Nebraska basketball hits rare milestone at the Crown

The last time Nebraska basketball won 20 games in back-to-back seasons, Danny Nee was the head coach.

It was 1998-99, and after also winning 20 games during the 1997-98 season, the Huskers achieved the rare milestone of consecutive 20-win seasons.

It’s something Nebraska basketball has done just twice in its history, at least until Saturday when the Huskers knocked off Boise State in the semifinals of the College Basketball Crown.

Anytime a team does something it hasn’t done in 26 years, it’s a big deal. If the Huskers can win another game Sunday, it will be the first time they have won a postseason tournament since the 1996 NIT.

So within the span of two days, Nebraska basketball can achieve milestones that it hasn’t in 26 years and 29 years.

Tell me again that the College Baskeball Crown doesn’t matter?

It certainly has mattered to Nebraska. The Huskers started a little slow on Monday, probably because of the three-week layoff, but since Cale Jacobsen has been inserted into the lineup, Nebraska has hardly trailed.

They were down for much of the first half before an 18-3 run changed the game. Brice Williams and Juwan Gary led the way, but even Sam Hoiberg and Jacobsen were knocking down triples — they each had two.

Gary handled the scoring load more on Saturday and was 4 for 4 from beyond the arc on his way to a 21-point effort. It wasn’t just him, though, or the starting five. The bench delivered 25 points. Even Braxton Meah, who hasn’t played in the tournament yet, scored four points and grabbed two rebounds.

Nebraska’s offense connected on 12 3-pointers and was better than 90 percent from the charity stripe. On the other end, Nebraska won the rebounding battle and held Boise State, which shoots 57 percent from 2-point range on the season, ranking 20th in college basketball, below 50 percent.

This team made some Nebraska basketball history, and if the Huskers win again on Sunday, they can do it again.

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