Home/College Basketball
Home/College Basketball
feature-image

Imago

feature-image

Imago

The Nebraska Cornhuskers haven’t lost yet. The team is 15-0. For the first time in 60 years, Fred Hoiberg has them in the top 10. The Cornhuskers started this week as one of only six remaining unbeaten teams in Division I men’s college basketball. Here’s the problem, though. Experts don’t think this team will make it through March. The winning consistency now might not sustain itself when the pressure and stakes rise. Why?

Watch What’s Trending Now!

“When teams ball, when teams pressure you, when teams blow up your actions, who is their guy that can go off-script?” an analyst said on The Field of 68: After Dark. “A lot of teams that advance, that go to Final Fours, that win national titles have multiple guys that can either go off-script or can create off the bounce on their own. They’re very set-dependent, very continuity-dependent, read and react-dependent, which is going to win them a lot of games this year.”

When looking at the Cornhuskers’ roster, the worry is valid. Freshman Braden Frager scored 15 points in the win over the Ohio State Buckeyes, making him a key threat. However, the Huskers don’t have a reliable go-to creator when their offensive sets fall apart.

ADVERTISEMENT

article-image

Imago

The 72-69 win over the Buckeyes showed that they can win super-close games. They’re now 4-0 in games decided by one point. However, it also showed that they depend on collective execution rather than individual playmaking. That dependence becomes a problem when playing against top tournament teams. Bear in mind that the Cornhuskers have only played two ranked teams until now.

“I still think they can win 15 games in the Big Ten this year,” the podcast analyst said. “I still think they can win 28 to 30 games this year overall because of their experience, because of their toughness.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Hoiberg has been getting quite a bit of praise lately. After Nebraska beat the ninth-ranked Michigan State Spartans 58-56, coach Tom Izzo shared his thoughts.

“Happy for Fred Hoiberg. Not that many years ago, everybody was on his b—,” Izzo said. “He did a hell of a job. Nebraska did a hell of a job. That was probably the best game, their biggest game in 36 years, (and) they responded.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Read Top Stories First From EssentiallySports

Click here and check box next to EssentiallySports

The top 10 rank the Cornhuskers achieved after six decades shows progress. They’re 4-0 in the Big Ten for the first time in program history, and on Monday, they beat Ohio State’s bench 22-0.

But the Big Ten has six ranked teams, including the Michigan Wolverines, who are undefeated, and the Purdue Boilermakers, ranked fifth. Hoiberg and Co. have both teams on their schedule soon. The main question that keeps coming up about the program’s historic start is whether its system-based approach can survive that gauntlet and beyond.

ADVERTISEMENT

Nebraska proves Fred Hoiberg knows how to build a March team

Put the doubts aside for a moment. Nebraska is doing everything that tournament committees like. They beat Ohio State, which was their fourth quad-1 win of the season. They’ve beaten Oklahoma and Illinois on the road. These aren’t easy wins. They’re winning where it matters.

article-image

Imago

The Cornhuskers moved up to a 3-seed in Joe Lunardi’s latest ESPN Bracketology.

ADVERTISEMENT

If that’s reality come the tournament, Hoiberg and his team are a shoo-in for an Elite Eight berth.

Top Stories

Andy Reid Fires Coach In Attempt to Rebuild Staff After Receiving HC Requests For Chiefs’ Coordinators

Sources: John Harbaugh Wasn’t Fired, Left Ravens After Refusing Major Staff Changes

Three Arrested in Cleveland For Burglary at Shedeur Sanders’ Home

Mike McDaniel Contract: How Much Do Miami Dolphins Owe the Fired Coach?

Bryson DeChambeau Releases Fresh Statement on His LIV Golf Future Post Brooks Koepka’s Exit

Jimmie Johnson Caught at Center of Fan Storm as NASCAR Controversial Rule Sparks Daytona Backlash

The most recent win showcased how they do it. They had an edge at the free-throw line, hitting 14 of 17 while the Buckeyes were just 8 of 13. Despite shooting 28% from deep, they still won. That’s important. Top teams know how to win ugly, and Hoiberg keeps showing that his team can do just that.

Next up, the Cornhuskers are up against the Indiana Hoosiers on the road on Saturday, who are 11-3 for the season and 2-1 in the Big Ten.

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT