Huskers take Game 1️⃣ | Final: 89-84
— Nebraska Men's Basketball (@HuskerHoops) July 31, 2023
Leading Scorers:@bgotit_ 28 pts@CJWilcher 18 pts + 10 reb@JLawrence10_ 14 pts pic.twitter.com/sIwfwYSA0A
Madrid, Spain - Brice Williams had a game-high 28 points to lead five players in double figures, as Nebraska rallied for an 89-84 overtime win over the Madrid All-Stars Monday evening.
Williams hit 10-of-14 shots from the field, including a trio of 3-pointers, to lead a short-handed attack for the Huskers, who shot 46 percent from the field and hit nine 3-pointers in the win.
C.J. Wilcher added 18 points and 10 rebounds, while Jamarques Lawrence added 14 points, which won the first of three games in Spain this week. NU also got major contributions from redshirt freshman Cale Jacobsen, who had 13 points, nine rebounds and three steals and true freshman Eli Rice, who finished with 12 points, including a pair of 3-pointers.
Williams and redshirt freshman Ramel Lloyd Jr. topped NU with four assists apiece, as five of the nine players who dressed Monday had not played a regular-season game at NU.
Nebraska trailed 74-62 early in the fourth quarter before mounting a 17-2 run to regain the lead. A Rice 3-pointer ignited a 7-0 spurt that pulled NU within 74-69 with 5:01 remaining. NU continued to battle and eventually took a 79-76 lead with 1:44 remaining.
The Huskers led 81-78 with 1:12 left in regulation, but Madrid scored five straight to take an 82-81 lead on a basket Guillermo Mulero with 3.0 seconds left. NU took the inbounds at halfcourt and Lawrence found Jacobsen, who was fouled with 2.4 seconds remaining. The redshirt freshman banked in the first free throw but missed the second to send the game to OT.
Jacobsen and Williams took over in the extra period, combining for all seven Husker points, as Nebraska did not allow a field goal in the five-minute overtime. NU took the lead for good on a Williams basket after NU, which was outrebounded 51-44, kept the possession alive with two offensive rebounds. Jacobsen drew a charge with 1:49 left and then gave NU an 87-82 lead with a 3-pointer on the subsequent possession.
The Huskers, who don’t have a player taller than 6-foot-7 for this trip, forced 20 turnovers and held Madrid to 36 percent shooting. Madrid went 20-of-24 from the line to stay in the game.
The Huskers will play their second game of the trip on Wednesday, when they travel to Valencia, Tipoff for that game is set for Noon (Central).