Story by NU Athletic Communications
*-Nebraska falls to 4-4 against ranked teams as Michigan was No. 15 in Monday’s AP poll*-Nebraska held Michigan to a season-low 49 points, as its previous low was 62 against Michigan State on Feb. 12. The 49 points allowed were NU’s second-lowest total of the season.
*-Nebraska held Michigan to a season-low 29.5 percent shooting, as Michigan’s previous low was 36.1 percent against Northwestern.
*-Nebraska ‘s 46 points was a season low (52 at Michigan State*-Brice Williams has now been in double figures in 26 of 28 games this season, including 15th 20-point game of the year. Williams finished with 26 points.
*-Williams became the 32nd player in school history to go over 1,000 points as a Husker with his jumper at the 15:50 mark of the second haff He is just the fourth Husker to do it in two seasons or less, joining Terran Petteway, James Palmer Jr. and Dave Hoppen. Williams now has 1,004 points at Nebraska and 1,805 career points.
*-Williams tied a career high with four 3-points. He had done it seven other times in his career.
*-Braxton Meah had eight rebounds to surpass his season-high of seven set at Northwestern on Feb. 5
Nebraska Coach Fred Hoiberg
On the Huskers battling despite a poor shooting night
“I am proud of the team. I am proud of the guys for going out there and giving us a chance when you had about as poor of an offensive night as you can possibly have. The ball doesn’t go in the basket; it’s not easy to continue to go out there and have a spirit defensively but our guys fought like hell all game long to keep us in the game. We give ourselves a chance where we get a great look on a possession where there’s under 20 seconds. I’m proud of the guys for the way they went out there and fought and battled. And if we play like that, with that type of energy, we’re going to be fine. We’re going to be just fine in these last three games headed into the postseason. That’s what we have to understand, that’s who we are. Unfortunately, we don’t have a ton of shooting on this team. We have to stay in games and give ourselves a chance with our defense. That's been our identity when we’ve played well. That is what has won us games. I think without Brice (Williams) and then Sam (Hoiberg) goes 2-2, we went 5-39 with the rest of our team. That’s not going to happen, especially when we had some point-blank ones right there at the rim. I thought we had some good looks. I’ll go back and watch the film, but we had some shots from guys that we’ll 100% take that. If we play with that type of energy and that type of spirit, we’ll be fine. If we fall off with our energy, we're going to struggle.
On Michigan’s size
“I think we anticipated contact on a few of those. I thought we launched into them as opposed to coming in. If you don't have the angle, if you don’t have the advantage. We worked on a drill every day to reverse pivot and hit the guy on the pull behind, and we just did not make enough of those plays when we did, again, get some open ones by some good shooters, unfortunately, the ball didn’t go in the basket. Yes, I thought we anticipated contact when we drove the ball into the paint, and you’ve got to be strong in this league if you are going to finish at the basket. We obviously didn’t do a very good job of that.”
On what he told the team
“I told the guys how proud I was of them for how they played. From playing this game, when the ball is not going in the basket when you are missing shots you make a lot of times, it is not easy to continue to battle and defend and keep yourself in the game on the other end, but our guys did that. If we have that type of fight these next three games, we’re going to be fine and we’re going to be playing in the postseason, and that can’t change. Offensively, yes, we need to be better. I think we will be better, but that defensive effort, and intensity and edge that we had tonight has to be the same for these remaining three games. “
Nebraska Guard Brice Williams
On keeping up the energy
“It’s a consistent approach, consistent energy. Keeping locked into each game.
On passing 1,000 points
“A lot of experience scoring the ball. And my dad always preached poised. That’s how I am, just having a calm demeanor. It’s a cool accomplishment.”
Michigan Coach Dusty May
Opening Statement
“We’re obviously very pleased to leave Lincoln with a hard-fought road win against a program we have a great deal of respect for. It was almost like two teams looking at each other in the mirror. I think we were both determined to take away the other team’s leading scorers and go-to guys. I thought, for the most part, we did that. Brice Williams had a heck of an effort. He made big play after big play after a hot start. Fortunately, we were able to hold our own on the glass, and we had some odd lineups out late that found a way to function and score enough points.”
On the atmosphere of Pinnacle Bank Arena
“I thought it was awesome. I walked into today’s shootaround and thought, ‘Wow, this is a great basketball environment.’ It’s well done. And then obviously, the fan support and the energy in the building. When they made their run, it interrupted like some of the best environments in our league. We’ve gotten to that point at Crisler where our fan have that type of impact as well. So, it forces you to call a timeout and reset. I’ve watched these guys play on television a lot. It’s a great environment. There’s obviously a lot of support and energy in the building that’s generated from the guys not on the floor.”
On shooting struggles and defensive battle
“We’ve played in a lot of games like this, where you just got to figure out a way to get a few in the hold and figure out a way to get to the line. When you do, you’ve got to capitalize enough to win. It’s hard-fought. It’s tooth and nail. I thought both teams had a couple of good looks down the stretch, but they’ve exerted so much energy on the glass with the physicality, and it’s not easy to knock them down in this type of defensive slugfest. That was a very legally physical game. I thought both teams were disciplined without reaching, they put their chest on each other and really challenged everything. I thought their game plan was excellent to take away what we do well.”