LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Brandon Ubel scored 17 points, Ray Gallegos added 14 and Nebraska overcame a late scoring drought to hold off cold-shooting Valparaiso 50-48 on Thursday night.
Gallegos made a career-high four 3-pointers, all of them coming during big runs that helped the Cornhuskers (2-0) build a double-digit cushion against the defending Horizon League champion Crusaders (2-1).
But after Ubel scored with 7:20 left to make it an 11-point game, the Huskers didn’t get another point until Ubel’s two free throws with 14.3 seconds left.
Kevin Van Wijk, who led Valparaiso with 20 points, hit two free throws to make it a two-point game in the final seconds. Matt Kenney missed a desperation 3-pointer at the buzzer.
Valparaiso, which had made 13 3-pointers in each of its first two games, was just 2 of 15 from behind the arc and shot 34 percent overall. The Huskers shot 37 percent.
