Braden Frager scored 17 points and Sam Hoiberg added 15 as No. 15 Nebraska remained undefeated with a 78-55 nonconference win over North Dakota Sunday in Lincoln. Neb.
The Cornhuskers (12-0) were down two points at halftime, but outscored the Fighting Hawks (5-10) 54-29 in the second half to escape a huge upset.
Berke Buyuktuncel, a junior from Turkey, had the fourth triple double in Nebraska history with 12 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists.
Rienk Mast also had nine rebounds for the Cornhuskers.
Eli King led the Hawks with 13 points and six rebounds.
Nebraska went on a 6-0 run to start the second half and took the lead for the first time since being ahead 2-0.
The Hawks took the lead back at 31-30, but an 18-foot jumper by Jamarques Lawrence gave the Cornhuskers the lead for good, 32-31, with 16:04 left.
Lawrence finished with 13 points.
The Cornhuskers had about the worst first half they could possibly have.
Nebraska shot 28% from the field (9 of 32) and was only 2 of 18 from the 3-point line.
The Hawks weren’t much better as they shot 31% (10 of 32) and 5 of 14 from the 3-point line.
Pryce Sandfort, who had 32 points in a win over Illinois Dec. 13, was scoreless in the first half and finished with seven points.
The Hawks used a 13-2 run to jump out to a shocking 13-4 lead. The Cornhuskers were 1 for 10 from the field during the run.
Back-to-back 3-pointers by Jared Garcia and Lawrence cut the Hawks’ lead to 16-14.
Mast completed a three-point play for Nebraska with 5:57 left to make it 19-17 North Dakota.
The Cornhuskers, however, would not score again for more than 3:30, going 0-for-5 to fuel the drought.
Unfortunately for the Hawks, they could not find the bucket either and led only 21-17 with 2:30 left in the half.
A Garrett Anderson layup boosted the lead to 26-21 with 1:04 left.
The Cornhuskers showed some life in the final minute, however, as Lawrene hit a free throw and Hoiberg laid in two with 12 seconds left to cut the Hawks’ lead to 26-24 going into the break.
