NCAA News Wire
Baylor toes the line, beats Nebraska
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
SAN ANTONIO, Texas — The Baylor Bears stayed cool as Nebraska went from ice cold, to warmer to melting down in the NCAA West Regional second round.
Baylor’s front court duo of center Isaiah Austin and forward Cory Jefferson combined for 29 points and 13 rebounds as the Bears knocked out the Cornhuskers, 74-60, on Friday at the AT&T Center.
Nebraska cut Baylor’s lead to nine early in the second half before Terran Petteway, the Cornhuskers leading scorer, picked up his fourth foul, prompting Nebraska coach Tim Miles to protest and earn a technical foul.
Austin hit his two free throws and guard Kenny Chery hit both technical foul free throws to boost Baylor’s lead back to 13.
Miles received his second technical foul and was ejected with 11:17 left.
Baylor guard Brady Heslip hit both of the technical foul free throws and forward Rico Gathers hit two more, giving the Bears a 50-32 lead and firm control.
Baylor went 38-for-48 from the free throw line, making twice as many as Nebraska shot.
“We were very good from the free-throw line, not just in those (technical foul) situations,” Baylor coach Scott Drew said. “We were 80 percent and we’ll take that any time.
“When you have those opportunities and make free throws, they’re important for momentum.”
Jefferson scored 14 to lead Baylor (25-11), which advances to play the winner of the Creighton-Louisiana game.
Petteway scored 18 to lead Nebraska (19-13).
Nebraska made its first shot of the game when guard Shavon Shields went to the basket for a layup, but the Cornhuskers went more than nine minutes without another field goal.
Baylor pushed ahead, 12-3, during Nebraska’s early drought, then stretched the lead to 13 when guard Gary Franklin hit a 3-pointer with 1:17 left in the first half.
Nebraska’s dismal shooting continued as the Cornhuskers made only 23 percent of their shots from the field and 4-of-9 free throws.
Franklin led Baylor with seven points in the first half, although the Bears shot only 33 percent from the field and missed the opportunity to stretch out to a bigger lead.
NOTES: Nebraska holds a 12-11 series edge against Baylor after the programs were members of the Big 12 from the 1996-97 season until 2011. Baylor has won the last four games in the series. … Nebraska G Terran Petteway, the Big Ten’s leading scorer at 18.1 points per game, played against Baylor twice as a freshman at Texas Tech before transferring to the Cornhuskers. Petteway did not score in either game against the Bears. … Entering the 2014 NCAA Tournament, Baylor reached the regional final in each of its previous tournament trips, losing to Duke in the regional final in 2010 and to Kentucky in 2012. … Nebraska is 0-7 all-time in the NCAA Tournament.
