NEW YORK (AP) — Wait until Tai Webster feels well.

The junior guard from New Zealand played both games of the Barclays Center Classic feeling under the weather with some stomach issues.

Still, he was able to score 39 points in the two games, including 18 on Saturday in the tournament’s third-place game, an 82-71 Nebraska victory over Tennessee.

“It’s definitely on its way out but not quite 100 percent,” Webster said of his upset stomach.

Nebraska coach Tim Miles was really impressed by Webster’s effort against the Volunteers.

“He was really strong to the rim. I think the last two days was as strong as I’ve seen him play at the rim,” Miles said. “He’s using an inside game instead of an outside game and then obviously he’s been an excellent defender for us, too. That’s a staple of our program.”

It was the key to the big run that gave the Cornhuskers control of the game.

The Cornhuskers (5-2) used a 21-5 run spanning halftime to take command and their biggest lead was 60-38 with 12:29 to play. Nebraska used some stifling defense and control of the boards to take control, holding the Volunteers to 2-for-16 shooting during the big run.

Tennessee (4-3) was able to get to 70-60 with 7:19 to go but couldn’t cut the lead to single digits until the final minute.

“I think we played a strong first half but the start of the second half obviously built the big lead. I think making eight of our first 10 shots (in the second half) and then being able to hang on,” Miles said.

Andrew White III scored all of his 15 points in the second half for Nebraska.

“Obviously he had his struggles in the first half but I thought he did a great job of focusing in the second half, correcting his play and just knocking down shots like he’s capable of,” Webster said White.

Shavon Shields and Jake Hammond both had 11 points for Nebraska, whose only losses this season have been to ranked teams: then-No. 11 Villanova and No. 24 Cincinnati in the opening round of this tournament.

Kevin Punter led the Volunteers with 23 while Robert Hubbs III had 13 and Admiral Schofield added 12.

Hammond had 10 rebounds to lead Nebraska, which dominated the rebounding 46-30. Tennessee was outrebounded 47-30 in its opening-round loss to George Washington,

“I think we got outplayed and outworked and the rebounding edge, when you look at that, that really kind of speaks to what happened in the game, 46-30 with 14 offensive rebounds,” Texas assistant coach Rob Lanier said. “A lot of that was a byproduct of how often we were getting beat off the dribble during the course of the game.

“Defensively we’re just not very good right now,” he said. “We got a long way to go. We’re a team with a lot of growth ahead of us.”

Tennessee coach Rick Barnes has been fighting a bad cold and he didn’t address the media after the game.

There were five ties and five lead changes in the opening 14:30 before Nebraska’s defense turned the Volunteers’ shooting cold and the Cornhuskers took a 40-32 halftime lead. Nebraska opened the second half with a 7-0 run.

TIP-INS

Tennessee: Hubbs has scored in double figures in every game this season. … The Volunteers had six turnovers against George Washington, none in the final 20 minutes. They had seven at halftime against Nebraska and finished with 11. … Punter has scored (97) points in the last four games.

Nebraska: The win gives coach Tim Miles a 52-51 record in his four seasons with the Cornhuskers. … This was the Cornhuskers’ seventh game in 15 days. … Nebraska leads the all-time series 3-0 and the last win before Saturday was in December 2004.

UP NEXT

Tennessee is at Butler on Dec. 12.

Nebraska hosts Miami on Tuesday.

— Associated Press —

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Iowa certainly didn’t change the minds of critics who say the Hawkeyes don’t look the part of a national championship contender.

They didn’t do a whole lot on offense against Nebraska, their defense gave up a lot of yards again and they muffed a punt.

When the clock struck 0:00 Friday, though, they were celebrating a 28-20 victory that finished their first perfect regular season in 93 years.

“We’re not trying to be pretty, we’re trying to be productive,” coach Kirk Ferentz said. “Football’s not gymnastics. There are style points in gymnastics. Here it’s having one point more than your opponent. We’re 12-0. You can’t do better than that.”

The Hawkeyes (No. 4 CFP, No. 3 AP), who are 8-0 in the Big Ten, locked arms and ran to the south end zone to pick up the Heroes Trophy that goes to the winner of this game. Then it was off to the corner to salute their fans before heading to the locker room.

There’s still work to be done to make this season even better. Next stop, the Big Ten championship game in Indianapolis, where they’ll play for their first conference title since 2004. Win there, and a spot in the College Football Playoff is a very real possibility. Maybe even a certainty.

“The goal is three more,” offensive lineman Austin Blythe said. “Right now, we’re going to enjoy this one and find out our opponent on Sunday.”

Jordan Canzeri ran for 140 yards on 17 carries and broke long touchdown runs on back-to-back series in the third quarter on a raw afternoon when a gusty north wind made for a 12-degree wind chill.

The Hawkeyes generated only 250 total yards and were limited to just 44 plays from scrimmage because they went 0-for-9 on third downs. But Nebraska’s Tommy Armstrong Jr. threw four interceptions, with Parker Hesse returning one 4 yards for a touchdown, and the Cornhuskers (5-7, 3-5) committed eight penalties, including four personal fouls.

All that helped Iowa remain one of two unbeaten teams. Clemson is the other.

“You want to win every game, that’s your goal,” Ferentz said. “We find ourselves in a good position today. But we’ve been trying to get there for 17 years.”

Canzeri ran off left tackle two straight times for two touchdowns in the third quarter to keep Nebraska from gaining any momentum. His first TD went 29 yards and the second 68 yards for a 28-17 lead.

The Huskers, who started 3-6 under first-year coach Mike Riley, had their third losing season since 2004 and lost four times at home for the first time since 1961.

The Huskers needed a win to assure bowl eligibility. They still might play in the postseason if there aren’t enough six-win teams to fill the 80 bowl spots.

“To some people who say we’re not good enough to go to a bowl, maybe they’re right,” Nebraska defensive end Jack Gangwish said, “but I’d sure like to go.”

Iowa’s first touchdown was set up by two Nebraska personal fouls, its second touchdown was Hesse’s interception return on a ball he tipped at the line of scrimmage, and its third was set up on punter Sam Foltz’s late hit on Desmond King at the end of a punt return.

“Really shot ourselves in the foot,” Huskers coach Mike Riley said. “The production was crazy different, time of possession, they were 0 for 9 on third down. There was a lot of good stuff in the game. It was those other parts we couldn’t overcome.”

The Huskers finished with 433 yards, but those four interceptions were killers.

“I gave them seven points and put them in great position to, honestly, win the game,” Armstrong said. “That’s something I’ve got to fix and something I’m going to fix. Don’t put the blame anywhere else. The team played well. I didn’t. I felt like I let the seniors down.”

The Hawkeyes, who clinched the Big Ten West Division title last week, went undefeated in the regular season for the fifth time in program history and first since going 7-0 in 1922. With at least one more game to play, Iowa has made a five-win improvement over 2014.

“If you watch our team and you like football and you like camaraderie and teamwork, that’s what I like watching,” Ferentz said. “It’s about the teamwork and relationships. When you get teams like that, that’s when you have a chance to do something.”

— Associated Press —

NEW YORK (AP) — For a kid who grew up on Long Island, playing at Madison Square Garden is the dream.

Troy Caupin has a soft spot for Barclays Center after his performance Friday night.

“I like Brooklyn,” Caupain said after scoring 17 points to help No. 24 Cincinnati beat Nebraska 65-61 in the Barclays Center Classic semifinals. “It’s newer.”

Shaq Thomas added 14 points, and Octavius Ellis had 12 for Cincinnati (6-0).

“Our big guys started to assert themselves,” Bearcats coach Mick Cronin said. “We’re not very good if those guys can’t score inside for us, and they did in the second half.”

Tai Webster scored 21 points for Nebraska (4-2), and Shavon Shields had 14.

“(Webster told) me after his first five points that he (felt) awful I said we (would) bring (him) out any time,” Nebraska coach Tim Miles said. “We tried to manage (Shields’) fouls. He had two in about 2 minutes, so we were trying to manage all of that.

“I thought the kids really fought considering we were so undersized.”

The game was tied at 25 after a tight, defensive first half.

“They take things away from you,” Cronin said about Nebraska. “There’s nothing easy. They had us running in circles in the first half.”

Nebraska took a 41-40 lead 8:08 into the second half when Shields converted Glynn Watson Jr.’s lob for an alley-oop jam.

The lead lasted all of 28 seconds. Troy Caupain’s 3-pointer put Bearcats up again at 43-41.

Cincinnati outscored Nebraska 14-11 following Caupain’s 3.

Ellis’ layup with 5:30 left made it 53-49. The advantage grew to 57-49 on Ellis’ half hook from the low post with 3:11 left.

“(He) understands that nobody can stop him with his length and his arms,” Caupain said about Ellis. “And the way he jumps, (Ellis) can be a wonderful player. At 6-10, when he plays 6-6, it’s hard for him to score. When he plays with his head above the rim and his arms, he can score.

“That’s what we tell him. `Stop short-arming your hook. Stop short-arming your little double-pump. Go up strong.”

Nebraska cut the deficit to three, but got no closer.

“It was just that stretch from seven minutes to about 3 1/2 minutes,” Miles said. “They got the eight-point lead and we couldn’t get it back in line.

“We just didn’t do enough to win.”

UP NEXT:

Cincinnati will face Tennessee-George Washington winner Saturday.

Nebraska will play the Tennessee-George Washington loser Saturday.

— Associated Press —