Rigsby nets career-high 20 points and hits game-winning 3 to lead Minnesota past Nebraska

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Senior guard Brennan Rigsby scored a career-high 20 points on 7-for-8 shooting and his catch-and-shoot 3-pointer with 4.1 seconds left saved Minnesota in a frenetic 67-65 win over Nebraska on Saturday.

Andrew Morgan’s desperation 3-pointer for Nebraska as time expired bounced off hard off the backboard and rim to end it.

Trailing 64-63, Nebraska forced Minnesota into a 10-second violation with 18.6 seconds remaining. Out of the inbounds, Brice Williams drove the lane before Mike Mitchell Jr. blocked his shot attempt near the rim. But Juwan Gary gathered the loose ball and laid it in with 9.7 seconds left.

With both teams out of timeouts, Minnesota’s Lu’Cye Patterson took the inbounds pass and raced to the front court to feed Rigsby for an open 3 in which he didn’t use a dribble.

Minnesota led 47-28 when Dawson Garcia buried a 3 with 15:43 remaining before Nebraska climbed back in it. Gary’s three-point play with 6:28 left gave Nebraska a 55-54 lead. It was short lived as Rigsby responded with a 3 and the Golden Gophers never trailed again.

Rigsby, who finished 5-for-6 shooting from 3-point range, entered the game shooting 24% from beyond the arc for the season. He was also scoreless in seven of his last nine games played.

Patterson added 16 points for Minnesota (15-14, 7-11 Big Ten) who are fighting for entry into the post-season conference tournament.

Gary and Williams scored 21 points apiece and reserve Connor Essegian 11 for Nebraska (17-12, 7-11) who are fighting for an NCAA Tournament at-large bid.

Minnesota hosts 11th-ranked Wisconsin on Wednesday. Nebraska plays at Ohio State on Tuesday.

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