Sports

Nebraska's Keisei Tominaga Shines in the Final Home Game of College Career

Cornhuskers guard Keisei Tominaga scored a game-high 18 points, including 10 straight in the second half, in an emotional win over Big Ten foe Rutgers.

Published

8 months ago

March 4, 2024

Ed Odeven

University of Nebraska senior guard Keisei Tominaga shoots a free throw in a Big Ten Conference game against visiting Rutgers University on March 3, 2024. (NEBRASKA ATHLETICS)

Read the full story on SportsLook - Nebraska's Keisei Tominaga Shines in the Final Home Game of College Career

It was a fitting performance by fan favorite Keisei Tominaga on Senior Night. After all, he's a dynamic player who has energized the University of Nebraska men's basketball program since the day he arrived on campus.

In the final home game of his college career, the Nagoya native scored a game-high 18 points to help lead the Cornhuskers to a 67-56 victory over Big Ten Conference foe Rutgers University on Sunday, March 3.

Tominaga scored 10 straight points in the second half before a frenzied crowd of 15,854 at Pinnacle Bank Arena as the Cornhuskers took a 64-51 lead with 5:19 remaining.

Rutgers had pulled to within 54-48 before Tominaga's big scoring run, which began with a highlight-reel layup on which he was fouled. He nailed the subsequent free throw, then canned a 3-pointer, and was also fouled in the process. Tominaga made that free throw, too. He was 5-for-6 at the line.

Describing his play in the second half, Tominaga emphasized effort in his comments to reporters after the game.

"I just kept cutting and moving and so that was big at that moment of the game with the big 3," Tominaga said.

He then said, "I think I just need to keep moving and growing to make my teammates better. Let the game come to me and live in the moment."

And what were his thoughts on his final home game as a Cornhusker?

"It meant a lot to me, I've been here for three years," Tominaga said. "The crowd was amazing and for a moment like that to happen it meant a lot to me."

Nebraska Remains Perfect at Home in Big Ten Games

The Cornhuskers (21-9 overall, 11-8 in the Big Ten) improved to 18-1 at home in the 2023-24 season. This includes a 10-0 record in conference home games in Lincoln, Nebraska.

In addition to Tominaga, Nebraska's Juwan Gary (15 points) and Josiah Allick (10) also scored in double figures.

Cornhuskers head coach Fred Hoiberg was delighted that his team earned a victory in the final home game for its seniors.

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Author: Ed Odeven

Find Ed on JAPAN Forward's dedicated website, SportsLook. Follow his [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven.