore center Aleks Maric poured in 15 points and added a team-high nine rebounds for NU (16-9, 6-6 Big 12).

 

Texas Tech led for most of the second half and every time Nebraska made a run, Jackson was there to answer for the Red Raiders. He answered a Husker score five times in the final 15 minutes of the game to either tie the game or give Tech a lead. After junior Charles Richardson Jr. handed Nebraska its first lead of the second half with a 3-pointer at the 14:29 mark, Jackson answered with a jumper to tie the game at 45-45.

 

With the game tied 47-47 with 12:00 left, Jackson gave the Red Raiders a lead with a layup. Jackson then stepped up by hitting a trio of 3-pointers on four possessions. After junior Marcus Perry hit a trey to give the Huskers a 52-51 lead, Jackson answered with a 3-pointer of his own. Jackson then hit a 3-pointer two possessions later to put Tech back in front. He then gave the Raiders a lead they would never relinquish with a 3-pointer at the 4:09 mark that put Tech up 60-57.

 

Nebraska twice pulled to within one at 62-61 and 64-63, but the Huskers did not hit a field goal of the final 1:52 seconds and Tech used solid offensive possessions and clutch free-throw shooting to close the game on a 6-0 run.

 

Texas Tech led 35-31 at the break, despite Nebraska leading for much of the opening half. After a Texas Tech 3-pointer to open the game, Maric picked up right where he had left off last Wednesday at Iowa State by scoring back-to-back buckets to give the Huskers a 4-3 lead. He then drew a double team and dropped off a perfect backdoor pass to senior Jason Dourisseau for a layup that capped a quick 6-0 Husker spurt.

 

Nebraska used another 6-0 run to take a 14-7 lead with senior forward Wes Wilkinson and White knocking down 3-pointers. White added his second 3-pointer of the game to give the Huskers a 17-10 lead with 12:45 remaining.

 

Dourisseau gave Nebraska a 23-16 lead when he scored a layup after a beautiful behind the back pass from Wilkinson. Tech cut the lead to 23-22 with 4:36 left after the Red Raiders scored six straight points. Dourisseau sank one-of-two free throws to end the run, but Jackson gave the Red Raiders their second lead of the game when he hit a 3-pointer on Tech’s next possession.

 

The teams traded leads in the closing minutes of the first half before a traditional Jackson single-handedly pushed the Raiders into the lead. A three-point from Jackson with 28 seconds remaining gave Texas Tech a 33-31 lead before he stole the ball on a second straight possession and gave the Red Raiders a 35-31 lead at the half with a layup.

 

 

At halftime, the 1990-91 Husker squad took the court for a 15-year anniversary celebration. As part of the celebration, Eric Piatkowski has his No. 52 jersey retired and a new banner was unveiled in the rafters on the north side of the court. 

 

The Huskers remain at home for a mid-week contest with Colorado on Wednesday at the DevaneyCenter. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.