SDAK
NEB
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Connor Essegian scored 29 points and makes 6 3-pointers to help Nebraska beat South Dakota 96-79
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) Connor Essegian scored a career-high 29 points and made six 3-pointers, Brice Williams added 21 points and four 3-pointers, and Nebraska beat South Dakota 96-79 on Wednesday night.
One of Essegian's five assists led to Ahron Ulis' half-court shot just before the halftime buzzer to give Nebraska a 54-35 lead. South Dakota missed a 3-pointer and Andrew Morgan grabbed the defensive rebound with about three seconds left. Morgan got it to Essegian, who quicky found Ulis at midcourt for his first made basket of the game.
Nebraska's lead did not drop below 12 points in the second half. Its largest advantage was 23 at 60-27.
Braxton Meah had 12 points for Nebraska (5-1). Essegian, who entered averaging 10.4 points per game, scored his most points since notching 24 in an overtime game against Michigan while playing for Wisconsin in the 2022-23 season.
South Dakota (6-3) got 20 points from Chase Forte. Dre Bullock added 16 points and Isaac Bruns scored 12.
The Cornhuskers were coming off a 74-63 win over No. 14 Creighton on Friday for the Bluejays’ worst home loss since 2019.
Nebraska remains home to play North Florida on Sunday before opening Big Ten play against Michigan State on Dec. 7. South Dakota returns home to host Idaho State on Dec. 4.
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| Time | Team | Play | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20:00 |  | (Cornhuskers gains possession) | ||
| 19:46 | | +2 | Braxton Meah makes two point alley-oop dunk (Berke Buyuktuncel assists) | 0-2 |
| 19:32 |  | Kaleb Stewart misses three point jump shot | ||
| 19:30 | | Rollie Worster defensive rebound | ||
| 19:16 | | Juwan Gary misses three point jump shot | ||
| 19:14 | | Berke Buyuktuncel offensive rebound | ||
| 19:12 | | +2 | Berke Buyuktuncel makes two point layup | 0-4 |
| 18:57 | | Chase Forte misses three point jump shot | ||
| 18:55 | | Juwan Gary defensive rebound | ||
| 18:45 | | Brice Williams turnover | ||
| 18:31 | | +3 | Paul Bruns makes three point jump shot (Dre Bullock assists) | 3-4 |
| 18:18 | | +2 | Braxton Meah makes two point alley-oop dunk (Brice Williams assists) | 3-6 |
| 18:05 | | Dre Bullock turnover | ||
| 17:45 | | Brice Williams turnover (Paul Bruns steals) | ||
| 17:38 | | +3 | Kaleb Stewart makes three point jump shot | 6-6 |
| 17:20 | | +3 | Connor Essegian makes three point jump shot (Berke Buyuktuncel assists) | 6-9 |
| 17:02 | | Dre Bullock misses three point jump shot | ||
| 17:00 | | Dre Bullock offensive rebound | ||
| 16:55 | | +2 | Dre Bullock makes two point layup | 8-9 |
| 16:50 | | +3 | Brice Williams makes three point jump shot (Connor Essegian assists) | 8-12 |
| 16:32 | | Paul Bruns misses three point jump shot | ||
| 16:30 | | Berke Buyuktuncel defensive rebound | ||
| 16:22 | | Connor Essegian misses three point jump shot | ||
| 16:20 | | Kaleb Stewart defensive rebound | ||
| 16:03 | | +2 | Cameron Fens makes two point layup | 10-12 |
| 15:39 | | Brice Williams misses three point jump shot | ||
| 15:37 | | Cameron Fens defensive rebound | ||
| 15:27 | | Kaleb Stewart misses three point jump shot | ||
| 15:25 | | Berke Buyuktuncel defensive rebound | ||
| 15:10 | | Jake Brack shooting foul | ||
| 15:10 | | TV timeout | ||
| 15:10 | | +1 | Berke Buyuktuncel makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 10-13 |
| 15:10 | | +1 | Berke Buyuktuncel makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 10-14 |
| 14:56 | | Dre Bullock turnover (Brice Williams steals) | ||
| 14:50 | | Rollie Worster misses two point jump shot | ||
| 14:48 | | Berke Buyuktuncel offensive rebound | ||
| 14:46 | | Cornhuskers 30 second timeout | ||
| 14:31 | | Berke Buyuktuncel misses three point jump shot | ||
| 14:29 | | Andrew Morgan offensive rebound | ||
| 14:17 | | Connor Essegian misses three point jump shot | ||
| 14:17 | | Berke Buyuktuncel offensive rebound | ||
| 14:17 | | Brice Williams misses two point jump shot | ||
| 14:15 | | Ashton Smith defensive rebound | ||
| 14:14 | | Ashton Smith turnover | ||
| 14:11 | | Shey Eberwein shooting foul | ||
| 14:11 | | +1 | Brice Williams makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 10-15 |
| 14:11 | | +1 | Brice Williams makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 10-16 |
| 13:58 | | Isaac Bruns misses three point jump shot | ||
| 13:56 | | Cornhuskers defensive rebound | ||
| 13:39 | | Rollie Worster misses two point layup | ||
| 13:37 | | Ashton Smith defensive rebound | ||
| 13:21 | | +2 | Max Burchill makes two point jump shot | 12-16 |
| 13:06 | | +3 | Connor Essegian makes three point jump shot (Brice Williams assists) | 12-19 |
| 12:40 | | +2 | Shey Eberwein makes two point layup | 14-19 |
| 12:27 | | +3 | Andrew Morgan makes three point jump shot (Rollie Worster assists) | 14-22 |
| 12:12 | | Chase Forte turnover (Brice Williams steals) | ||
| 12:01 | | +3 | Connor Essegian makes three point jump shot (Brice Williams assists) | 14-25 |
| 12:01 | | Max Burchill shooting foul | ||
| 12:01 | | +1 | Connor Essegian makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 14-26 |
| 11:40 | | Chase Forte misses three point jump shot | ||
| 11:38 | | Max Burchill offensive rebound | ||
| 11:29 | | Kaleb Stewart misses three point jump shot | ||
| 11:27 | | Cameron Fens offensive rebound | ||
| 11:27 | | +2 | Cameron Fens makes two point layup | 16-26 |
| 11:14 | | +3 | Connor Essegian makes three point jump shot (Andrew Morgan assists) | 16-29 |
| 11:14 | | Coyotes 30 second timeout | ||
| 11:14 | | TV timeout | ||
| 11:03 | | Cameron Fens misses two point layup | ||
| 11:01 | | Sam Hoiberg defensive rebound | ||
| 10:52 | | Connor Essegian misses three point jump shot | ||
| 10:50 | | Kaleb Stewart defensive rebound | ||
| 10:34 | | Dre Bullock misses two point layup | ||
| 10:32 | | Dre Bullock offensive rebound | ||
| 10:32 | | Connor Essegian shooting foul | ||
| 10:32 | | +1 | Dre Bullock makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 17-29 |
| 10:32 | | +1 | Dre Bullock makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 18-29 |
| 10:23 | | Sam Hoiberg turnover | ||
| 10:06 | | Kaleb Stewart turnover (Sam Hoiberg steals) | ||
| 9:58 | | Andrew Morgan turnover (Kaleb Stewart steals) | ||
| 9:51 | | Shey Eberwein turnover (Ahron Ulis steals) | ||
| 9:44 | | Ahron Ulis misses two point layup | ||
| 9:42 | | Andrew Morgan offensive rebound | ||
| 9:41 | | Andrew Morgan misses two point tip layup | ||
| 9:39 | | Coyotes defensive rebound | ||
| 9:28 | | Kaleb Stewart misses two point layup | ||
| 9:26 | | Berke Buyuktuncel defensive rebound | ||
| 9:21 | | +2 | Gavin Griffiths makes two point layup (Ahron Ulis assists) | 18-31 |
| 8:58 | | Gavin Griffiths shooting foul | ||
| 8:58 | | +1 | Shey Eberwein makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 19-31 |
| 8:58 | | Shey Eberwein misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | ||
| 8:58 | | Gavin Griffiths defensive rebound | ||
| 8:46 | | Ahron Ulis turnover (Dre Bullock steals) | ||
| 8:43 | | Gavin Griffiths shooting foul | ||
| 8:43 | | +1 | Shey Eberwein makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 20-31 |
| 8:43 | | +1 | Shey Eberwein makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 21-31 |
| 8:28 | | Ashton Smith blocks Connor Essegian's two point layup | ||
| 8:26 | | Cornhuskers offensive rebound | ||
| 8:25 | | Berke Buyuktuncel turnover (Dre Bullock steals) | ||
| 8:22 | | +2 | Dre Bullock makes two point layup | 23-31 |
| 7:54 | | Berke Buyuktuncel turnover | ||
| 7:54 | | TV timeout | ||
| 7:40 | | Braxton Meah personal foul | ||
| 7:37 | | Rollie Worster blocks Isaac Bruns's two point jump shot | ||
| 7:35 | | Rollie Worster defensive rebound | ||
| 7:08 | | Connor Essegian misses three point jump shot | ||
| 7:06 | | Coyotes defensive rebound | ||
| 6:57 | | +2 | Kaleb Stewart makes two point layup | 25-31 |
| 6:43 | | +2 | Brice Williams makes two point layup | 25-33 |
| 6:35 | | Chase Forte turnover (Berke Buyuktuncel steals) | ||
| 6:31 | | +2 | Brice Williams makes two point dunk (Berke Buyuktuncel assists) | 25-35 |
| 6:16 | | Chase Forte misses three point jump shot | ||
| 6:14 | | Braxton Meah defensive rebound | ||
| 6:01 | | +3 | Brice Williams makes three point jump shot (Rollie Worster assists) | 25-38 |
| 5:35 | | Chase Forte misses two point jump shot | ||
| 5:33 | | Braxton Meah defensive rebound | ||
| 5:26 | | +3 | Brice Williams makes three point jump shot | 25-41 |
| 5:26 | | Coyotes 30 second timeout | ||
| 5:14 | | +3 | Kaleb Stewart makes three point jump shot (Cameron Fens assists) | 28-41 |
| 5:05 | | Shey Eberwein personal foul | ||
| 4:53 | | +2 | Berke Buyuktuncel makes two point layup | 28-43 |
| 4:37 | | Paul Bruns misses three point jump shot | ||
| 4:35 | | Rollie Worster defensive rebound | ||
| 4:24 | | +3 | Connor Essegian makes three point jump shot (Braxton Meah assists) | 28-46 |
| 4:06 | | +3 | Paul Bruns makes three point jump shot (Shey Eberwein assists) | 31-46 |
| 3:39 | | +2 | Connor Essegian makes two point layup | 31-48 |
| 3:39 | | TV timeout | ||
| 3:26 | | Max Burchill turnover (Rollie Worster steals) | ||
| 3:11 | | Connor Essegian misses three point jump shot | ||
| 3:09 | | Gavin Griffiths offensive rebound | ||
| 3:01 | | Berke Buyuktuncel turnover | ||
| 2:46 | | Kaleb Stewart misses two point layup | ||
| 2:44 | | Cameron Fens offensive rebound | ||
| 2:44 | | +2 | Cameron Fens makes two point tip layup | 33-48 |
| 2:33 | | Rollie Worster turnover | ||
| 2:29 | | Kaleb Stewart misses three point jump shot | ||
| 2:27 | | Connor Essegian defensive rebound | ||
| 2:22 | | Gavin Griffiths misses two point jump shot | ||
| 2:20 | | Andrew Morgan offensive rebound | ||
| 2:18 | | Andrew Morgan misses two point layup | ||
| 2:16 | | Andrew Morgan offensive rebound | ||
| 2:10 | | Paul Bruns shooting foul | ||
| 2:10 | | Andrew Morgan misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | ||
| 2:10 | | +1 | Andrew Morgan makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 33-49 |
| 1:59 | | Dre Bullock misses two point layup | ||
| 1:57 | | Gavin Griffiths defensive rebound | ||
| 1:47 | | Ahron Ulis turnover | ||
| 1:36 | | +2 | Isaac Bruns makes two point jump shot | 35-49 |
| 1:16 | | Gavin Griffiths misses three point jump shot | ||
| 1:14 | | Ashton Smith defensive rebound | ||
| 1:02 | | Kaleb Stewart misses three point jump shot | ||
| 1:00 | | Gavin Griffiths defensive rebound | ||
| 0:55 | | Connor Essegian misses three point jump shot | ||
| 0:53 | | Ashton Smith defensive rebound | ||
| 0:40 | | Andrew Morgan blocks Dre Bullock's two point jump shot | ||
| 0:38 | | Coyotes offensive rebound | ||
| 0:38 | | Isaac Bruns misses two point jump shot | ||
| 0:36 | | Connor Essegian defensive rebound | ||
| 0:32 | | +2 | Sam Hoiberg makes two point layup (Connor Essegian assists) | 35-51 |
| 0:05 | | Paul Bruns misses three point jump shot | ||
| 0:05 | | Andrew Morgan defensive rebound | ||
| 0:01 | | +3 | Ahron Ulis makes three point jump shot (Connor Essegian assists) | 35-54 |
| 0:00 | | End of period |