Huskers exorcise their Michigan demons by slamming Wolverines

"Nebraska," the veteran coach said. "Is good."

The Huskers showed how good they can be Thursday night, exorcising their Michigan demons and picking up their biggest win of the season with a 72-52 rout of the No. 23 Wolverines in front of 14,589 rowdy fans Thursday night at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

The win marked Nebraska’s first in eight tries against Michigan since joining the Big Ten, and first over the Wolverines since 1964. In posting its largest margin of victory over a ranked opponent since a 28-point win over No. 25 Texas Tech in 2004, Nebraska also broke another almost incomprehensible streak.

For the first time since joining the Big Ten, the Huskers led Michigan by two possessions in a basketball game.

There is still a long way to go in this season. And Michigan isn’t Kansas. But for one night, the Huskers looked like a team ready to make a run toward its first NCAA Tournament birth in four seasons.

"It's good to check that box," Nebraska coach Tim Miles said. "I haven't quite decompressed yet, but I'm sure about 3 a.m. I'll finally relax and it will feel great."

James Palmer scored 19 points to lead Nebraska (14-7, 5-3 Big Ten) and was one of four Huskers in double figures.

It was the junior guard who put a bow on the night with Nebraska up 12 in the second half, drawing a foul on Michigan forward Moritz Wagner, jawing with the all-Big Ten forward, hitting a pair of free throws, then drilling a three-pointer on Nebraska’s next possession to help the Huskers re-establish control.

Isaiah Roby scored a career-high 14 points, and was part of Nebraska’s masterful defensive effort. The sophomore drew the assignment of guarding Wagner, and helped hold the 6-foot-11 forward to two points on 1-of-5 shooting.

As a freshman, Roby was in the media room last season after Michigan humbled Nebraska in a 93-57 shelling that set a program record for most lopsided home loss.

"I think I said something like I didn't want to feel that again," Roby said. "So it's good to kind of flip the tables on them, I guess you could say."

Charles Matthews had 15 points for the Wolverines (16-5, 5-3), but was the only Michigan player in double figures.

Michigan shot 38 percent from the field and just 22 percent (4-for-18) from three-point range while finishing with its lowest point total of the season. At one point in the second half, Michigan had 12 made field goals and 12 turnovers.

Miles credited Husker assistant Kenya Hunter with scheming up the defensive game plan and the Huskers bought in to a degree the coach hasn't seen in a long time.

"We didn't even walk through their stuff today," Miles said. "We just went through their out of bounds plays, and that's the first time I've done that in years. Just because we felt like they (Nebraska's players) knew. They were talking us through film and stuff like that. It was really good."

Isaac Copeland had 13 points and four rebounds for Nebraska, while Anton Gill scored all 10 of his points in the second half.

Nebraska’s best half of the season led to an 11-point halftime lead, and Michigan got no closer than eight the rest of the way. The Huskers led by double digits for the game’s last 17 minutes.

The Huskers shot 60 percent from the field, including two separate stretches of six and five consecutive made shots. Copeland, one game after scoring two points on 1-for-5 shooting, had 10 at the break.

Also in the first half, Roby had nine points and three assists, and perhaps more importantly helped hold Wagner scoreless on 0-for-1 shooting.

Michigan ended the half by missing 14 of its final 16 shots, and went dry offensively during an 18-4 Husker run that turned a 12-10 deficit into a 28-16 Nebraska lead.

During that stretch, the Wolverines went 7 minutes, 27 seconds between field goals. Coming into the game with single-digit turnovers in nine of its 20 games, Michigan had eight in the first 14 minutes of the game and finished the half with nine.

Copeland gave the Huskers an A for their defensive effort.

Not an A-plus?

"No, because they still scored," the junior said. "We take pride in it. A good team like that, we wanted to lock them up and win the game."

Consider the Vault locked. Now Nebraska leaves home for four of its next five contests, including two games in four days at Ohio State and Rutgers.

But the Huskers will do so as a team that seems to be developing a reputation around the Big Ten.

"There are a few teams in this league that are elite, and (Nebraska) is one of those teams that is growing by leaps and bounds," Beilein said. "They have a chance this year to be really a very good team."