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Nov. 24, 2002
Huskers Drop Tough Contest To Ball State, 73-65
Fairbanks, Alaska -- Playing its final contest of the Top of the World Classic, the Nebraska men 's basketball team saw a six-point half-time lead slip away as the Huskers fell to Ball State, 73-65, here Sunday.
NU junoir guard Nate Johnson scored a season-high 23 points, including 17 in the second half, to pace the Huskers. Johnson hit 7-of-17 from the floor and 8-of-9 from the charity stripe, as Nebraska was limited to 35.4 percent shooting from the floor.
The Huskers held a six-point advantage at the break and extended the lead to 10 points, 39-29, when Jake Muhleisen hit a layup with 16:56 to play. Nebraska, which limited Ball State to just 25.9 percent shooting in the first half, saw BSU use a 14-5 run to cut the lead to one, 44-43, on a Cameron Echols’ layup with 8:55 remaining.
Echols hit 5-of-8 shots in the second frame while Chris Williams scored 22 points after the intermission before finishing with a game-high 27 points. Williams hit three three-pointers in the game, including 2-of-3 after the break as BSU hit five treys to get back into the game.
Nebraska came out
strong in the opening frame, as the Huskers opened a seven-point lead,
13-6, less than five minutes into the contest. The Huskers limited BSU
to just seven first-half field goals before taking a 31-25 lead into the
locker room.
Corey Simms, who made his first career start Sunday, added five points
and seven rebounds, tying Wesley Wilkinson for the team rebounding lead.
Nebraska returns to action Sunday, Dec. 1, in the Huskers’ home opener
against Texas-San Antonio. The game will tip off at 2:05 p.m. and can
be heard on the Pinnacle Sports Network.
Source: University of Nebraska Athletic Dept.