Nebraska came into the Big 12 tournament with a three-game losing streak. Now the Huskers are in the semifinals after winning their second straight, 69-63 over No. 22 Oklahoma on Friday night.
Jamel White had 22 points and the sixth-seeded Huskers (19-12), who hadn’t won in the tournament since 1999 before their opening-round victory over Missouri on Thursday, became the only lower seed to win in the first two rounds.
The game was tied six times and there were 11 lead changes in the second half, the last when Charles Richardson made two free throws with 3:15 left to put the Cornhuskers ahead 56-55.
Terrell Everett missed the front end of a bonus situation for Oklahoma, then Marcus Walker penetrated and made a short bank shot to make it 58-55. White was fouled with 2:16 left, and after missing the first free throw, made the second for a 59-55 lead — the Cornhuskers made their last nine free throws.
Third-seeded Oklahoma (20-8) is likely still headed to the NCAA tournament after its second loss this season to Nebraska, which has won consecutive games in the Big 12 tournament for the first time.
Nebraska plays in the semifinals Saturday against No. 17 Kansas (22-8), a three-time Big 12 tournament champion.
Jason Dourisseau, Wes Wilkerson and Walker had 10 points each for Nebraska.
Everett had 14 points for Oklahoma, and Austin Johnson had 12 points — on four 3-pointers. The Sooners made 11 of 24 3-pointers, but that wasn’t enough.
