4 days Ago By Wilson Moore World-Herald staff writer
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — A fitful night greeted the Nebraska men’s basketball team upon its arrival in Sioux Falls.
NU coach Fred Hoiberg estimated the fire alarm went off at the team’s hotel five times the night before the Huskers’ game against Saint Mary’s, beginning around 1 a.m. Hoiberg said he didn’t fall back asleep until around 4:30.
Graduate assistant Josiah Allick shared a video on X of an alarm sounding, timestamped at 1:52 a.m. The team had driven from Lincoln that day, one of two bus trips this season, and had an early tip at the Sanford Pentagon ahead.
“To have to respond to play a noon game, that’s tough, so I give our guys a lot of credit for finding the energy to fight back in that one, but that’s a hell of a lot of adversity (for) our guys,” Hoiberg said. “We talked about it. It’s something that — adversity hits you in a lot of different ways.
” As Nebraska matched Saint Mary’s physicality level, Berke Buyuktuncel was in the middle of it all. He grabbed rebounds and served as a brick wall against a team more interested in going through its opponent than around it. The UCLA transfer juxtaposed his bruising style on defense with a feathery offensive touch at the rim.
Of his 15 points, five came on free throws as he mixed it up with the Gaels’ 6-foot-10, 250-pound center Mitchell Saxen. Buyuktuncel scored four baskets in the paint and knocked down a smooth turnaround jumper to beat the shot clock in the second half. Defensively, he played hard, moving his feet for a stop on the perimeter and eventually deflecting a pass in a second-half sequence.
He finished the possession by closing out to the perimeter and blocking a shot, one of three in the afternoon. Buyuktuncel’s shooting ability is yet to join him from the portal; he’s 1 of 7 from 3-point range. But his grit and effort made a difference against Sunday.
“I just thought he was very assertive, especially when he got into the paint,” Hoiberg said. “Offensive rebounds, I thought he was terrific. I thought he gave great effort, and it’s a matter of time.
He’s gonna start hitting shots. He’s got too good of a stroke, and when that happens, he’s gonna be a hell of a weapon for us out there.” Amy Williams hadn’t coached against her former team since leaving University of South Dakota for Nebraska in 2016.
The Spearfish, South Dakota native described her return as special. The Pentagon was a familiar place, and among the sold-out crowd packing it Saturday were family members and players from Williams’ four-year tenure at USD. “It’s been a little emotional.
It’s been fun,” Williams said. “I have such fond memories from this place, and the Pentagon treated us incredibly well.” There was a moment of silence before the game for Bridget Schumacher, who played for Williams at South Dakota as Bridget Arens from 2013 to 2016.
Schumacher, who grew up in Crofton, Nebraska, died in October. “It’s almost hard to put into words what she meant to me personally and to our program, and she’s just the most amazing teammate, friend, sister,” Williams said. “She just had a spirit that would light up the room and that dimple smile that you just couldn’t hardly — it’s pretty emotional.
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