Saint Mary's defeated Nebraska in a close game to secure a 77-74 win in Sioux Falls.

In an exciting match held in Sioux Falls, South Dakota on Sunday afternoon, Saint Mary's secured a 77-74 victory over Nebraska. The game came down to the wire, with Mikey Lewis sinking two clutch free throws in the final five seconds to give the Gaels a three-point lead. Nebraska's Brice Williams attempted a 3-pointer at the buzzer to tie the game, but it fell short, sealing the win for Saint Mary's.

The Gaels had a comfortable lead for most of the game, thanks to Lewis' impressive performance off the bench. He scored 23 points and also contributed four rebounds, three assists, and four steals. Lewis' jumper and 3-pointer in the final minutes gave Saint Mary's a double-digit lead, but Nebraska fought back with a strong surge. Williams, who finished with a season-high 28 points, led the Cornhuskers' comeback effort, making four crucial free throws and adding a tip-in and a layup. However, it wasn't enough to overcome the Gaels' lead.

Apart from Lewis, Saint Mary's had a well-rounded performance from their other players as well. Paulius Murauskas scored 16 points, while Luke Barrett added 15 points. Mitchell Saxen also had a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds, leaving him just one point shy of reaching 1,000 points in his Saint Mary's career. The Gaels' shooting was on point, with a 42.6% field goal percentage and 11 of 23 shots made from beyond the arc. However, they struggled from the free-throw line, only making 14 of 25 attempts.

On the other hand, Nebraska relied heavily on their free-throw shooting to stay in the game. They converted 25 of 29 attempts, with Williams going a perfect 11 for 11 from the line. He also added three steals and three blocked shots to his impressive performance. Berke Buyuktuncel was also effective from the free-throw line, making 5 of 6 attempts and finishing with 15 points. Rollie Worster and Andrew Morgan each chipped in with 10 points for the Cornhuskers.

With this win, Saint Mary's will return home for their next two games, starting with a matchup against Stanislaus State on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Nebraska will face their in-state rivals Creighton on Friday in an away game. It was a hard-fought game between two talented teams, and both will be looking to bounce back in their upcoming matches.

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