Nebraska aims to shut down Oregon St. in Diamond Head final

Field Level Media|published: Tue 24th December, 17:07 2024

Dec 13, 2024; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers forward Juwan Gary (4) shoots the ball against Indiana Hoosiers center Oumar Ballo (11) during the first half at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

When Nebraska meets Oregon State on Wednesday in Honolulu in the championship game of the Diamond Head Classic, it will have a chance to win its first tournament since the San Juan Shootout in 2000.

If the Cornhuskers (9-2) pull it off, there's a good chance Juwan Gary will have something to do with it -- on both ends of the floor.

The 6-foot-6, sixth-year senior averages 11.7 points per game and is coming off a 21-point outing in Monday night's 69-55 semifinal win over Hawaii. Gary is also an elite defender whose ability to guard multiple positions has Nebraska playing the best defense in coach Fred Hoiberg's six seasons.

The Cornhuskers, who have allowed an average of 52.0 points per game in victories over Murray State and Hawaii at the tournament, are limiting the opposition to 36.3 percent field-goal shooting.

"He can guard anybody one through five," Hoiberg said of Gary. "He does so many little things for his team and he's one of the elite offensive rebounders in the country."

Fellow sixth-year senior Brice Williams (19.2 points) is coming off a 32-point outing Monday night for Nebraska, which is on a three-game winning streak.

The Beavers (10-2) rallied from a 12-point second-half deficit in Monday's first semifinal to topple Oakland 80-74. Liutauras Lelevicius led a balanced attack with 17 points, producing a three-point play with 12 seconds left in regulation that forced overtime.

Reigning West Coast Conference Player of the Week Michael Rataj added 13 points and seven rebounds one day after putting up 16 and 12, respectively, in a win over the College of Charleston.

Winners of six in a row, Oregon State's hot start might surprise some, given the losses it incurred to the transfer portal after the program fell from Power 5 status. The departures included Jordan Pope (Texas) and Tyler Bilodeau (UCLA). But coach Wayne Tinkle felt the Beavers got deeper via their portal additions.

"They're excited to be wearing the Oregon State uniform," he said. "Our balance of youth brings some real enthusiasm among with a good balance of mature guys."

--Field Level Media

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