Nebraska’s Rienk Mast (51) shoots over Rutgers’ Darren Buchanan (5) at Jersey Mikes Arena. (Courtesy: Associated Press)
Huskers respond to adversity with dominant inside-out attack, snap skid in Big Ten road test
PISCATAWAY, N.J. — Nebraska answered the call in emphatic fashion.
Behind a sharp inside-out attack and a wire-to-wire edge, #9 Nebraska picked up a confidence-boosting 80–68 road win over Rutgers on Saturday afternoon at Jersey Mike’s Arena, snapping a brief two-game skid and steadying itself in the thick of Big Ten play.
The Huskers set the tone early, jumping out to a 41–27 halftime lead and never trailing in the contest. Nebraska pushed its advantage to as many as 20 points in the second half and controlled the game for more than 36 minutes, showing the poise of a veteran group that knew exactly what it needed coming off adversity.
“It was important for us to try to go out there and get off to a good start,” head coach Fred Hoiberg said. “It’s a great win for us – especially after losing one at home against Illinois, getting this road win to get us back even in our last two [is important].”
That start was built around Rienk Mast, who became the hub of Nebraska’s offense against a smaller Rutgers lineup. Mast finished with 26 points while anchoring an interior attack that produced 36 points in the paint, forcing the Scarlet Knights to collapse and opening the floor for shooters.
“We talked a lot about that,” Hoiberg said of playing through Mast. “Our offense always runs better when Rienk’s got the ball in his hands — generally good things happen. It’s great to see him get it going. I thought he played the right way.”
Mast echoed that emphasis, noting it was a deliberate part of the game plan.
“We knew that inside, they were a little weak, especially with the way they started [with their lineup],” Mast said. “It was a big emphasis going into the game, for sure.”
For Mast, the performance also came with a sense of relief.
“It’s good to have some confidence back — I’ve been struggling a little bit,” he said. “So it was good today.”
Nebraska’s efficiency extended beyond the post. The Huskers shot 47 percent from the field, knocked down 11 of 12 free throws, and consistently took care of the basketball while building and maintaining their lead.
Junior guard Jamarques Lawrence played a steadying role in the backcourt, finishing with 10 points and orchestrating an offense that repeatedly punished Rutgers’ defensive rotations. Doing it in front of family and friends made the afternoon even sweeter for the New Jersey native.
“First and foremost, we just needed this win no matter what,” Lawrence said. “It was great to play back home — it gave me confidence for sure.”
Lawrence said the team recognized Rutgers’ smaller look early and immediately committed to feeding Mast.
“Once we saw the small lineup, everyone agreed to start inside-out first, and that’s what we did with Rienk,” Lawrence said. “It was great to see Rienk have a great game and get out of that slump, as well.”
Saturday’s performance was also a reflection of a focused week of practice following back-to-back losses.
“In those two losses, it’s not like we played terrible,” Hoiberg said. “There were some learning lessons, there were a lot of things that we needed to get better at — and we addressed those in practice.”
Lawrence agreed, calling the skid a necessary reset.
“I think those two losses really brought us back to reality,” he said. “We hadn’t experienced adversity. It snapped us back to reality and got us back to what we were doing.”
As Nebraska continues to navigate a rugged Big Ten slate, Hoiberg pointed to culture as the foundation of the program’s growth, even without the financial muscle of some conference peers.
“It’s about getting the right people in your program — the people that fit your culture,” Hoiberg said. “We really identified the right people that we thought fit who we were with our system.”
The urgency only ramps up from here. Nebraska returns home Tuesday to host Purdue, a matchup Lawrence says the Huskers are already treating with postseason intensity.
“We talked about it in the locker room — we gotta be possessed,” Lawrence said. “Every home game is do or die for us now, no matter who we’re playing.”
After a composed road win and a renewed sense of confidence, Nebraska heads back to Lincoln with momentum — and a reminder of exactly who it is when it plays the right way.