LINCOLN, Neb. — In an exciting matchup on Wednesday night, Connor Essegian led the Nebraska Cornhuskers to a decisive 96-79 victory against South Dakota, marking a personal best of 29 points for him in the game. Essegian was instrumental not only in scoring but also contributed with five assists, including one that set up a stunning half-court shot by Ahron Ulis just before halftime, pushing Nebraska ahead with a commanding 54-35 lead.

Throughout the second half, Nebraska maintained a solid lead, never allowing it to dip below 12 points. At one point, they had a dominating 23-point advantage, sitting at 60-27. Brice Williams also shone for the Cornhuskers, finishing with 21 points and connecting on four 3-pointers, while Braxton Meah chipped in another 12 points to bolster the team’s efforts.

Essegian had been averaging 10.4 points per game prior to this standout performance. His previous career high was 24 points during an overtime game against Michigan while he played for Wisconsin in the 2022-23 season. For South Dakota, Chase Forte was a notable contributor with 20 points, while teammates Dre Bullock and Isaac Bruns scored 16 and 12 points, respectively.

This victory follows a significant 74-63 triumph over No. 14 Creighton, representing the Bluejays’ biggest home loss since 2019. Nebraska will remain at home for its next game, facing North Florida on Sunday, before kicking off its Big Ten schedule against Michigan State on December 7. South Dakota will return to its home court to take on Idaho State on December 4.