Tominaga scores 19, Nebraska beats No. 1 Purdue for 1st win over top-ranked team in 41 years
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg had a single word to describe the Huskers biggest win in 40 years, Tuesday’s 88-72 upset of No. 1 Purdue.
Hoiberg called it “incredible.”
“I’m just so proud of the guys for coming out and getting off to a really good start,” he said. "This is a huge win for our program, to come out here and knock off what I think is the best team in the country. It shows us what we’re capable of doing.”
Nebraska (13-3, 3-2 Big Ten) last defeated a No. 1 team 41 years ago, when it beat top-ranked Missouri 67-51. The Huskers last win over a No. 1 in Lincoln was a 74-73 victory over Michigan in 1962.
No. 2 Houston also lost on Tuesday, 57-53 to Iowa State, the first time since Feb. 26, 2022 when the No. 1 and No. 2 team lost on the same day during the regular season. That year it was Gonzaga and Arizona that went down. It is the eighth time since the 2009-2010 season that the top two teams have lost on the same day in the regular season.
The Huskers got the win, Hoiberg said, with the fast start fueled by forward Rienk Mast, who scored Nebraska’s first seven points and led the defense that locked down Purdue’s Zach Edey, who had just two points in the first half.
“It doesn’t get much bigger than this one, the No. 1 team, the reigning National Player of the Year,” Mast said. “I just see that as a challenge and luckily, the shots were going in in the beginning and gave the team a little spark and everybody started believing.”
Nebraska built an 11-point halftime lead by holding Purdue scoreless for the final 3 1/2 minutes of the first half, scoring 13 unanswered in a run that began with a pair of 3-pointers by Keisei Tominaga and ended with seven straight from Sam Hoiberg, the coach’s son.
“That was the difference in the game,” Purdue coach Matt Painter said of the Nebraska halftime lead. "We had a couple good fights there in the second half to where pulled within single digits and one time we got it to two, then they pushed it right back to double digits.”
Purdue hit its first four 3-pointers of the second half as it sliced the Nebraska lead to 51-50 on Braden Smith’s free throws with 13:51 left. But the Huskers countered with a 14-2 run to go up by 13 on C.J. Wilcher’s 3-pointer with 11:52 remaining.
The Boilermakers surged again, cutting the Nebraska lead to 68-62 on Lance Jones’ driving layup with 9:09 left. The Huskers responded with a 3-pointer by Wilcher that started a 20-10 game ending run.
Nebraska fans stormed the floor at the buzzer, Hoiberg got doused with water both on the court and off, and the Huskers relished the rare win over the top ranked team.
“It was huge, man, a great thing to see,” Wilcher said. “To be a part of this game, just see the growth of our program, to be a part of this is a great experience. It’s kind of like full circle from where we came from my first year. It was great. It was dope. I’ve never experienced that kind of game.”
BIG PICTURE
Purdue: The Boilermakers continued a long-running pattern Tuesday by losing when they have more than 12 turnovers. Purdue turned it over 14 times against the Huskers.
Nebraska: The Huskers are now 24-4 when scoring more than 80 points under coach Fred Hoiberg. Nebraska is 19-6 over its last 25 games dating to Feb. 1, 2023.
UP NEXT
Purdue: Hosts Penn State on Saturday.
Nebraska: Travels to Iowa on Saturday night.
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Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
20:00 | (Boilermakers gains possession) | |||
19:55 | Braden Smith turnover (bad pass) | |||
19:46 | +3 | Rienk Mast makes three point jump shot (Juwan Gary assists) | 0-3 | |
19:17 | Lance Jones misses three point jump shot | |||
19:15 | Brice Williams defensive rebound | |||
19:13 | Brice Williams offensive foul | |||
19:13 | Brice Williams turnover (offensive foul) | |||
18:54 | Jamarques Lawrence shooting foul (Fletcher Loyer draws the foul) | |||
18:54 | +1 | Fletcher Loyer makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 1-3 | |
18:54 | +1 | Fletcher Loyer makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 2-3 | |
18:34 | +2 | Rienk Mast makes two point layup (Jamarques Lawrence assists) | 2-5 | |
18:19 | Fletcher Loyer misses three point jump shot | |||
18:17 | Trey Kaufman-Renn offensive rebound | |||
17:59 | Trey Kaufman-Renn turnover (lost ball) (Juwan Gary steals) | |||
17:59 | Cornhuskers 30 second timeout | |||
17:36 | Zach Edey blocks Rienk Mast's two point jump shot | |||
17:34 | Trey Kaufman-Renn defensive rebound | |||
17:21 | Zach Edey misses two point jump shot | |||
17:19 | Brice Williams defensive rebound | |||
17:13 | Keisei Tominaga misses two point jump shot | |||
17:11 | Trey Kaufman-Renn defensive rebound | |||
16:56 | Braden Smith misses three point jump shot | |||
16:54 | Zach Edey offensive rebound | |||
16:49 | Zach Edey turnover (out of bounds) | |||
16:39 | +2 | Rienk Mast makes two point layup (Brice Williams assists) | 2-7 | |
16:19 | Fletcher Loyer misses two point jump shot | |||
16:17 | Keisei Tominaga defensive rebound | |||
16:10 | Juwan Gary misses two point jump shot | |||
16:08 | Juwan Gary offensive rebound | |||
16:08 | Trey Kaufman-Renn shooting foul (Juwan Gary draws the foul) | |||
16:08 | Juwan Gary misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
16:08 | +1 | Juwan Gary makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 2-8 | |
15:49 | Fletcher Loyer misses three point jump shot | |||
15:47 | Juwan Gary defensive rebound | |||
15:36 | Keisei Tominaga turnover (bad pass) | |||
15:36 | TV timeout | |||
15:18 | Zach Edey turnover (lost ball) (Brice Williams steals) | |||
15:10 | Official timeout | |||
14:54 | Brice Williams misses two point jump shot | |||
14:52 | Zach Edey defensive rebound | |||
14:45 | Fletcher Loyer turnover (Sam Hoiberg steals) | |||
14:34 | Juwan Gary turnover (bad pass) (Fletcher Loyer steals) | |||
14:23 | Josiah Allick personal foul (Zach Edey draws the foul) | |||
14:18 | +3 | Braden Smith makes three point jump shot (Ethan Morton assists) | 5-8 | |
13:50 | Brice Williams misses two point jump shot | |||
13:48 | Braden Smith defensive rebound | |||
13:38 | +3 | Mason Gillis makes three point jump shot (Braden Smith assists) | 8-8 | |
13:28 | Josiah Allick turnover (bad pass) | |||
13:13 | Zach Edey misses two point hook shot | |||
13:11 | Rienk Mast defensive rebound | |||
12:53 | +2 | C.J. Wilcher makes two point cutting layup (Rienk Mast assists) | 8-10 | |
12:33 | Braden Smith misses two point jump shot | |||
12:31 | Cornhuskers defensive rebound | |||
12:17 | Ethan Morton shooting foul (C.J. Wilcher draws the foul) | |||
12:17 | +1 | C.J. Wilcher makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 8-11 | |
12:17 | +1 | C.J. Wilcher makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 8-12 | |
12:04 | +3 | Mason Gillis makes three point jump shot (Braden Smith assists) | 11-12 | |
11:59 | Braden Smith personal foul (Sam Hoiberg draws the foul) | |||
11:59 | TV timeout | |||
11:35 | Rienk Mast misses three point jump shot | |||
11:33 | Caleb Furst defensive rebound | |||
11:08 | Mason Gillis misses two point layup | |||
11:06 | Caleb Furst offensive rebound | |||
11:05 | +2 | Caleb Furst makes two point layup | 13-12 | |
11:05 | Sam Hoiberg shooting foul (Caleb Furst draws the foul) | |||
11:05 | +1 | Caleb Furst makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 14-12 | |
10:53 | Keisei Tominaga misses three point jump shot | |||
10:51 | Lance Jones defensive rebound | |||
10:42 | Lance Jones turnover (Juwan Gary steals) | |||
10:38 | Jamarques Lawrence turnover (bad pass) | |||
10:23 | Mason Gillis misses three point jump shot | |||
10:21 | Camden Heide offensive rebound | |||
10:13 | +2 | Camden Heide makes two point layup | 16-12 | |
9:53 | +2 | Rienk Mast makes two point driving layup (Keisei Tominaga assists) | 16-14 | |
9:31 | +3 | Mason Gillis makes three point jump shot (Camden Heide assists) | 19-14 | |
9:10 | +2 | Rienk Mast makes two point driving bank hook shot | 19-16 | |
8:49 | Mason Gillis misses three point jump shot | |||
8:47 | Rienk Mast defensive rebound | |||
8:32 | Rienk Mast misses three point jump shot | |||
8:30 | Caleb Furst defensive rebound | |||
8:22 | Juwan Gary shooting foul (Mason Gillis draws the foul) | |||
8:22 | Mason Gillis misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
8:22 | +1 | Mason Gillis makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 20-16 | |
8:22 | +1 | Mason Gillis makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 20-16 | |
8:03 | +3 | Keisei Tominaga makes three point jump shot (Brice Williams assists) | 20-19 | |
7:44 | Keisei Tominaga personal foul (Zach Edey draws the foul) | |||
7:44 | TV timeout | |||
7:42 | +2 | Zach Edey makes two point dunk (Fletcher Loyer assists) | 22-19 | |
7:20 | Brice Williams misses two point jump shot | |||
7:18 | Zach Edey defensive rebound | |||
7:05 | Josiah Allick personal foul (Zach Edey draws the foul) | |||
7:05 | Zach Edey misses regular free throw 1 of 1 | |||
7:05 | Brice Williams defensive rebound | |||
7:05 | Brice Williams defensive rebound | |||
6:41 | Zach Edey blocks Rienk Mast's two point layup | |||
6:39 | Zach Edey defensive rebound | |||
6:29 | Braden Smith misses three point jump shot | |||
6:27 | Brice Williams defensive rebound | |||
6:27 | Zach Edey personal foul (Brice Williams draws the foul) | |||
6:05 | Juwan Gary misses two point jump shot | |||
6:03 | Fletcher Loyer defensive rebound | |||
5:39 | Zach Edey misses two point hook shot | |||
5:37 | Trey Kaufman-Renn offensive rebound | |||
5:32 | +3 | Fletcher Loyer makes three point jump shot (Ethan Morton assists) | 25-19 | |
5:19 | +3 | Rienk Mast makes three point jump shot (Keisei Tominaga assists) | 25-22 | |
4:51 | Fletcher Loyer misses two point jump shot | |||
4:49 | Brice Williams defensive rebound | |||
4:45 | Keisei Tominaga misses two point layup | |||
4:43 | Cornhuskers offensive rebound | |||
4:38 | +3 | Keisei Tominaga makes three point jump shot (Brice Williams assists) | 25-25 | |
4:13 | +3 | Mason Gillis makes three point jump shot (Fletcher Loyer assists) | 28-25 | |
3:44 | +2 | Juwan Gary makes two point layup (Rienk Mast assists) | 28-27 | |
3:44 | Zach Edey shooting foul (Juwan Gary draws the foul) | |||
3:44 | TV timeout | |||
3:44 | +1 | Juwan Gary makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 28-28 | |
3:31 | Juwan Gary shooting foul (Fletcher Loyer draws the foul) | |||
3:31 | +1 | Fletcher Loyer makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 29-28 | |
3:31 | +1 | Fletcher Loyer makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 30-28 | |
3:17 | +3 | Keisei Tominaga makes three point jump shot (Sam Hoiberg assists) | 30-31 | |
3:01 | Fletcher Loyer misses three point jump shot | |||
2:59 | Boilermakers offensive rebound | |||
2:49 | Lance Jones misses three point jump shot | |||
2:47 | Cornhuskers defensive rebound | |||
2:33 | +3 | Keisei Tominaga makes three point pullup jump shot (Brice Williams assists) | 30-34 | |
2:21 | Lance Jones turnover (Sam Hoiberg steals) | |||
2:16 | +2 | Sam Hoiberg makes two point running layup | 30-36 | |
2:15 | Boilermakers 30 second timeout | |||
2:00 | Brice Williams personal foul (Trey Kaufman-Renn draws the foul) | |||
2:00 | Trey Kaufman-Renn misses regular free throw 1 of 1 | |||
2:00 | Jamarques Lawrence defensive rebound | |||
1:51 | Ethan Morton personal foul | |||
1:45 | +3 | Sam Hoiberg makes three point jump shot (Keisei Tominaga assists) | 30-39 | |
1:25 | Mason Gillis misses three point jump shot | |||
1:23 | Sam Hoiberg defensive rebound | |||
1:06 | +2 | Sam Hoiberg makes two point driving reverse layup | 30-41 | |
0:50 | Mason Gillis misses three point jump shot | |||
0:48 | Jamarques Lawrence defensive rebound | |||
0:27 | Rienk Mast misses two point hook shot | |||
0:25 | Trey Kaufman-Renn defensive rebound | |||
0:02 | Ethan Morton misses three point jump shot | |||
0:00 | Jamarques Lawrence defensive rebound | |||
0:00 | End of period |