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Brice Williams sets Nebraska scoring record in 77-66 win over UCF for College Basketball Crown title

AP
Apr 06, 2025

LAS VEGAS (AP) Senior Brice Williams scored 21 points to set the single-season scoring record for Nebraska and the Cornhuskers out-rallied UCF for a 77-66 victory in the championship game of the College Basketball Crown at T-Mobile Arena on Sunday.

Williams made 6 of 14 shots with three 3-pointers and 6 of 8 free throws for Nebraska (21-14). He scored 713 points this season - five more than James Palmer Jr. had in the 2018-19 season.

Connor Essegian sank 8 of 16 shots with four 3-pointers, also scoring 21 for the Cornhuskers. Juwan Gary had 20 points on 8-for-15 shooting, adding eight rebounds.

Jordan Ivy-Curry came off the bench to score a season-high 29 for the Knights (20-17). He made 12 of 22 shots - 3 of 9 from beyond the arc. Nils Machowski totaled 13 points and six rebounds. Moustapha Thiam had 11 rebounds to go with nine points.

Williams hit two 3-pointers to help Nebraska jump in front 15-9 in the first eight minutes. The Cornhuskers led by as many as 12 and played with the lead until Darius Johnson sank two free throws to tie it at 33 with 1:46 left before halftime. Gary made two free throws to end a nearly four-minute scoring drought for Nebraska, but Dallan Coleman answered with a second-chance layup to forge a 35-all tie at the break.

The Knights scored the first 14 points of the second half - capped by a 3-pointer from Tyler Hendricks - to move in front for the first time since they led 3-0. Nebraska's first basket didn't come until the 14:36 mark when Gary had a layup. He scored nine in an 11-0 run to cut the deficit to three. Essegian hit back-to-back 3-pointers to tie it at 52. Andrew Morgan followed with two straight dunks and the Cornhuskers never trailed over the final 9:48.

Williams also set Nebraska's single-game scoring record this season with 43 points in a 116-114 double-overtime road loss to Ohio State on March 4.

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1st Half
NEB
Cornhuskers
35
UCF
Knights
35

Time		Play	Score
20:00		Andrew Morgan vs. Moustapha Thiam (Knights gains possession)
19:46		Darius Johnson misses three point jump shot
19:44		Cale Jacobsen defensive rebound
19:19		Moustapha Thiam blocks Juwan Gary's two point jump shot
19:17		Cornhuskers offensive rebound
19:12		Juwan Gary misses two point jump shot
19:10		Tyler Hendricks defensive rebound
18:52	+3	Moustapha Thiam makes three point jump shot (Dallan Coleman assists)	0-3
18:19	+3	Juwan Gary makes three point jump shot (Cale Jacobsen assists)	3-3
17:56		Nils Machowski misses two point jump shot
17:54		Cale Jacobsen defensive rebound
17:36	+2	Andrew Morgan makes two point jump shot (Sam Hoiberg assists)	5-3
17:16		Darius Johnson misses three point jump shot
17:14		Juwan Gary defensive rebound
17:00		Sam Hoiberg misses three point jump shot
16:58		Knights defensive rebound
16:36		Moustapha Thiam misses three point jump shot
16:34		Cale Jacobsen defensive rebound
16:15		Darius Johnson personal foul
16:08		Andrew Morgan misses two point layup
16:06		Moustapha Thiam defensive rebound
15:56	+2	Nils Machowski makes two point layup	5-5
15:40	+3	Brice Williams makes three point jump shot (Sam Hoiberg assists)	8-5
15:26		Nils Machowski turnover (bad pass) (Cale Jacobsen steals)
15:21		Cale Jacobsen turnover (lost ball) (Nils Machowski steals)
15:17		Darius Johnson misses three point jump shot
15:17		Cornhuskers defensive rebound
15:17		TV timeout
14:53	+2	Juwan Gary makes two point jump shot	10-5
14:33	+2	Jordan Ivy-Curry makes two point layup	10-7
14:07		Cale Jacobsen misses two point layup
14:05		Andrew Morgan offensive rebound
14:04		Andrew Morgan turnover (lost ball)
13:48		Dallan Coleman misses three point jump shot
13:46		Sam Hoiberg defensive rebound
13:32		Brice Williams misses three point jump shot
13:30		Tyler Hendricks defensive rebound
13:21	+2	Jordan Ivy-Curry makes two point layup	10-9
13:04		Andrew Morgan offensive foul
13:04		Andrew Morgan turnover (offensive foul)
12:52		Jordan Ivy-Curry misses three point jump shot
12:50		Connor Essegian defensive rebound
12:44		Connor Essegian misses three point jump shot
12:42		Sam Hoiberg offensive rebound
12:35	+2	Connor Essegian makes two point layup (Braxton Meah assists)	12-9
12:20		Moustapha Thiam misses two point jump shot
12:18		Braxton Meah defensive rebound
12:02	+3	Brice Williams makes three point jump shot (Sam Hoiberg assists)	15-9
11:54		Knights 30 second timeout
11:54		TV timeout
11:36		Darius Johnson misses two point jump shot
11:34		Braxton Meah defensive rebound
11:24	+3	Brice Williams makes three point jump shot	18-9
11:15	+2	Moustapha Thiam makes two point hook shot (Darius Johnson assists)	18-11
11:02	+2	Brice Williams makes two point jump shot (Ahron Ulis assists)	20-11
10:52		Darius Johnson offensive foul (Sam Hoiberg draws the foul)
10:52		Darius Johnson turnover (offensive foul)
10:36		Moustapha Thiam blocks Ahron Ulis's two point layup
10:34		Benny Williams defensive rebound
10:28		Jordan Ivy-Curry turnover (bad pass) (Andrew Morgan steals)
10:19	+3	Connor Essegian makes three point jump shot (Sam Hoiberg assists)	23-11
10:02	+2	Dior Johnson makes two point jump shot (Moustapha Thiam assists)	23-13
9:47		Brice Williams misses three point jump shot
9:45		Dior Johnson defensive rebound
9:39		Jordan Ivy-Curry misses three point jump shot
9:38		Tyler Hendricks offensive rebound
9:38		Connor Essegian personal foul (Tyler Hendricks draws the foul)
9:30	+2	Jordan Ivy-Curry makes two point jump shot	23-15
9:10		Connor Essegian misses three point jump shot
9:08		Tyler Hendricks defensive rebound
8:55		Tyler Hendricks misses two point jump shot
8:53		Cale Jacobsen defensive rebound
8:38	+2	Ahron Ulis makes two point layup	25-15
8:21	+3	Jordan Ivy-Curry makes three point jump shot	25-18
8:04		Benny Williams blocks Connor Essegian's two point layup
8:02		Nils Machowski defensive rebound
7:57		Nils Machowski misses two point layup
7:55		Nils Machowski offensive rebound
7:53	+2	Nils Machowski makes two point layup	25-20
7:37	+2	Brice Williams makes two point jump shot	27-20
7:11		Jordan Ivy-Curry misses two point jump shot
7:09		Nils Machowski offensive rebound
7:09		Andrew Morgan personal foul (Nils Machowski draws the foul)
7:09		TV timeout
7:02		Dallan Coleman misses three point jump shot
7:00		Ahron Ulis defensive rebound
6:31		Ahron Ulis misses two point jump shot
6:29		Nils Machowski defensive rebound
6:25	+2	Jordan Ivy-Curry makes two point layup	27-22
6:25		Juwan Gary shooting foul (Jordan Ivy-Curry draws the foul)
6:25	+1	Jordan Ivy-Curry makes regular free throw 1 of 1	27-23
6:17	+2	Juwan Gary makes two point layup (Connor Essegian assists)	29-23
5:58	+3	Nils Machowski makes three point jump shot (Tyler Hendricks assists)	29-26
5:41	+2	Connor Essegian makes two point jump shot	31-26
5:22		Jordan Ivy-Curry turnover (bad pass)
4:59	+2	Brice Williams makes two point jump shot (Braxton Meah assists)	33-26
4:32	+3	Jordan Ivy-Curry makes three point jump shot (Dallan Coleman assists)	33-29
4:04		Moustapha Thiam blocks Connor Essegian's two point layup
4:03		Cornhuskers offensive rebound
4:02		Sam Hoiberg misses two point jump shot
4:00		Cornhuskers offensive rebound
3:59		Nils Machowski personal foul
3:59		TV timeout
3:56		Connor Essegian misses three point jump shot
3:54		Moustapha Thiam defensive rebound
3:38		Brice Williams personal foul (Nils Machowski draws the foul)
3:29		Moustapha Thiam misses two point hook shot
3:27		Juwan Gary defensive rebound
3:18		Brice Williams misses three point jump shot
3:16		Moustapha Thiam defensive rebound
2:59		Jordan Ivy-Curry turnover (lost ball)
2:39		Juwan Gary misses three point jump shot
2:37		Tyler Hendricks defensive rebound
2:16	+2	Tyler Hendricks makes two point jump shot	33-31
2:00		Cale Jacobsen misses two point layup
1:58		Knights defensive rebound
1:56		Braxton Meah personal foul
1:46		Brice Williams shooting foul (Darius Johnson draws the foul)
1:46	+1	Darius Johnson makes regular free throw 1 of 2	33-32
1:46	+1	Darius Johnson makes regular free throw 2 of 2	33-33
1:37		Sam Hoiberg misses two point jump shot
1:35		Dior Johnson defensive rebound
1:27		Tyler Hendricks misses two point jump shot
1:25		Braxton Meah defensive rebound
1:07		Tyler Hendricks shooting foul (Juwan Gary draws the foul)
1:07	+1	Juwan Gary makes regular free throw 1 of 2	34-33
1:07	+1	Juwan Gary makes regular free throw 2 of 2	35-33
0:52		Dior Johnson misses two point jump shot
0:50		Jordan Ivy-Curry offensive rebound
0:40	+2	Dallan Coleman makes two point layup (Moustapha Thiam assists)	35-35
0:31		Cornhuskers 30 second timeout
0:16		Dior Johnson personal foul
0:05		Connor Essegian turnover (lost ball) (Nils Machowski steals)
0:04		Moustapha Thiam turnover (bad pass) (Juwan Gary steals)
0:03		Juwan Gary turnover (bad pass) (Dior Johnson steals)
0:00		End of period

2nd Half
NEB
Cornhuskers
42
UCF
Knights
31

Time		Play	Score
19:48		Juwan Gary misses three point jump shot
19:46		Tyler Hendricks defensive rebound
19:40		Tyler Hendricks misses three point jump shot
19:38		Moustapha Thiam offensive rebound
19:23	+2	Nils Machowski makes two point jump shot	35-37
19:04		Brice Williams misses three point jump shot
18:54		Darius Johnson misses two point layup
18:52		Andrew Morgan defensive rebound
18:39		Brice Williams turnover (lost ball) (Darius Johnson steals)
18:30	+2	Dallan Coleman makes two point layup	35-39
18:04		Tyler Hendricks personal foul
17:50		Juwan Gary misses two point layup
17:48		Moustapha Thiam defensive rebound
17:41	+2	Moustapha Thiam makes two point dunk (Nils Machowski assists)	35-41
17:40		Official timeout
17:17		Connor Essegian misses two point jump shot
17:15		Moustapha Thiam defensive rebound
17:00		Cale Jacobsen blocks Tyler Hendricks's three point jump shot
16:58		Cale Jacobsen defensive rebound
16:47		Dallan Coleman blocks Brice Williams's two point layup
16:45		Tyler Hendricks defensive rebound
16:39	+3	Nils Machowski makes three point jump shot	35-44
16:30		Darius Johnson personal foul
16:23		Connor Essegian misses three point jump shot
16:21		Dallan Coleman defensive rebound
16:07		Jump ball. Jordan Ivy-Curry vs. Sam Hoiberg (Cornhuskers gains possession)
16:07		Jordan Ivy-Curry turnover (lost ball) (Sam Hoiberg steals)
15:44		Andrew Morgan misses two point layup
15:42		Moustapha Thiam defensive rebound
15:33		Nils Machowski misses three point jump shot
15:31		Knights offensive rebound
15:31		Connor Essegian personal foul
15:31		TV timeout
15:27	+2	Jordan Ivy-Curry makes two point layup	35-46
15:17		Juwan Gary turnover (bad pass) (Nils Machowski steals)
14:55	+3	Tyler Hendricks makes three point jump shot (Jordan Ivy-Curry assists)	35-49
14:36	+2	Juwan Gary makes two point layup (Andrew Morgan assists)	37-49
14:20		Jordan Ivy-Curry misses two point jump shot
14:18		Brice Williams defensive rebound
13:53	+2	Connor Essegian makes two point jump shot (Andrew Morgan assists)	39-49
13:32		Andrew Morgan blocks Tyler Hendricks's two point dunk
13:30		Brice Williams defensive rebound
13:20	+2	Juwan Gary makes two point layup	41-49
13:12		Knights 30 second timeout
13:12		TV timeout
13:01		Jordan Ivy-Curry misses three point jump shot
12:59		Brice Williams defensive rebound
12:43		Brice Williams misses three point jump shot
12:41		Juwan Gary offensive rebound
12:39	+2	Juwan Gary makes two point layup	43-49
12:39		Tyler Hendricks shooting foul (Juwan Gary draws the foul)
12:39	+1	Juwan Gary makes regular free throw 1 of 1	44-49
12:28		Moustapha Thiam misses three point jump shot
12:26		Juwan Gary defensive rebound
12:20	+2	Juwan Gary makes two point layup (Brice Williams assists)	46-49
12:00	+3	Jordan Ivy-Curry makes three point jump shot	46-52
11:38	+3	Connor Essegian makes three point jump shot (Andrew Morgan assists)	49-52
11:26		Sam Hoiberg blocks Darius Johnson's two point jump shot
11:24		Juwan Gary defensive rebound
11:11		Juwan Gary misses two point jump shot
11:09		Sam Hoiberg offensive rebound
11:03	+3	Connor Essegian makes three point jump shot (Andrew Morgan assists)	52-52
10:54		Knights 30 second timeout
10:54		TV timeout
10:38		Darius Johnson misses three point jump shot
10:36		Connor Essegian defensive rebound
10:16		Brice Williams misses two point jump shot
10:14		Nils Machowski defensive rebound
10:07		Brice Williams personal foul (Dior Johnson draws the foul)
9:58		Jordan Ivy-Curry turnover (bad pass) (Connor Essegian steals)
9:48	+2	Andrew Morgan makes two point dunk (Brice Williams assists)	54-52
9:35		Benny Williams misses two point layup
9:33		Juwan Gary defensive rebound
9:27	+2	Andrew Morgan makes two point dunk (Brice Williams assists)	56-52
9:06		Jordan Ivy-Curry misses three point jump shot
9:04		Benny Williams offensive rebound
9:02		Andrew Morgan personal foul
8:41		Moustapha Thiam misses two point layup
8:39		Berke Buyuktuncel defensive rebound
8:32		Brice Williams turnover (bad pass) (Moustapha Thiam steals)
8:25		Darius Johnson misses two point layup
8:23		Berke Buyuktuncel defensive rebound
7:57		Brice Williams misses two point jump shot
7:55		Moustapha Thiam defensive rebound
7:49		Berke Buyuktuncel personal foul (Darius Johnson draws the foul)
7:49		TV timeout
7:40		Darius Johnson turnover (lost ball)
7:26	+3	Connor Essegian makes three point jump shot (Sam Hoiberg assists)	59-52
7:13		Sam Hoiberg personal foul (Darius Johnson draws the foul)
7:03		Nils Machowski misses three point jump shot
7:01		Nils Machowski offensive rebound
6:59		Brice Williams shooting foul (Nils Machowski draws the foul)
6:59	+1	Nils Machowski makes regular free throw 1 of 2	59-53
6:59		Nils Machowski misses regular free throw 2 of 2
6:59		Connor Essegian defensive rebound
6:41		Nils Machowski shooting foul (Berke Buyuktuncel draws the foul)
6:41		Berke Buyuktuncel misses regular free throw 1 of 2
6:41		Berke Buyuktuncel misses regular free throw 2 of 2
6:41		Dior Johnson defensive rebound
6:30		Official timeout
6:24		Dior Johnson misses three point jump shot
6:22		Darius Johnson offensive rebound
6:14		Dior Johnson misses three point jump shot
6:12		Moustapha Thiam offensive rebound
6:08	+2	Moustapha Thiam makes two point layup	59-55
6:01		Jordan Ivy-Curry personal foul (Connor Essegian draws the foul)
6:01		Jordan Ivy-Curry technical foul
6:01		Connor Essegian misses technical free throw 1 of 2
6:01	+1	Connor Essegian makes technical free throw 2 of 2	60-55
5:48		Juwan Gary misses two point layup
5:46		Juwan Gary offensive rebound
5:44	+2	Juwan Gary makes two point layup	62-55
5:41		Official timeout
5:29	+2	Darius Johnson makes two point layup	62-57
5:08	+3	Cale Jacobsen makes three point jump shot (Connor Essegian assists)	65-57
4:52		Darius Johnson misses three point jump shot
4:50		Knights offensive rebound
4:39	+2	Jordan Ivy-Curry makes two point jump shot	65-59
4:12	+2	Connor Essegian makes two point jump shot	67-59
3:51		Jordan Ivy-Curry misses three point jump shot
3:49		Cale Jacobsen defensive rebound
3:25	+2	Cale Jacobsen makes two point layup (Sam Hoiberg assists)	69-59
3:16		Knights 60 second timeout
3:16		TV timeout
3:07		Darius Johnson misses two point jump shot
3:05		Juwan Gary defensive rebound
2:36	+2	Andrew Morgan makes two point layup (Sam Hoiberg assists)	71-59
2:27	+2	Jordan Ivy-Curry makes two point jump shot	71-61
2:02		Cale Jacobsen turnover (lost ball) (Darius Johnson steals)
1:53	+2	Jordan Ivy-Curry makes two point layup	71-63
1:53		Juwan Gary shooting foul (Jordan Ivy-Curry draws the foul)
1:53	+1	Jordan Ivy-Curry makes regular free throw 1 of 1	71-64
1:29		Connor Essegian misses two point jump shot
1:27		Connor Essegian offensive rebound
1:25		Jordan Ivy-Curry personal foul (Connor Essegian draws the foul)
1:25		Connor Essegian misses regular free throw 1 of 1
1:25		Darius Johnson defensive rebound
1:18		Darius Johnson turnover (lost ball) (Sam Hoiberg steals)
1:10		Darius Johnson personal foul (Brice Williams draws the foul)
1:10	+1	Brice Williams makes regular free throw 1 of 2	72-64
1:10	+1	Brice Williams makes regular free throw 2 of 2	73-64
1:05		Nils Machowski misses three point jump shot
1:03		Andrew Morgan defensive rebound
1:02		Darius Johnson personal foul (Andrew Morgan draws the foul)
1:02		Andrew Morgan misses regular free throw 1 of 1
1:02		Moustapha Thiam defensive rebound
0:56	+2	Jordan Ivy-Curry makes two point layup	73-66
0:54		Cornhuskers 30 second timeout
0:51		Dior Johnson personal foul (Brice Williams draws the foul)
0:51		Brice Williams misses regular free throw 1 of 2
0:51	+1	Brice Williams makes regular free throw 2 of 2	74-66
0:46		Jordan Ivy-Curry misses two point layup
0:44		Jordan Ivy-Curry offensive rebound
0:44		Jordan Ivy-Curry misses two point layup
0:42		Jordan Ivy-Curry offensive rebound
0:40		Jordan Ivy-Curry turnover (bad pass) (Juwan Gary steals)
0:35		Nils Machowski personal foul (Brice Williams draws the foul)
0:35	+1	Brice Williams makes regular free throw 1 of 2	75-66
0:35		Brice Williams misses regular free throw 2 of 2
0:35		Moustapha Thiam defensive rebound
0:30		Jordan Ivy-Curry misses three point jump shot
0:28		Brice Williams defensive rebound
0:24		Nils Machowski personal foul (Brice Williams draws the foul)
0:24	+1	Brice Williams makes regular free throw 1 of 2	76-66
0:24	+1	Brice Williams makes regular free throw 2 of 2	77-66
0:22		Moustapha Thiam turnover (bad pass) (Brice Williams steals)
0:00		End of period

Moustapha Thiam turnover (bad pass) (Brice Williams steals)