Sam Hoiberg's career game lifts Nebraska past UMES

Sam Hoiberg scored a career-high 18 points and Nebraska extended the nation's longest winning streak with a 69-50 nonconference win over Maryland-Eastern Shore on Tuesday night in Lincoln, Neb.

Hoiberg, a senior guard and son of Cornhuskers head coach Fred Hoiberg, was 7 of 10 from the field and added seven rebounds, four assists and four steals without any turnovers. Hoiberg's previous high had been 15 points, achieved twice in 2023.

Nebraska (3-0) won its seventh straight game -- each by at least eight points -- dating back to last season's Crown Invitational despite shooting only 39.3% and missing 26 of 32 3-point attempts. Pryce Sandfort made three 3-pointers as part of his game-high 19 points.

Maryland Eastern Shore (1-3) lost its 22nd consecutive nonconference game against a Division I opponent and dropped to 0-40 against current Big Ten schools. The Hawks got 11 points from Trey Hall, who had scored just two points in their first three games, and 10 from Joseph Locandro.

Nebraska, which led 32-19 at halftime, opened the second half on a 6-0 run. Shortly thereafter, the Huskers used a 10-0 run to up their edge to 48-21 with 13:44 remaining.

UMES made seven of eight shots, capped by a 3-pointer by Hall, to get within 63-44 with 4:33 left. The Hawks shot 40% in the second half but only 31% for the game.

It was a sluggish start for both teams, with Nebraska missing 16 of its first 22 shots and UMES starting 3 for 17. The Hawks then made three straight shots to get within 18-15 with 4:41 left in the first half, but then went almost three minutes without scoring as the Cornhuskers went on a 9-0 run.

UMES remains in the Cornhusker State to face No. 23 Creighton on Friday, while Nebraska ventures away for the first time Saturday when it plays Oklahoma in Sioux Falls, S.D.