Husker men outrun Racers, face host Hawaii next

Andrew Morgan and Connor Essegian combined for 27 points off the bench, while Nebraska’s defense held Murray State to a season-low point total in a 66-49 win in the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic Sunday evening.

Morgan posted his first double-double of the season with 12 points and 12 rebounds, while Essegian led Nebraska (8-2) with 15 points, including five 3-pointers. In all, NU’s bench outscored the Racers, 29-11.

The Huskers held Murray State to 31 percent shooting, including just 4-of-28 in the first half as Nebraska built a 20-point halftime lead and led by double figures most of the night. NU held the Racers (6-5) to nearly 30 points below their season average.

Rollie Worster was the third Husker in double figures with 11 points, as Nebraska shot nearly 50 percent from the field and enjoyed a 40-26 advantage on the glass.

Nebraska will play Hawai’i, a 78-61 winner over Charlotte, Monday at 9:30 p.m. (central) on ESPN2 and on the Husker Sports Network.

Nebraska put on a defensive clinic in the first half, holding Murray State to just four field goals in the opening 20 minutes in building a 34-14 halftime lead. Nebraska held the Racers to 4-of-28 shooting from the field, including 1-of-13 inside the arc.

Juwan Gary got the Huskers scoring seven of NU’s first nine points in the first 5:15 of the game, as his 3-point play with 14:45 left in the half ignited a 16-0 spurt for Nebraska. The Huskers held MSU scoreless for over six minutes in building a 22-4 lead after a steal and basket from Brice Williams.

Murray State rallied behind Kylen Milton, who scored seven straight points in a 50-second span, including a four-point play to trim the lead to 22-11 with 7:44 left in the half.

Nebraska, which got 17 first-half points from its bench, responded with a pair of 3-pointers from Essegian, who finished with nine first-half points. Nebraska stretched the lead to 20 after consecutive baskets from Morgan.

The Huskers built its largest lead of the game, at 39-16 following a Williams’ 3-pointer with 18:50 left before the Racers started to chip away. Murray State cut a 21-point lead to 16 following a 3-pointer from AJ Ferguson with 14:26 left before a Braxton Meah dunk ended the run.

The teams would trade baskets and NU led 57-38 with just over seven minutes left before the Racers, who shot 48 percent from the field after halftime made one last run. MSU went on an 11-4 run to pull to within 61-49 on a 3-pointer from Kylen Milton with 3:33 left, but would get no closer as a jumper by Wooster and Essegian’s fifth 3-pointer of the night accounted for the final margin.

Milton led Murray State with 19 points in a losing effort.

Nebraska Postgame Notes

*-Nebraska picks up its first-ever win over Murray State, as NU was 0-2 against the Racers before today.

*-Nebraska held Murray State to a season-low 49 points, as its previous low was 63 against Evansville. Murray State was averaging 78.8 points per game.

*-Nebraska held Murray State to 30.9 percent shooting, the sixth opponent held under 40 percent this season.

*-Nebraska finished +14 on the boards, and has only been out-rebounded once in 10 games this season.

*-Andrew Morgan recorded his first double-double of the season and fifth of his career with 12 points and a season-high 12 rebounds. It was the first double-double for a Husker this season. Morgan has been in double figures in his last four games.

*-Connor Essegian (15) and Andrew Morgan (12) both finished in double figures, as Nebraska has gotten 12 double-figure efforts from its bench this season. Nebraska’s bench out-scored Murray State, 29-11

*-Essegian hit five 3-pointers in the win, the third time this season he has hit five or more 3-pointers.

*-Nebraska’s 16-0 run in the first half was its largest run the season and ninth double-figure run of 2024-25

*-Murray State’s 14 first-half points were the second-lowest total allowed by Nebraska under Fred Hoiberg (11 vs. South Carolina State last season).

*- Nebraska held Murray State to just 14 points in the fi rst half, the fewest points ever scored in a half by any team at the Diamond Head Classic.

*-Brice Williams was held to nine points, snapping a streak of 13 double-figure games.