MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Derrick Walker scored 22 points and combined with Sam Griesel for nine points in overtime to lift Nebraska to an 81-79 win over Minnesota on Saturday.
Walker scored his five points in the first 31/2 minutes of overtime to keep the Cornhuskers on top. After Minnesota’s Jamison Battle tied the game at 74 with a 3-pointer at the 1:17 mark, Juwan Gary broke the tie with a put back of a Walker miss. Griesel then hit four-free throws after a Golden Gopher turnover and a miss for an 80-74 lead with less than 10 seconds to play.
Gary had 18 points and Griesel 17 for the Cornhuskers (9-7, 2-3 Big Ten), who shot 51% (30 of 59) from the field with five 3s and 16 of 21 from the foul line (76%), including 8 of 11 in overtime. Walker had eight rebounds and seven assists, Griesel had six boards and five assists.
It was the first time Nebraska has won a Big Ten road game in overtime and the first conference OT road win since a win at Colorado in a Big 12 game in February of 2001.
Battle scored 20 points for Minnesota (6-8, 1-4) but was 8-of-21 shooting; 4 of 13 on 3-pointers. Dawson Garcia had 19 points and 15 rebounds and Joshua Ola-Joseph and Ta’lon Cooper 12 apiece. Taurus Samuels forced the overtime with a 3 with 4.8 seconds left in regulation.
Garcia had 15 points as Minnesota took a 39-33 at the end of the first half filled with mini runs.
Garcia had four points when the Golden Gophers took an 18-13 lead near the middle of the half. The Cornhuskers put together a 9-0 run to go up 31-26 at the 5:22 mark. Then Garcia had a pair of 3s in an 11-0 run, that included five points from Cooper before the teams traded buckets in the last minute.
Nebraska shot 52% but was 3 of 9 from distance while Minnesota was 6 of 12 behind the arc and shot 50% overall.
Gary had a three-point play to kickstart a 12-0 Nebraska run that produced a 54-47 lead when Griesel scored with 12:52 to play.
That matched Minnesota’s biggest lead in a game that had eight ties and 15 lead changes.
Nebraska is home against Illinois on Tuesday, Minnesota is at No. 24 Ohio State on Thursday.
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