Junior forward Isaiah Roby recorded 28 points and eight rebounds to help Nebraska post an 80-76 victory over Butler in the opening round of the NIT on Wednesday night at Lincoln, Neb.

Senior guard James Palmer Jr. added 23 points for the fourth-seeded Cornhuskers (19-16). Senior guard Glynn Watson Jr. added 17 points for Nebraska, which shot 50 percent from the field but was just 5 of 16 from 3-point range.

The Cornhuskers will visit top-seeded TCU in the second round.

Junior forward Sean McDermott scored 14 points and senior guard Paul Jorgensen added 12 for fifth-seeded Butler (16-17). Sophomore guard Aaron Thompson had 11 points and a career-high 12 assists while sophomore forward Jordan Tucker also scored 11 for the Bulldogs, who lost their third straight game.

Butler shot 45.6 percent from the field, including 12 of 28 from behind the arc.

Tucker scored five straight points as Butler pulled within 71-70 with 1:33 left. Roby split two free throws and Palmer added a layup as Nebraska moved ahead by four with 1:03 remaining.

Sophomore forward Christian David's layup with 50.2 seconds left cut the Bulldogs' deficit to two.

Roby's jumper with 35 seconds left made it 76-72, and Butler junior guard Kamar Baldwin turned the ball over. Watson was fouled with 16.2 seconds left and sunk both free throws to increase the margin to six as the Cornhuskers closed it out.

Palmer scored five points during a 7-0 run as Nebraska took a 48-42 lead with 13:47 remaining. The Bulldogs answered with seven straight points, taking a one-point lead on Jorgensen's 3-pointer with 11:39 left.

Walk-on guard Johnny Trueblood, who scored a career-high six points, ignited the crowd with two baskets and an assist during a 14-2 run as the Cornhuskers opened up a 64-53 advantage. Roby's scoop shot capped the run with 6:32 remaining.

Nebraska's lead reached 12 but McDermott buried back-to-back 3-pointers to bring Butler within 66-60 with 4:13 left.

Thompson's three-point play pulled the Bulldogs within 69-65 with 2:58 left. Trueblood missed a 3-pointer but dashed in to rebound his own miss and convert the follow to put Nebraska ahead by six with 2:34 left.

Roby scored 17 first-half points, including a go-ahead dunk with 36 seconds left, as the Cornhuskers led 31-30 at the break.

--Field Level Media