Nebraska Postgame Notes
- Nebraska shot 51.8 percent from the field, including better than 50 percent in each half. The 51.8 field goal percentage was the Huskers’ highest mark in Big Ten play this season and marked the sixth time Nebraska has shot better than 50 percent this year.
- The Huskers were 8-of-18 from beyond the arc, as their 44.4 percent 3-point shooting was their fourth-highest mark of the season and second-best mark in conference action.
- Bryce McGowens scored 13 points, his 10th consecutive game in double figures. McGowens is the first freshman in program history with 10 consecutive games scoring in double figures.
- Alonzo Verge Jr. led Nebraska with 18 points – including 14 in the second half – for his 20th double-figure effort of the season.
- Verge also added seven assists, five rebounds and four steals. His four steals tied his career high, and Verge’s seven assists were his second-most in Big Ten play this season.
- C.J. Wilcher scored 14 points, his 11th double-figure effort of the season and his second-highest scoring game in conference play.
- Trey McGowens scored nine points – all in the first half – for his second-highest scoring game of the season.
- Derrick Walker narrowly missed a double-double with 10 points and eight rebounds. Walker was 5-of-6 from the field against the Hawkeyes.
Nebraska Head Coach Fred Hoiberg
On Iowa's 11-0 run in the second half
“We went 0-4 in that stretch and had three turnovers. A couple of those I thought were good shots. Offensive rebounds were obviously a huge factor in the second half. I thought we had our two best rebounding games were the previous two (games). I thought we were solid in the first half and then it’s what they’ve done. They had 20 rebounds against Ohio State and double digits against both Michigan and Michigan State. They’ve been very good and very effective in creating second-chance opportunities. When you give them that many extra chances, they’re going to sting you because of how high powered their offense is. You’ve got to find a way to finish off the possession. You can’t turn it over and you can’t give them extra bullets like we talked about the other day. I thought the first half the energy was off the charts. We went out and really guarded. For the most part until the last minute and a half, we had a nice lead. Guys that we were okay with shooting stung us tonight.”
On the team’s fight
“I thought our fight was phenomenal really all game long. We have those three-to-four minute stretches where teams go on those runs against us. Tonight had nothing to do with effort. We had a couple turnovers. We’d done a pretty solid job of taking care of the basketball and then we go three possessions in a row. That’s when they stretch it and open up the lead, but the fight was there. There’s no doubt about that so I was proud of the guys for coming out there in the last home game. The crowd was absolutely phenomenal. I am so thankful and blessed I have a group that continues to come out and support our team as poorly as this season went. There’s very few schools that would have this type of support if you have the type of season that we did. They won’t show up, but we filled the building tonight. They’d been here for us all year long and I can’t tell you how much that means.”
On how he keeps the team morale up
“The key is just continuing to come out and work. Our guys have shown up to practice every day and come in with a workman-like attitude. It’s just unfortunate we couldn’t find a way to close a couple of those early in the season which is so important in gaining confidence for your team. It’s hard. You’ve got to find a way to win close games and we have not done that this year.”
Iowa Coach Fran McCaffery
On Tony Perkins’ career-high 20 points:
“I am really proud of him. He had five early and then went to the bench. They were really crowding (Jordan Bohannon) and Keegan (Murray) in the first half so it was important we make some threes. Connor and Patrick (McCaffery) made five so that was a game changer. Tony (Perkins) got back in. I started him in the second half, and I thought his aggressiveness both on the glass driving the ball pull-up jumpers. It was great to see him knock in two three's and play with that kind of confidence. That is the kind of team we have. Any given night you do not know who is going to do what. You think about Kris Murray in the first half he was pretty much non-existent and a dominant player in the second half on both ends. It says a lot about our team.”
On the next step for Nebraska’s development:
“Well the thing that has been impressive to me about this particular team is they keep fighting. I mean they fought hard today. They shared the ball. They had a bunch of guys they had four guys in doubles and one guy with nine. They can hurt you in a lot of ways. I have not seen any quit in them. Credit to Fred (Hoiberg) and his staff and to the players because they have been so close. Overtime with Ohio State and the road game at Michigan I thought they had that one. They are typically really good here. We recognized how hard we were going to have to play how well we were going to have to play to win.”
On Connor McCaffery:
“I am incredibly proud and thankful for his contributions on so many different levels. He is so well-respected in that locker room. Young guys love him and he is really good for them. To see him feeling better physically and producing the way he is capable. I think it was really important to him and to Jordan Bohannon in particular that we take this team to the NCAA tournament. Everybody expects a big dip when you lose the National Player of the Year and another NBA player and these guys said ‘We’ll be fine.’ We have work to do still, but Connor is right in the middle of it and I could not be more proud.”
NU Athletic Communications