WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN
Nebraska Cornhuskers (3-2, 0-0) vs George Mason (6-1, 0-0)
Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2019 - 6:30 p.m. CT
John Gray Gymnasium (George Town, Cayman Islands)
TV: None
Radio: Husker Sports Network
Internet: FloHoops
3 KEYS TO VICTORY
1. Push the pace
Nebraska was able to break the game open in the second half against Washington State on Monday night by getting up the floor and to the rim in transition. That's always going to be a key for the Huskers. They're a team that's at their best when they get out and run. But it will be especially important against a George Mason squad that wants to slow things down and play the game in the halfcourt. The Patriots rank 306th nationally in adjusted tempo (66.6) per KenPom and don't turn the ball over much, so NU needs to find ways to ramp up the pace by creating offensive through its defense.
2. Keeping hitting the boards
Three days after getting dominated on the glass by Southern, Nebraska actually held its own in the rebounding department against Washington State. The Cougars were far from the biggest or most physical teams NU will see this year, but the Huskers were only out-rebounded 44-41 overall. Now, WSU still hauled in 15 offensive boards and held a 20-4 edge in second-chance points. But still, compared to the whopping 54-28 overall rebounding disadvantage and 25-4 discrepancy on the offensive glass against the Jaguars, Monday was at least a step in the right direction.
3. Bring the same energy
Nebraska is a team that some might consider a bit of a frontrunner. That's because when things are going well, the Huskers can look really good. But when adversity hits, things can get just as ugly. Tonight is a rare situation where NU will have less than 24 hours to prepare for an opponent and get itself ready to play again. We saw a little bit of how that could impact this team during their four-game tour of Italy this summer. In its second game of the trip, Nebraska rolled past a Lithuanian professional team for a win. But when they had a rematch with that team the very next day, the Huskers nearly blew a 24-point lead when fatigue and complacency set in. Putting together 40 minutes of focus and energy will be imperative tonight.
QUOTABLE
PREDICTION
Nebraska 70, George Mason 68
Robin's 2019-20 record: 3-2
vs. the spread: 1-4