Huskers Blow by Cyclones in Second Half

Lincoln ? Ade Dagunduro tied his career-high with 24 points and the Nebraska men’s basketball team sent Dagunduro and the rest of the senior class out in style, as the Huskers ran past Iowa State in the second half for a 77-61 win on Senior Night inside the Bob Devaney Sports Center.

With the win in the final regular-season home game of the season, Nebraska improved to 17-11 overall and 7-8 in the Big 12 Conference. The Huskers picked up their 14th home victory of the season thanks to an efficient offense that shot 52.0 percent from the field and produced its highest Big 12 point total at home this season.

Dagunduro highlighted the offense outburst by tying his career high with 24 points to lead four Huskers in double figures. Dagunduro hit 9-of-15 shots from the field while also grabbing six rebounds. Fellow senior Steve Harley scored 10 points, while Cookie Miller added 14 and Ryan Anderson hit three 3-pointers to finish with 11. Sek Henry enjoyed a balanced night offensively, finishing with eight points, four assists and a career-high nine rebounds.

Craig Brackins did his best to keep Iowa State (14-16, 3-12) in the game, as he scored 25 points and grabbed 13 rebounds before fouling out with 2:07 to play.

Nebraska led by just three at halftime before outscoring the Cyclones 43-30 in the second half. The turning point in the game was a 10-minute stretch where the Huskers outscored ISU 23-6. Brackins pulled Iowa State within two with 15:02 to play, but by the 5:46 mark, NU had stretched the lead to 68-49, the largest margin of the game.

While that 10-minute stretch propelled the Huskers to victory, the first half was much tighter, featuring six ties and seven lead changes. Both teams shot well in the opening period as the Huskers hit 51.9 percent of their shots, while Iowa State shot 55.6 percent from the field.

In the opening minutes of the game Brackins nailed a jumper and Lucca Staiger drilled a 3-pointer to give Iowa State an early 5-0 lead. Brackins and Staiger were the Cyclones' only offense early, as they combined to score ISU's first 16 points.

Anderson got Nebraska on the board with a 3-pointer and he nailed another trey to cap a 10-2 run that put the Huskers in front 10-7 at the 14-minute mark. Brackins and Staiger then scored six straight points over the next minute to put Iowa State back in front by three.

The Cyclones continued to hold the lead until Dagunduro hit a basket to put the Huskers on top 20-19 with 6:47 to play in the half. A free throw and a goaltending call put Iowa State back on top before Nebraska scored six straight points to take a 26-22 lead.

Iowa State answered with seven straight points to take a three-point lead with two minutes remaining in the half. Harley ended the run and a three-minute Husker scoring drought with a 3-pointer that tied the game at 29 with. Harley then banked in another trey as the shot clock expired on Nebraska's next possession. The Huskers then picked up a steal and Dagunduro laid in the final basket of the half as time expired to give Nebraska a 34-31 halftime lead.

The Cyclones quickly regained the lead in the first two minutes of the second half, as Staiger hit his fourth and fifth 3-pointers of the game to put Iowa State in front 37-34. Anderson and Miller then hit consecutive 3-pointers to ignite a 7-0 Husker run that gave NU a 43-39 lead and the Huskers would never trail again.

During the decisive 23-6 run that followed, Nebraska scored six straight points twice, while also adding a run of eight consecutive points. After Brackins ended Iowa State’s five-minute drought without a field goal, the Huskers scored six straight points to move in front 60-47. Following another Iowa State basket, Nebraska scored eight straight points to take a 68-49 lead with less than six minutes remaining.

Iowa State closed the gap to 69-57 with three minutes remaining, but the Cyclones never got closer than 12 the rest of the way.

Nebraska closes the regular season on Saturday, when the Huskers head to Waco, Texas, for battle with the Baylor Bears.