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Western Illinois University Athletics

Duff
WIU Visual Productions Center
49
Western Ill. M-771
73
Winner Nebraska M-463
Western Ill. M-771
49
Final
73
Nebraska M-463
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Western Ill. M-771 17 32 49
Nebraska M-463 40 33 73

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | WIU Athletic Communications

Second Half Adjustments Not Enough at Nebraska

The Leathernecks fell 73-49 to the Huskers in front of 15,800 fans.

LINCOLN, Neb.— The Western Illinois (2-4) men's basketball team improved its play in the second half, but lost 73-49 to Nebraska (5-1) on Saturday afternoon (Nov. 24). The Huskers are ranked 24th in the USA Today Coaches Poll and feature former Leatherneck head basketball coach Jim Molinari as an assistant on their coaching staff. 
 
"In the first half we were not ourselves," head coach Billy Wright said. "I think that had a lot to do with them (Nebraska). Their size, their length, their athleticism and the environment. I mean what a great environment for our young men to get this experience, but you look at some things that we didn't do so well the first half, we were able to correct in the second half and it was 33-32 in the second half. We're proud of our effort and our fight, particularly in the second half. We were able to do some things better even though we didn't shoot the ball very well and had some guys in foul trouble. We were still very competitive for most of the second half we just got down too many points from the start."
 
Four minutes into the game, Isaac Johnson drove inside for a layup and with 15:32 left in the first half, Brandon Gilbeck made a hook shot for an early 9-4 lead. From then on, the Huskers unleashed a 13-0 run that was answered on a layup by Ben Pyle as Western trailed 17-11 with 7:49 remaining in the first half. 
 
From 6:54 to only 32 seconds left, Nebraska opened the game with 19-0 run until Kobe Webster answered with a three-pointer that was his only made field goal of the contest. The Huskers controlled the game at halftime by a score of 40-17. 
 
Nebraska started the second half on a 10-0 run rounded out by Glynn Watson Jr. corner triple as the Huskers led by the largest margin of the day, 50-17 with 17:41 to go. Western Illinois began to chip away with 12:11 remaining on a trifecta by C.J. Duff followed on the next possession by a layup in the lane from Zion Young as the Leathernecks were behind, 54-33. 
 
The deficit was cut to as little as 60-42 on a jumper in the paint by Duff with 5:41 left. Brandon Gilbeck already recorded three blocks and rocked the rim on a slam dunk with 3:33 to go in regulation while trailing 64-44. Nebraska proved to be too much to handle in a 73-49 setback at Pinnacle Bank Arena. 
 
Duff paced the purple and gold in scoring with 13 points. Isaac Johnson totaled nine points and collected a team-high six rebounds. 

The Leathernecks return home to play host to SIUE on Wednesday, Nov. 28 at 7 p.m. 
 
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