LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Rienk Mast hit the tiebreaking 3-pointer with 1:51 left and finished with 19 points to lead No. 13 Nebraska to a 58-56 victory over No. 9 Michigan State on Friday night.

Fans rushed the court at the final buzzer as the Cornhuskers (14-0, 3-0 Big Ten) won their 18th straight game since last season, the longest streak in the nation.

It was the lowest-scoring game of the season for both teams in what was the first ranked vs. ranked matchup in Lincoln since 1991. The game was hyped as a measuring stick for Nebraska, the only power-conference team to have never won an NCAA Tournament game. The Huskers met the moment.

What started as a slog quickly turned into a battle of bigs shooting 3-pointers. The 6-foot-10 Mast made five of his first seven from distance and finished 6 of 13. Michigan State's 6-10 Jaxon Kohler made a career-high five on six attempts and finished with 19 points.

Pryce Sandfort had 13 points and Jamarques Lawrence added 12 for the Huskers. Jeremy Fears Jr. had 14 for the Spartans and Kur Teng, who started in place of Divine Ugochukwu (illness), added 12.

Michigan State was just 6 of 24 from the field in the second half and its 19 turnovers were its most since it committed the same number against Nebraska four years ago.

Mast's last 3 was his only field goal of the second half and gave the Huskers the lead for good.

The Spartans had a chance to tie when Carson Cooper was fouled with 0.7 seconds left. But his first free throw bounced off the rim, and the Huskers came up with the rebound when he intentionally missed the second.

The Huskers are among six undefeated teams in Division I.

Up next

Michigan State: Hosts No. 24 Southern California on Monday.

Nebraska: Visits Ohio State on Monday.

Unbeaten Huskers appreciate the love but say wins over ranked teams no longer justify court storms

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska's Rienk Mast and Jamarques Lawrence sent a message to the home fans after their victory Friday night over No. 9 Michigan State: Thanks for the support, but please quit storming the court.

Fans poured onto the floor at the final buzzer to celebrate the 58-56 victory that extended the 13th-ranked Cornhuskers' program-best start to 14-0. They've won 18 straight since last season for the longest streak in the nation.

“If you're the No. 13 against the No. 9 and you’re at home, in my opinion, you’re supposed to win that game,” Mast said. “I don’t blame the fans. They got excited for that win. From here on out, we’ve proven we belong in these games and we’re supposed to win these types of games.”

The Huskers won the inaugural College Basketball Crown postseason tournament last April to create positive vibes for this season. They've already knocked off a ranked Illinois team on the road, and they went unbeaten in nonconference play for the first time since 1928-29.

Nebraska, the only power conference program to have never won an NCAA Tournament game, went into Friday's meeting with the Spartans as a 2.5-point favorite according to BetMGM Sportsbook.

Lawrence was first to broach the court-storming topic as he finished answering a question about how things have changed at Nebraska.

“We’re supposed to win that game, guys,” he said. “No more court storms, please. I just got to say that.”

None of this means the Huskers won't continue to play with an underdog's mentality, Mast said.

“Every single game we have to prove it, that this isn’t a fluke and that we're on a hot streak and we can go cold," he said. “We've got to stay poised and keep proving people wrong.”

Mast said it's important for the team to enjoy what it has accomplished but not become too pleased with itself.

“We have a group that’s old and knows if you ride the high, you can fall flat on your face,” he said.