LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Freshman Bryce McGowens scored 29 points, including nine in a furious late rally, and Nebraska turned aside Sam Houston 74-65 on Friday night to avoid a second-straight upset to start the season.
Alonzo Verge Jr., who fnished with 13 points and seven assists, came off the bench with Nebraska (1-1) trailing by a point to quickly score a second-try layup that turned into a three-point play, then drove for another layup off a Trey McGowens block, sparking the Huskers 22-12 finish over the final 8:20.
Bryce McGowens scored nine of his points in the finishing run, including a pretty alley-oop from Verge, and Trey McGowens scored six of his eight points in the last 5:40. The Huskers had fallen 75-74 to Western Illinois to open the season.
Eduardo Andre had personal bests of 11 points and seven rebounds for Nebraska.
Savion Flagg scored 31 points, including five 3-pointers, and pulled down 11 rebounds to lead Sam Houston. He was the only Bearkat to finish in double figures. Sam Houston led for a long stretch of the first half, by as many as 10 in each half and kept the Huskers at bay until there were about 11 minutes left.
The game saw four ties and four lead changes with Sam Houston making two more field goals than Nebraska and hitting 9-of-30 from behind the 3-point arc to the Huskers 4-of-22.
The Bearkats sank 8 of 16 free throws to Nebraska’s 26 of 36 — the most by a Husker team since the 2017-18 season.
The Huskers turned the ball over 11 times but Sam Houston managed just eight points off the takeaways while Nebraska scored 18 points off as many Sam Houston turnovers.
Bryce McGowens 29 points are tied for second-most by a Husker freshman, and one behind the 30 posted by Tyronn Lue
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