CRISLER CENTER, MI — In one of the most thrilling Big Ten matchups of the season so far, No. 3 ranked Michigan Wolverines came back to beat No. 5 ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers 75-72 in Ann Arbor on Tuesday night. The Wolverines’ victory ended the Cornhuskers’ streak of 20 straight wins and their undefeated season.
Nebraska's undefeated season had brought them national attention after their historic winning streak. The Cornhuskers came out strong from the start, shooting well from beyond the 3-point line and leading the Wolverines for more than 36 minutes of the game behind Jamarques Lawrence’s and Pryce Sandfort’s elite shooting. The Cornhuskers built leads as high as double digits in each half of the game.
Despite trailing behind for the majority of the time, the Wolverines never gave up. Behind a well-rounded effort and defensive intensity down the stretch of the second half, the Wolverines slowly began to close the gap. Morez Johnson Jr. led the Wolverines with a team-high 17 points and 12 rebounds. Trey McKenney scored the go-ahead layup with 1:07 remaining.
Michigan’s offense struggled at times, especially from deep, but the Wolverines made key plays down the stretch and finished the game on a 6-0 run that sealed the upset. Nebraska’s offense cooled in the final minutes, missing its last several shot attempts, including a potential tying three at the buzzer.
The victory was significant in the Big Ten race and was not just momentum. In what is expected to be one of the most competitive seasons in the league's history, Michigan improved to 19-1 overall and 9-1 in conference play, while Nebraska fell to 20-1 (9-1).
While Nebraska reevaluates following its first loss of the season, the Wolverines maintain momentum as one of the top teams in the country with the victory. Both programs are expected to remain national contenders as the race to March continues.
