Nebraska Falls to Rutgers, 20-Game Home Winning Streak Ends

The Huskers lose at home for the first time since Dec. 3, 2023.
Nebraska guard Juwan Gary tries to score at the basket.
Nebraska guard Juwan Gary tries to score at the basket. / Nebraska Athletics

For the first time in 403 days, Nebraska men's basketball has lost a home game.

Nebraska fell to Rutgers Thursday night, 85-82. The Huskers are now 12-5 on the year and 2-4 in the Big Ten Conference, while the Scarlet Knights improve to 10-8 overall and 3-4 in the league.

A Brice Williams 3 in the first minute sparked Nebraska to build a nine-point lead. But the Huskers never found a way to extend as the Scarlet Knights fought to take a three-point lead into halftime.

Neither team led by more than five points over the final 20 minutes. The fatal blow for the home side was a nearly five minute stretch at the end of the game without making a basket while Rutgers consistently went to Dylan Harper to attack the paint with ease.

Nebraska center Braxton Meah dunks against Rutgers at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Jan. 16, 2025.
Nebraska center Braxton Meah dunks for two points. / Nebraska Athletics

Nebraska shot 45.2% for the game, including 9-of-22 on 3s. The Huskers tallied just 17-of-27 free throws.

Rutgers shot 49.3% overall, making 12-of-29 from deep. The Scarlet Knights struggled even more at the line, making 7-of-14.

Rutgers freshman and projected lottery pick in the next NBA draft Ace Bailey scored a game-high 24 points to go with 11 rebounds and four assists. Also a projected lottery pick, Harper added 21 points, five rebounds, four assists, and three blocked shots.

Williams and Juwan Gary combined for 41 points, 11 rebounds, and four assists on 14-of-28 shooting. Connor Essegian (12), Andrew Morgan (11), and Rollie Worster (10) also scored in double figures.

Nebraska heads back on the road Sunday to Maryland. Tip is set for 11 a.m. CST on the Big Ten Network.

Box score

Nebraska Athletics Notes

  • Nebraska lost for the first time at home since Dec. 3, 2023, and lost at home for the first time in a Big Ten home game since Feb. 28, 2023. The Huskers entered the game with a school-record-tying 20-game home winning streak.
  • The Huskers scored 82 points, the sixth time in nine home games this season they have scored more than 80 points.
  • Bryce Williams had 21 points and Juwan Gary had 20 points. It marked the third time this season that Nebraska had two players score 20 points in the same game and the second time this year that Williams and Gary each had 20 points in the same game.
  • Williams posted a 20-point game for the eighth time this season and for the 24th time in his career. Gary had his second 20-point game of the year and fifth of his career.
  • Overall, Nebraska had five players score in double figures. That marked the third game this season the Huskers had five players in double figure.
  • Connor Essegian (12) and Andrew Morgan (11) each scored in double figures off the bench.
  • Essegian shot 4-of-7 from beyond the arc to record at least four treys for the fifth time this season.
  • With 11 points on 5-of-9 shooting from the floor, Morgan is five points shy of reaching the 1,000-point mark for his career.
  • Rollie Worster had 10 points, seven rebounds and five assists. It marked his first game as a Husker with at least 10 points, five rebounds and five assists.
  • Braxton Meah had six points and six rebounds. His six rebounds tied his season high while his six points marked his third-highest output of the season.

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Kaleb Henry
KALEB HENRY

Kaleb Henry is an award-winning sports reporter, covering collegiate athletics since 2014 via radio, podcasting, and digital journalism. His experience with Big Ten Conference teams goes back more than a decade, including time covering programs such as the Nebraska Cornhuskers, Oregon Ducks, and USC Trojans. He has contributed to Sports Illustrated since 2021. Kaleb has won multiple awards for his sports coverage from the Nebraska Broadcasters Association and Midwest Broadcast Journalists Association. Prior to working in sports journalism, Kaleb was a Division I athlete on the Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville Track and Field team where he discussed NCAA legislation as SIUE's representative to the Ohio Valley Conference Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.