Lincoln — Jervay Green and Ivan Ouedraogo combined for 12 points in overtime, as Nebraska rallied for an 93-86 win over Southern Friday night at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
Ouedraogo got the Huskers (2-2) going with two early baskets in the extra session, including a dunk which ignited a 10-0 spurt in the extra period, while Green hit a pair of 3-pointers to help the Huskers build a 10-point cushion and hold on. Nebraska went 4-of-5 from the floor in overtime.
Green finished with a season-high 22 points, including 4-of-6 from 3-point range, and six assists to lead four Huskers in double figures. Ouedraogo finished with a season-high 11 points for Nebraska, which shot 58 percent from the field, but went just 19-of-37 from the foul line.
Cam Mack totaled 16 points and eight assists, while Matej Kavas came off the bench with 10 points, including a trio of 3-pointers for the winners, as NU set season highs in both 3-pointers (12) and 3-point percentage (57.1),
The win overshadowed an outstanding performance from Southern’s Micah Bradford, who led all scorers with 31 points, including 6-of-11 from 3-point range, before fouling out in overtime. Darius Williams also had a double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds for the visitors.
Southern erased a 70-65 deficit and led 80-79 after a Williams basket with 33.9 seconds left and had two chances in the final seconds of regulation after Jervay Green’s free throw tied it at 80 with 15.6 seconds left.
Bradford missed on a contested jumper, but the rebound was tipped and went out of bounds with 2.1 seconds left. Montese Blake’s 3-point attempt was contested by Cam Mack and missed to force overtime where NU finally put the Jaguars away.
In the first half, the Huskers used their best 3-point shooting of the season to take a 40-38 lead into the break. The Huskers went 7-of-12 from 3-point range, as Kavas and Green combined for five 3-pointers for the Big Red.
Leading 20-17, the Huskers went on a 13-4 spurt behind the shooting of Kavas, who hit a trio of 3-pointer in the spurt, the last giving the Huskers its largest lead of the half at 33-20.
Southern came roaring back, using a 18-2 run behind the play of Bradford, who scored 10 of his 13 first-half points in the spurt, as the Jaguars led 38-35 after a trio of Ashante Shivers free throws with 1:13 left in the half. The lead would be short-lived, as Nebraska closed the half with five straight points.
Southern, which shot just 34 percent in the first half, hit its first five shots from the field, turning a 42-38 deficit into a 51-46 lead after a Lamarcus Lee basket with 15:23 left in regulation. The Jaguars eventually stretched the lead to eight points twice, the last being at 59-51 before the Husker bench keyed the comeback.
Thorir Thorbjarnarson came off the bench and drilled two straight 3-pointers as part of seven straight points, as the Huskers sliced the lead back to one. NU would eventually regain the lead at 62-61 on a Green free throw with 8:25 left.
The Huskers seemingly regained control with six unanswered points, turning a one-point deficit into a 70-65 lead after a Mack basket with 5:30 left, but the visitors responded with seven straight points of their own to take a 72-70 lead after Burns’ basket with 4:08 remaining.
The Huskers return to action on Monday when they take on Washington State in the first round of the Cayman Islands Classic. Tipoff is set for 6:30 p.m. and will be carried on the Husker Sports Network and available online at FloHoops.com.
