Huskers Rally Past Red Raiders in Two Overtime Thriller

Lincoln, Neb. --- Nebraska staged an 18-0 run in the second half to rally from a 10-point deficit and help force overtime, then turned to senior guard Sek Henry in the second overtime session as the Huskers outbattled the Texas Tech Red Raiders for a thrilling 83-79 win at the Bob Devaney Sports Center Saturday afternoon.

The Huskers, who were down by 14 points in the first half, trailed by 10 with 11:53 to play, but chipped it all away and surged ahead to an eight-point lead during a 5:26 stretch in the second half. However, the Red Raiders would not go easily as they responded with a 10-2 run at the end of regulation to force overtime. After Tech missed a shot to win the game at the buzzer in the first overtime, Henry secured the win for the Huskers with seven straight points for NU in the final overtime frame.  

The win snapped a seven-game conference losing streak for NU (14-15, 2-12) and a three-game losing streak at home. The Red Raiders, dropped their fifth straight game and fell to 4-10 in Big 12 play, 16-12 overall.

The 14-point deficit overcome was the second-largest deficit Nebraska has erased in the Big 12 era, trailing only the 20-point deficit NU overcame against Kansas State in 1997. NU also overcame a 13-point deficit against Texas Tech in Lubbock in coach Doc Sadler's first season at the helm when Charles Richardson Jr. hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer for the victory.

The contest was just the fourth multiple overtime game in the building's history, improving Nebraska to 4-0 in multiple overtime games and 19-5 overall in overtime contests in the Devaney Center. It was the third multiple overtime game at home in the Big 12 era and first since a 2005 win over Kansas State.

Before they could even think about overtime, each team had to answer a double-digit run by the other in the game's first 40 minutes.

The Red Raiders reeled off a 17-0 run midway through the first half to take what looked like a commanding lead and momentum into the second half. Nebraska then surged ahead in the second period before Tech came back to go up 69-64 with 2:44 in the first overtime period on a Mike Singletary jumper.

Freshman Brandon Ubel, who played an instrumental role in the Huskers' 18-0 run in the second half, then converted an old-fashioned 3-point play to draw the Huskers within two, 69-67. After a defensive stop for the Big Red, Henry hit a 3-pointer with 1:39 left to give the Huskers a 70-69 lead. Tech's John Roberson hit two free throws to take back the lead, and Lance Jeter hit 1-of-2 free throws with seven seconds left to force double overtime.

With the game again tied at 73-73, Henry connected on a jumper, then sank a 3-pointer and answered a Roberson 3 with two free throws to put the Huskers in front for good at 80-76 with 1:51 remaining. After a Jeter free throw, Tech's Nick Okorie drained one of his six 3-pointers to cut the lead to 81-79 with 38 seconds left. But Jeter iced the game with two free throws with 17 seconds remaining to account for the final margin.

Henry led NU with a career-high 21 points, including 12 in the two overtime periods. Brandon Richardson had 15 points and Ubel contributed a career-high 14 points. Ryan Anderson, the fourth Husker in double-figures, had 12 points and a team-high eight rebounds as the Huskers topped the 50-rebound mark for the first time in four years. Nebraska won the battle on the boards by a 52-43 margin, including holding an 18-11 edge on the offensive glass.  

With Tech in control of the game at 47-37, thanks in large part to its 17-0 run in the first half and a 7:14 scoring drought by the Cornhuskers, the Huskers began to turn the tide. Ubel started the flurry with an old-fashioned three-point play. Then Anderson nailed a 3-pointer, Jeter drilled two free throws and Richardson connected on three free throws after being fouled on a 3-point attempt, giving Nebraska a 48-47 lead with 8:55 to play. It was the Huskers' first lead since the 9:01 mark of the first half.

Henry then rebounded a missed shot by Richardson and laid it in for a three-point cushion. After a Tech timeout, Ubel hit a 3-pointer to extend the lead to six and Quincy Hankins-Cole followed with a offensive putback, his only basket of the game, to make the score 55-47 with 6:27 to play.

Nebraska again led by eight, 60-52, with 4:34 left thanks to Ubel's second 3-pointer of the game. But Okorie then scored five of his career-high 28 points and Brad Reese tied the game at 60-60 with his third 3-pointer of the contest. Henry hit two free throws and D'walyn Roberts scored in the paint to tie the game at 62 before Richardson missed a fade-away shot from the corner as the horn sounded to force the extra periods.

The dramatic ending didn't seem to be in store early on as both teams got off to a sloppy start. The Huskers missed their first four field goals and turned the ball over three times in the game's first three-and-a-half minutes, while the Red Raiders also missed four shots to open the game.

NU opened up a 19-16 lead at the 10:02 mark on a layup by Richardson, but the Huskers would then enter a lengthy scoring drought, as they went the next 7:14 without a point. In the meantime, the Red Raiders reeled off 17 straight points, jumpstarted by Reese's nine points in a row. With the Red Raiders in control, 33-19, Richardson finally ended the drought with a layup at the 2:48 mark to crawl within 12.

Richardson followed that with a 3-pointer from the corner to pull NU within nine, and a Jorge Brian Diaz jumper with 29 seconds left in the half pulled the Huskers within 34-26 heading into the locker room. Tech pushed its lead to 47-37 on a Singletary field goal with 12:06 to play, setting up NU's crowd-stirring comeback and the exciting finish.

The Huskers' home stand ends Tuesday, March 2, when Colorado comes to the Bob Devaney Sports Center for Nebraska's senior night. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m., with television coverage provided by Fox Sports Midwest.