LINCOLN, Neb. — In an electrifying showdown on Saturday, senior guard Brennan Rigsby guided Minnesota to a narrow 67-65 victory over Nebraska with a remarkable late-game performance. Rigsby achieved a career milestone, netting 20 points on an impressive 7-for-8 shooting. His timely catch-and-shoot 3-pointer with just 4.1 seconds remaining sealed the win for the Golden Gophers.
Nebraska had a last ditch effort when Andrew Morgan attempted a desperation 3-pointer as the clock expired, but the shot ricocheted off the backboard and the rim, marking the end of the dramatic clash.
Trailing by a single point at 64-63, Nebraska managed to force Minnesota into a 10-second violation with 18.6 seconds left on the clock. In the ensuing possession from the inbounds, Brice Williams made a drive down the lane; however, his shot was blocked near the basket by Mike Mitchell Jr. Quick on his feet, Juwan Gary snatched the loose ball and executed a layup with 9.7 seconds remaining, temporarily putting Nebraska in the lead.
With no timeouts left for either team, Minnesota’s Lu’Cye Patterson quickly received the inbounds pass and dashed down the court, skillfully setting up Rigsby for a wide open 3-pointer, a decisive shot that he made without hesitation.
Minnesota held a significant lead at 47-28 when Dawson Garcia sunk a 3-pointer with 15:43 left on the clock. However, Nebraska mounted a comeback, with Gary’s three-point play giving them a brief 55-54 advantage with 6:28 remaining. Rigsby swiftly countered with another 3-pointer, a momentum shift that ensured Minnesota retained their lead for the game’s duration.
Rigsby, who had struggled from beyond the arc with just a 24% shooting rate for the season and having remained scoreless in seven of his previous nine games, significantly stepped up his performance. Lu’Cye Patterson contributed 16 points, aiding Minnesota’s (15-14, 7-11 Big Ten) battle for a chance to compete in the post-season conference tournament.
For Nebraska (17-12, 7-11), both Gary and Williams delivered 21 points each, while reserve Connor Essegian added 11 points. The team continues their pursuit of an at-large bid for the NCAA Tournament.
Looking ahead, Minnesota is set to face 11th-ranked Wisconsin on Wednesday. Nebraska will travel to face Ohio State on Tuesday.
