Nebraska hosts Stony Brook, seeks to stay unbeaten

Photo courtesy of Steven Branscombe, USA TODAY Sports

Article courtesy of Field Level Media

TORONTO. -  Nebraska hopes to match its best start in five years when it hosts Stony Brook in a non-conference game Wednesday night in Lincoln, Neb.

The Cornhuskers (3-0) are coming off a 64-50 home win over Rider on Monday in a game that saw them get back sharpshooter Keisei Tominaga. The senior guard, who had missed the first two games because of an ankle injury suffered in an exhibition game, started and played 22 minutes but was just 3 of 13 from the field and finished with nine points.

"I thought he was pressing a little bit early," Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg said of Tominaga, who averaged 13.1 points and shot 40 percent from 3-point range last season.

Stony Brook (1-2) comes to town having lost 85-63 at Duquesne on Monday. The Seawolves allowed 13 3-pointers and 50 percent shooting overall.

"Our defense wasn't good enough to stay attached as the game wore on," Stony Brook coach Geno Ford said.

Speaking of defense, Nebraska has held all three opponents to 54 points or less this season, and each opponent has shot below 33 percent from the field.

"Every night defense has to be our constant," Hoiberg said.

Stony Brook has four players averaging in double figures this season, including senior guard Aaron Clarke, who had 22 against Duquense. The sixth-year senior already has surpassed his scoring total from a year ago, when a back injury limited him to three games.

Nebraska's leading scorer so far has been Bradley transfer Rienk Mast, who is averaging 15 points and 11.7 rebounds a game.

A win for the Big Ten's Cornhuskers would match their start from 2018-19, when they began 4-0 en route to a 19-17 record, the final season under previous coach Tim Miles.

Stony Brook, which began the year with a loss at St. John's, is seeking its first win over a power-conference team since beating South Carolina in November 2018. The Seawolves are 2-14 all-time against Big Ten schools.