LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska's Rienk Mast and Jamarques Lawrence sent a message to the home fans after their victory Friday night over No. 9 Michigan State: Thanks for the support, but please quit storming the court.
Fans poured onto the floor at the final buzzer to celebrate the 58-56 victory that extended the 13th-ranked Cornhuskers' program-best start to 14-0. They've won 18 straight since last season for the longest streak in the nation.
“If you're
the No. 13 against the No. 9 and you’re at home, in my opinion, you’re supposed to win that game,” Mast said. “I don’t blame the fans. They got excited for that win. From here on out, we’ve proven we belong in these games and we’re supposed to win these types of games.”
The Huskers won the inaugural College Basketball Crown postseason tournament last April to create positive vibes for this season. They've already knocked off a ranked Illinois team on the road, and they went unbeaten in nonconference play for the first time since 1928-29.
Nebraska, the only power conference program to have never won an NCAA Tournament game, went into Friday's meeting with the Spartans as a 2.5-point favorite according to BetMGM Sportsbook.
Lawrence was first to broach the court-storming topic as he finished answering a question about how things have changed at Nebraska.
“We’re supposed to win that game, guys,” he said. “No more court storms, please. I just got to say that.”
None of this means the Huskers won't continue to play with an underdog's mentality, Mast said.
“Every single game we have to prove it, that this isn’t a fluke and that we're on a hot streak and we can go cold," he said. “We've got to stay poised and keep proving people wrong.”
Mast said it's important for the team to enjoy what it has accomplished but not become too pleased with itself.
“We have a group that’s old and knows if you ride the high, you can fall flat on your face,” he said.
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