LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Sam Griesel had 22 points and nine rebounds, Juwan Gary added 14 points and 11 boards, and Nebraska beat Maine 79-66 on Monday night in a season opener.
Griesel (North Dakota State) and Gary (Alabama) are both newcomers and they offer NCAA Tournament experience. Gary scored the first five points of the game and his free throw capped the 9-0 run en route to a 13-2 lead.
Keisei Tominaga scored Nebraska's final seven points of the first half for a 40-28 lead. A Gedi Juozapaitis 3-pointer pulled Maine within 54-53 with 13 minutes left but Nebraska scored 14 of the next 15 points and led by at least nine points the rest of the way.
Tominaga finished with 19 points off the bench and Griesel was 8 of 12 from the field for Nebraska. Tominaga, along with Derrick Walker and C.J. Wilcher, are the only returning players from the regular rotation.
Juozapaitis led Maine with six 3-pointers and 20 points. Kristians Feierbergs added 16 points.
The Huskers play Omaha on Thursday and then head to New York to play St. John’s on Nov. 17 in the Gavitt Games. Their toughest nonconference game is Dec. 4 against ninth-ranked Creighton in Omaha, and Big Ten play starts Dec. 7 at No. 13 Indiana.
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