Second-Half Surge Powers Nebraska Past North Dakota in 78-55 Win
LINCOLN - For 20 minutes, it looked like Nebraska might be sleepwalking into a trap game. But then came the second half - and with it, a different team entirely.
Jamarques Lawrence set the tone early after the break, drilling a three-pointer that capped a quick 6-0 Husker burst. That shot forced a North Dakota timeout and sent a clear message: Nebraska was done messing around.
Lawrence’s nod to the bench on his way back down the floor said it all - the Huskers were waking up.
After a sluggish and sloppy first half that saw Nebraska trail 26-24 at the break, the second half was a complete reversal. The Huskers turned up the intensity, cleaned up their execution, and looked more like the team fans have come to expect this season.
Let’s be clear: this wasn’t just a case of shots finally falling. Nebraska’s defense locked in, their ball movement sharpened, and their energy level spiked.
The result? A dominant 54-29 second-half showing that flipped the game on its head.
Head coach Fred Hoiberg didn’t need to reinvent the wheel at halftime - just remind his team of who they are. And to their credit, the Huskers responded.
A Tale of Two Halves
The first half was, to put it mildly, forgettable. Nebraska shot poorly, struggled to establish rhythm, and allowed North Dakota to dictate tempo. The Fighting Hawks weren’t lighting it up either, but they did enough to take a lead into the locker room.
That all changed after the break.
Nebraska came out with urgency, starting with that Lawrence triple. The Huskers quickly turned a two-point deficit into a double-digit lead, using a mix of defensive pressure, transition buckets, and crisp half-court execution.
The ball started moving with purpose. Open looks were created - and this time, converted. The crowd at Pinnacle Bank Arena, quiet for much of the first half, roared to life as Nebraska poured it on.
Defensive Identity Returns
If there’s one thing that defined the Huskers’ second-half dominance, it was their defense. They swarmed the ball, closed out on shooters, and forced North Dakota into tough, contested looks.
That defensive pressure led to turnovers, and those turnovers turned into points. Nebraska’s ability to turn defense into offense was the difference-maker. The energy on that end of the floor was contagious - from the starters to the bench.
It was the kind of defensive intensity that not only wins games, but builds habits. For a team with postseason aspirations, that’s the kind of identity you want to see take root.
A Team Effort
While Lawrence’s three sparked the turnaround, this was a team-wide response. Rienk Mast provided steady interior presence, both on the glass and in the paint. The bench brought energy and effort, helping to maintain the momentum once the starters got the lead.
Nebraska didn’t need one player to take over - they needed everyone to raise their level. And that’s exactly what happened.
From the coaching staff’s halftime adjustments to the players’ execution, this was a full-team effort that showed what this group is capable of when locked in.
Looking Ahead
Games like this are about more than just the final score. They’re about how a team responds when things aren’t going their way.
Nebraska didn’t play its best basketball for the first 20 minutes - far from it. But the second-half response was exactly what you want to see from a veteran-led squad.
The Huskers now move forward with another win in their back pocket and a reminder of the standard they’ve set. If they can bottle that second-half energy and carry it into the heart of the season, they’ll be a tough out for anyone.
For now, they’ll take the win - and the lesson that sometimes, it’s not how you start, but how you respond.