Husker men fall to Hilltoppers in OT
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BY JEFF APEL / For the Lincoln Journal Star
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — Tyrone Brazelton and the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers left the Nebraska men’s basketball team longing for Lincoln on Wednesday night.
Playing their first out-of-state game of the season, Nebraska battled back from a nine-point first-half deficit and forced overtime.
But the Huskers (5-2) couldn’t overcome 23 turnovers and Brazelton’s clutch shooting in the extra period, which helped Western Kentucky escape with a 69-62 win before 5,809 fans at E.A. Diddle Arena.
Nebraska (5-2) is unbeaten at the Devaney Sports Center this season. NU’s other loss came at Creighton.
“I can’t complain about the effort. Our effort is tremendous,” Nebraska coach Doc Sadler said. “I’ve said to everyone, ‘You can’t turn the ball over like we’re turning it over and have a chance to win.
“That’s what it comes down to. That was the difference in the game.”
Brazelton played a key role for Western Kentucky (6-2). The 6-foot senior finished with 10 points, seven of which came in overtime, including a three-pointer from the right side that gave the Hilltoppers a 63-58 lead with 33 seconds left in overtime.
“The senior made a play. That’s what you got to ask him to do,” Sadler said. “When they needed a play, he made the play.
“We had a chance to make plays and didn’t make them. That’s the difference in the ball game.”
Aleks Maric, who along with Ade Dagunduro led Nebraska with a game-high 17 points, opened overtime by sinking one of two free throws to give the Huskers a 56-55 lead. After NU’s Steve Harley hit a jump shot to tie the score at 58, Western Kentucky went on a 5-0 run that proved to be the difference.
Freshman Steffphon Pettigrew sank two free throws to give the Hilltoppers a 60-58 lead. A missed three-pointer by Nebraska’s Jay-R Strowbridge set up the heroics by Brazelton, who also sank four free throws in overtime.
“I think there’s a series of plays that are hurting us,” Sadler said. “We’ve got to understand when we do get the lead we do take care of the basketball.
“We’ve got to get good shots. We have to run what we’re supposed to. We can’t make plays. The plays have to come to us.”
Trailing 29-24 at halftime, Nebraska quickly tied the score behind four points from Dagunduro and a free throw by Maric. Two more free throws by Maric gave the Huskers a 38-36 lead, and Nebraska then increased its advantage to four points on a layup by Cookie Miller.
With the score tied, the Huskers lost a chance to win in regulation when Miller lost control of the basketball and a desperation shot fell far short at the buzzer.
Sadler said mistakes that are definitely correctable hindered the Huskers.
“It was more of what we’re doing instead of what they’re doing. That’s what the frustrating part is,” Sadler said. “We’ve got to understand and let the game come to us. We aren’t going to force the game at this level. We’ve got young guys that got to understand that.”
Courtney Lee led three Western Kentucky double-figure scorers with 14 points. Ty Rogers added 11.
Nebraska returns to action Sunday, when the Huskers face Rutgers at the Devaney Center.
Sadler hopes his team uses the Western Kentucky loss as a valuable learning experience.
“We don’t talk about forgetting it. We’ve got to learn from it,” Sadler said. “We’re not to the point that you lose a basketball game and you forget about it. You’ve got to learn from it and, hopefully, we’ll do that.”
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