Husker newbies spark NU over Spartans

Lance Jeter, one of seven new faces on the Huskers men’s basketball team scored 17 points as four Huskers reached double figures in NU’s 76-49 season opening win Saturday night against South Carolina Upstate.  
A 25-2 run early in the second half blew the game open. Brandon Ubel added 12 points, Toney McCray added 10 points off the bench along with 10 from Eshaunte Jones. Nebraska hit 55% from the floor in the second half, including 8-for-13 on three pointers.
Jorge Brian Diaz finished with nine points and 11 rebounds, becoming the first Husker freshman in six years to reach double figures in rebounds in his NU debut. In all, the newcomers accounted for 47 of the Huskers’ 76 points and 22 of NU’s 39 rebounds, including 12 on the offensive side.
The Huskers have won their last nine season openers.  NU was up 34-30 before the newbies went on a 15-0 run, holding the Spartans scoreless for a span of 6:34. A basket by Diaz started the run before Ubel scored five straight points, including a three-pointer that pushed the lead back to 11 points, at 41-30. A McCray dunk and a Jeter three made it a 16-point Husker lead before Brandon Richardson’s jumper gave NU a 49-30 advantage with 12:01 remaining.