LINCOLN, NE -- Rutgers continues its momentum with its first true road win of the year in a gritty 85-82 victory over Nebraska Thursday evening.

It was another total team effort for the Scarlet Knights. Freshmen Dylan Harper, Ace Bailey, and Dylan Grant combined for 60 of RU's 85 points (71 percent) while the bench accumulated another 23.

Bailey led the way with his sixth career double-double - 24 points, 11 rebounds, four assists, three blocks, and a clutch steal off a Nebraska inbounds with under 30 seconds remaining. Bailey capped off the first half with the first of his four threes as time expired to give Rutgers a 40-37 advantage.

Bailey is the first freshman to reach this statline since Duke's Jalen Johnson in 2021. It has only been accomplished eight times since 2005 and never in a Big Ten game in the past 20 seasons. Of the eight players achieving this, seven played multiple seasons in the NBA, six were first round draft picks, and four went number one overall (Greg Oden, Ben Simmons, Deandre Ayton, and Zion Williamson).

There were 10 ties and 13 lead-changes in the nail-biting finish that ended with the Scarlet Knights making five of their last six from the field, though free-throw shooting almost came back to haunt them.

RU shot 7-for-14 from the line, Nebraska 17-for-27.

Harper scored 14 of his 21 points in the second half including multiple clutch buckets down the stretch by slicing through Nebraska's double-teams. This was his first 20-point game since Dec. 21 after scoring 20+ points in 10 of the first 12 games. It marked the third time this season Harper and Bailey each scored 20+ points in the same game (Alabama, Seton Hall) and the first time since Dec. 14.

Harper and captain Zach Martini each added three threes en route to Rutgers' season-high of 12 from deep, its most ever in a Big Ten game. Martini finished with 11 points on 80 percent shooting off the bench and RU outscored Nebraska by 14 with him on the court.

Grant continued to shine in his second consecutive start - he posted a career-high 15 points and shot 7-for-8 in 22 minutes of action. Grant scored 18 points in his first six games combined prior to tonight. 

Junior Emmanuel Ogbole scored two points, but corralled in a career-high 11 of RU's 40 rebounds and finished with a game-high +17.

Rutgers snapped Nebraska's 20-game win streak at Pinnacle Bank Arena and was the first Big Ten team to win at the venue since Feb. 28, 2023. RU has won four of the past six matchups against Nebraska.

The Scarlet Knights improve to 10-8 (3-4 in conference play) while picking up its first Quad 1 win of the season. The Cornhuskers fall to 12-5 (2-4).

Rutgers looks to make it three in a row when it takes on Penn State (12-6, 2-5) at University Park, tipping off at 6:30 pm on Monday, Jan. 20.

Rutgers Basketball Postgame Notes
 
Ace Bailey: 24 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 blocks, 1 steal

• Was the first freshman to reach that stat line since 2021 (Duke's Jalen Johnson)
  • Had been done only eight times previously since 2005, and only once by a Big Ten player (Ohio State's Greg Oden vs. Tennessee).
  • Had not been done in a Big Ten game in past 20 seasons
  • Of those 8 players to reach that statline, 7 of the 8 played multiple seasons in the NBA (Greg Oden, Zion Williamson, DeAndrew Ayton, Ben Simmons, Michael Beasley, Jalen Johnson, Talen Horton-Tucker).
    • 6 of those NBA players were first round draft picks and four were first overall picks (Oden, Williamson, Ayton, Simmons). The additional draft picks were selected second (Michael Beasley) and 20th (Jalen Johnson).

• First 20 point game since December 21 after scoring 20+ points in 10 of the first 12 games.
• It marked the third time this season Harper and Bailey each scored 20+ points in the same game (Alabama, Seton Hall) and first time since December 14.

• Career-high 15 points after scoring 18 points in his first six career games combined

• Scored 11 points, his second game this season reaching double-figure scoring (18 vs. Monmouth on November 15)
  • Had scored just 11 points combined in his previous six games and 15 points in his previous 10 games combined

• Had a career-high 11 rebounds, surpassing his previous career-high of 8.  

• Four wins in the past six matchups against Nebraska
• Snapped Nebraska's 20-game win streak at home at Pinnacle Bank Arena and was the first Big Ten team to win at the venue since February 28, 2023. 

• Rutgers reached 85 points for the fifth time this season and first time against a Big Ten team.
• The 85 points was the most that RU scored in a Big Ten game since scoring 87, also against Nebraska, in overtime on Jan. 17, 2024
• It was the most points scored in regulation against a Big Ten team since scoring 90 against Minnesota on Feb. 1, 2023
• Rutgers made a season-high 12 three-pointers, its most ever in a Big Ten game.