Nebraska basketball wins Diamond Head Classic crown

The Huskers finished the game with six straight points and defeated the Beavers 78-66 to win the holiday tournament in Honolulu, Hawaii. It is NU’s first tournament title this season since the 2000 San Juan Shootout.

“You just don’t get many chances in life to play for a championship, and this is a big tournament for us,” Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg said on his postgame radio show. “…I’m really proud of the guys who found a way to muster the energy and play our best in the last five minutes.”

For the second straight game, Brice Williams, who was named tournament MVP, set the tone, finishing with 25 points and seven rebounds. He and Juwan Gary combined to score NU’s first 13 points. No other Huskers were on the field until Rollie Worster made a hook shot more than 10 minutes into the game.

Throughout the game, Williams was the constant regulator of Nebraska’s pulse, driving, getting to the free throw line and knocking down jumpers when he was open. And when the Huskers needed him most, he delivered. Nebraska (10-2, 1-1) had a lead of six in the final minute when he hit a desperation 3-pointer. Sam Hoiberg got the rebound after the ball bounced off many hands, and Williams later drove to the basket for a layup. Nebraska’s victory was all but assured.

But Nebraska’s supporting team around Williams shouldered a greater share of the scoring burden than it did two days earlier. Connor Essegian, held in check by Hawai’i, knocked down two three-pointers before halftime. Berke Buyuktuncel did the same, finishing with two consecutive possession points after each corner. In the second half, he roared after converting a layup into an and-one, then ran for another two points with a 7-0 Nebraska run. He hit a crucial three-pointer in the final minute as NU fended off a final push by Oregon State. The sophomore finished the game with 16 points, six boards and two assists.

OSU (10-3) was most effective when pushing the tempo and didn’t allow the Huskers’ stout defense to take hold. Nate Kingz came out in transition, knocked down two three-pointers and scored 19 points. Damarco Minor had 16 points; Both made it a priority to get to the rim as OSU shot 15-16 from the free throw line.

The Beavers splashed five of their first seven attempts from distance and kept their offense going with good shooting and the win over Nebraska outside of the usual half-court offense.

Kingz intercepted a looping pass from Williams at the rim and took it the other way for a dunk. Less than a minute into the second half, he converted a minor steal into a transit layup, two more of OSU’s 14 points from 12 Nebraska giveaways.

NU moved its collective feet and stayed on the perimeter before the ball, forcing Oregon State’s offense through choppy waters while the Beavers shot 39.6% from the field. The OSU offense was fueled by a 37.5 percent mark from beyond the arc.