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Nebraska Basketball's Brice Williams Earns Andy Katz's Player of the Week Honor

The award for the Husker guard came after Nebraska won the Diamond Head Classic in Hawai'i.

Austin Jacobsen

Nebraska guard Brice Williams drives against Oregon State in the Diamond Head Classic.
Nebraska guard Brice Williams drives against Oregon State in the Diamond Head Classic. / Nebraska Athletics
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Nebraska basketball continues to garner national attention after the Huskers' three wins in Honolulu.

Senior guard Brice Williams received college basketball analyst Andy Katz's Player of the Week honor Monday after Williams' Most Valuable Player performance in the Huskers' victories in Hawai'i over Murray State, Hawai'i and Oregon State. Williams averaged 22 points in those three games, including 57 combined points in wins over the Rainbow Warriors and Beavers.

Williams was also named to the 2024 Diamond Head Classic All-Tournament team after, aiding Nebraska to its first multi-team event win since 2000. The senior was a key piece in the final victory on Christmas, scoring 15 of his 25 points against Oregon State in the second half.

Williams has become a regular for individual recognition this season, earning Big Ten Player of the Week honors on Dec. 16 after the Huskers' 85-68 win over Indiana. The North Carolina native had a season-high 30 points against the Hoosiers, marking his first 30-point performance as a Husker. Williams then broke that career mark with 32 points against Hawaii on Dec. 23.

“I didn’t really grow up watching a ton of basketball, but I knew on certain days certain tournaments were happening,” said the 6-foot-7 Williams, who had seven rebounds, four assists and two steals against Oregon State. “You’d always hear about the Diamond Head Classic and all the good teams and good players that played in it. So, it’s a blessing to be a part of it and even more of a blessing to win it.”

During his three-year stint at Charlotte, Williams claimed two Player of the Week honors from Conference during the 2022-23 season. He was also the College Basketball Invitational Tournament Most Valuable Player that season, earning second-team All-Conference USA honors in his final year in his home state.

Nebraska guard Brice Williams drives against Hawai'i at the Diamond Head Classic.
Nebraska guard Brice Williams drives against Hawai'i at the Diamond Head Classic. / Nebraska Athletics

Despite a quiet opening with a season-low nine points against Murray State in the first round in Hawai'i, Williams was a key contributor for Fred Hoiberg's Cornhuskers in the tournament championship game against Oregon State.

“He was phenomenal," Hoiberg said. "We rode him, both ends of the floor. I thought he was really good, guarding the point guard (Damarco Minor) and then getting in the paint, making plays, getting to the free-throw line and knocking down shots. He just did everything for us.”

After the win, Williams was happy to finally settle in and enjoy the trip to the islands.

“We haven’t hung out,” Williams said with a smile. “We’ve been in Hawaii for a few days now and we haven’t been able to take in the sights or anything. But you know, now me and Juwan (Gary) get to hang out.”

Brice Williams shoots a free throw.
Brice Williams shoots a free throw. / Amarillo Mullen

Katz was not a fan of Nebraska basketball entering the season, ranking the Cornhuskers in the bottom half of the Big Ten Conference in his preseason rankings. Katz listed Nebraska at No. 16 in his power rankings, ahead of only Washington and Minnesota. He said at the time that the final six teams in his rankings would be "fighting for a spot in the conference tournament in Indianapolis."

The Huskers are currently seventh in the conference at 10-2 overall and 1-1 in Big Ten play. Nebraska sits behind UCLA, Michigan State, Michigan, Oregon, Maryland and Penn State.

Nebraska returns home to face Southern in the Huskers' nonconference finale Monday. Tip at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln is set for 8 p.m. CST.

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Austin Jacobsen
AUSTIN JACOBSEN

Austin Jacobsen is a radio broadcaster and former Sports Director in Central Nebraska. He has seen the Cornhusker state from all corners; growing up in the Panhandle, completing his college degree in Kearney, working in the rural Sandhills, and now residing in Omaha. Austin is a statewide, regional, and national radio award winner and can usually be found at a high school football field on Friday nights and tuning in to the Huskers wherever they travel. If he is not on the road, Austin enjoys movie dates with his girlfriend and their dog, Ava.

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