Here is a full rundown of what head coach Fred Hoiberg had to say during his Monday press conference previewing Nebraska’s season opener vs. Western Illinois on Tuesday night…
***Hoiberg said senior guard Kobe Webster (back) and junior forward Lat Mayen (ankle) would be game-time decisions to play vs. Western Illinois on Tuesday night. Hoiberg said NU would evaluate them tomorrow and then decide on their status right before the game.
Webster missed the charity exhibition vs. Colorado after injuring his back in practice the day before, while Mayen rolled his ankle in the second half vs. the Buffalos.
***Not that he needed any further motivation to return to the lineup, but Webster would have a chance to compete against his former team on Tuesday night. The fifth-year senior played his first three college seasons for the Leathernecks from 2017-20.
***Hoiberg said the Huskers “addressed a lot of things” in the 12 days between their exhibition win over Colorado and Monday’s practice, with rebounding being near the top of the list. Hoiberg noted that Western Illinois features a starting frontcourt of players listed at 6-10, 6-10, and 6-7.
“It will be a battle for us,” he said.
***One factor that could help give Nebraska a boost on the glass would be improved rebounding from its guards. Hoiberg said the backcourt hadn’t been nearly physical enough to create solid contact before shots, which has led to opponents getting better positioning for offensive boards.
***Hoiberg said he’s “got a pretty good feel” on Nebraska’s primary rotation after the two exhibitions, but that doesn’t mean anything is set in stone.
Hoiberg stressed that while “I can’t play everybody,” it was a long season, and guys that might not be playing much would get opportunities at some point down the road.
“You have to be ready to take advantage of those opportunities when they come up,” Hoiberg said.
***Hoiberg said he had been happy with the “role acceptance” from the team early on, but the key was ensuring that continued through the grind of an entire season.
***Hoiberg said he’d been very pleased with the play of junior guard Trey McGowens so far, even if McGowens only attempted six shots and scored a total of nine points in the two exhibitions.
Hoiberg said Trey had been “shooting it well” in practice, but his impact had been felt defensive and “when he plays under control” and makes plays in the paint. Hoiberg added that NU had been charting assist-to-turnover ratio since the start of the summer, and Trey’s had been “excellent” thus far.
***Freshman guard Bryce McGowens led Nebraska with 15 points against Colorado, but his overall scoring efficiency has struggled in his first two college tests. Hoiberg said he wasn’t worried at all about Bryce getting his shooting going and noted how he’d still made a significant impact with his rebounding, operating the pick-and-roll, and his length on defense.
*** Nebraska governor Pete Ricketts and University of Nebraska regent Jim Pillen issued public statements last week condemning the Huskers’ playing the song, “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” before the National Anthem.
Nebraska played the song before each of his home games during the 2020-21 season, and the team got permission from both NU athletic director Trev Alberts and the Big Ten Conference to do it again this season.
Hoiberg said the Huskers would continue to play the song before games but would change the pre-game format going forward. The National Anthem will be played first, and the flag carriers will clear the floor. Then “Lift Every Voice and Sing” will follow after that.
