Photo Showcase: Nebraska's 83-63 win over Rhode Island
Box Score: Nebraska 83, Rhode Island 63
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LINCOLN — Rhode Island basketball bills itself as the “Runnin’ Rams,” but on Sunday Nebraska had them running for cover.
The Huskers hit eight of their first nine shots, forced 15 first-half turnovers, built a 24-point lead after 17 minutes and rolled to an 83-63 win in front of 6,279 at the Devaney Center.
Rhode Island (0-3) had averaged 90 points in close road losses to George Mason and Texas. But the last time this game was close was at 8-5 barely three minutes in.
Point guard Bo Spencer led Nebraska with 23 points and wing Caleb Walker added a career-high 17 on 7-of-8 shooting. But coach Doc Sadler said the unsung Husker hero was guard Brandon Richardson.
Don’t fret over the fifth-year senior’s five points. Look at Richardson’s eight assists to one turnover, his four steals and his work on Rhode Island’s Jamal Wilson.
Wilson, averaging 31 points a game, was held to 14 and committed six turnovers.
“Look at what that guy has been doing, and look what Brandon did against him,” Sadler said. “He was able to disrupt their offense without us having to switch out a lot, which was important to our defense.
“Brandon is going to defend the other team’s best perimeter player. He’s going to get on the floor for loose balls. He’s going to be the tough guy we need him to be.”
Richardson steals led to two of Nebraska’s first five baskets. The second of those fast-break layups started a 21-4 run that put NU up 29-9.
Richardson praised teammate Ray Gallegos, who is redshirting this season, for giving him a strong challenge in practice while preparing to guard Wilson.
“Jamal Wilson is a great talent. He can score the ball at will,” Richardson said. “But Ray did a good job acting like Wilson and trying to get me game-ready.”
Nebraska’s lead grew to 24 points at 39-15 with 3:08 to go in the first half. After Rhode Island closed to 40-20 at half, Nebraska stretched the lead to 59-29 with 13 minutes to play.
Rams coach Jim Baron was impressed.
“You’re playing against a good team in a tough environment with some good players,” Baron said. “We just fell short. We missed some shots, missed some opportunities and they capitalized on it.”
Nebraska recorded 24 assists on its 32 baskets while shooting 57.1 percent from the field. Rhode Island was held to 37.7-percent shooting.
“We didn’t take quick shots,” Spencer said. “We didn’t want to get into a shooting game with them. We were very unselfish today.”
Nebraska (3-0) has home games Wednesday at 8 p.m. against Oregon (2-1) and Saturday at 1 p.m. against South Dakota State (1-2).
Redshirt news
Nebraska senior center Andre Almeida appears headed for a redshirt season, Sadler said Sunday.
The 6-foot-11, 310-pounder has been severely limited by recurring knee pain following surgery last April. He practiced two days last week for less than 10 minutes, the coach said.
“Unless something drastically changes, Andre’s not going to play,” Sadler said. “Here it is almost December, and it’s going to take Andre a month to get to where he’d be OK.”
Almeida played in 30 games last season, starting three. He averaged 5.2 points and 3.3 rebounds, and had a high-point game of 20 against South Dakota.
Nebraska freshman wing Josiah Moore, after sitting out the first two games considering a redshirt season, ended that plan by playing four minutes Sunday and hitting his only shot, a 3-pointer.
“Jo has lost about 10 pounds,” Sadler said of the 6-5, 200-pounder from Norcross, Ga. “Jo may be as good a shooter as we’ve got on our team.
“He wants to play. As I’ve told everybody, my concern is the numbers game. But that’s what he wants to do.”
Contact the writer:
402-444-1024, lee.barfknecht@owh.com
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