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Walker has 22, Nebraska wins at Minnesota in OT, 81-79

January 7, 2023 GMT

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Nebraska forward Derrick Walker (13) goes up to the basket against Minnesota forward Dawson Garcia (3) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023, in Minneapolis. Nebraska won 81-79 in overtime. (AP Photo/Stacy Bengs)

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MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Derrick Walker scored 22 points and combined with Sam Griesel for nine points in overtime to lift Nebraska to an 81-79 win over Minnesota on Saturday.

Walker scored his five points in the first 31/2 minutes of overtime to keep the Cornhuskers on top. After Minnesota’s Jamison Battle tied the game at 74 with a 3-pointer at the 1:17 mark, Juwan Gary broke the tie with a put back of a Walker miss. Griesel then hit four-free throws after a Golden Gopher turnover and a miss for an 80-74 lead with less than 10 seconds to play.

Gary had 18 points and Griesel 17 for the Cornhuskers (9-7, 2-3 Big Ten), who shot 51% (30 of 59) from the field with five 3s and 16 of 21 from the foul line (76%), including 8 of 11 in overtime. Walker had eight rebounds and seven assists, Griesel had six boards and five assists.

It was the first time Nebraska has won a Big Ten road game in overtime and the first conference OT road win since a win at Colorado in a Big 12 game in February of 2001.

Battle scored 20 points for Minnesota (6-8, 1-4) but was 8-of-21 shooting; 4 of 13 on 3-pointers. Dawson Garcia had 19 points and 15 rebounds and Joshua Ola-Joseph and Ta’lon Cooper 12 apiece. Taurus Samuels forced the overtime with a 3 with 4.8 seconds left in regulation.

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Garcia had 15 points as Minnesota took a 39-33 at the end of the first half filled with mini runs.

Garcia had four points when the Golden Gophers took an 18-13 lead near the middle of the half. The Cornhuskers put together a 9-0 run to go up 31-26 at the 5:22 mark. Then Garcia had a pair of 3s in an 11-0 run, that included five points from Cooper before the teams traded buckets in the last minute.

Nebraska shot 52% but was 3 of 9 from distance while Minnesota was 6 of 12 behind the arc and shot 50% overall.

Gary had a three-point play to kickstart a 12-0 Nebraska run that produced a 54-47 lead when Griesel scored with 12:52 to play.

That matched Minnesota’s biggest lead in a game that had eight ties and 15 lead changes.

Nebraska is home against Illinois on Tuesday, Minnesota is at No. 24 Ohio State on Thursday.

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