Clifford Omoruyi’s 14 points and 15 rebounds helped Rutgers force overtime and power the Scarlet Knights to an 87-82 comeback win over visiting Nebraska on Wednesday in Piscataway, N.J.
Six of Omoruyi’s boards came on offense while Derek Simpson racked up 14 points, eight rebounds and eight assists for Rutgers (10-7, 2-4 Big Ten). Aundre Hyatt led the Scarlet Knights with 17 points, Mawot Mag had 16 and Austin Williams added 11.
Brice Williams had a game-high 22 points for Nebraska (13-5, 3-4) and Keisei Tominaga scored 16.
Rutgers trailed by 12 points in each half but held Nebraska without a made field goal for the final 9:39 of regulation in order to rally.
Omoruyi’s wide-open dunk and Austin Williams’ layup cut Nebraska’s lead to 67-66 with less than two minutes in regulation. After Jamarques Lawrence’s free throws, Omoruyi’s layup rolled in but he missed the and-one opportunity. Hyatt went 1 of 2 at the line with 19 seconds left to tie it at 69 and force overtime.
Hyatt and Tominaga traded 3-pointers early in overtime before Omoruyi’s putback put Rutgers ahead for good. Austin Williams’ trey gave the Scarlet Knights a five-point cushion, letting them withstand two clutch 3-pointers by Nebraska’s Sam Hoiberg down the stretch.
Rutgers outrebounded Nebraska 56-42 and won despite missing 14 of 30 free throws.
Nebraska’s Juwan Gary went down with a noncontact leg injury midway through the second half and had to be helped to the locker room. He had nine points and six rebounds.
Gary’s 3-pointer opened up a 27-15 lead at the 8:51 mark of the first half, but the Scarlet Knights soon pieced together an 11-1 stretch, and Antwone Woolfolk converted a one-and-one to make it 34-33 Rutgers with 2:49 left in the half.
Nebraska snuck back in front before Mag’s layup in the last second of the shot clock tied the game at 36 by intermission.
The Cornhuskers scored nine straight points to move back in front. When C.J. Wilcher (12 points) made two 3-pointers 1:20 apart, the Nebraska lead was back up to 12, 63-51, with 9:39 to play.
Austin Williams and Mag combined for six straight points to bring Rutgers within 65-60, prompting a Nebraska timeout at the 6:01 mark. Omoruyi’s putback dunk trimmed the deficit to three with four minutes left.
–Field Level Media
