Hoops Game Day: Nebraska vs. Indiana
WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN
Nebraska Cornhuskers (7-10, 2-4) vs Indiana Hoosiers (13-4, 3-3)
Saturday, Jan. 18, 2020 - 6 p.m. CT
Pinnacle Bank Arena
TV: BTN
Radio: Husker Sports Network
Internet: Fox Sports App
| NAME | HT/WT | YEAR | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Cam Mack |
6-2/175 |
So. |
Ranks third nationally among all power conference players with a 3.6-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio in conference play. |
|
Dachon Burke |
6-4/180 |
Jr. |
Averaging 11.7 points per game and had nine points in the loss to Ohio State. |
|
Thorir Thorbjarnarson |
6-6/206 |
Jr. |
Ranks third in the Big Ten in 3-point percentage (.482) and is averaging 12.0 ppg in conference play. |
|
Haanif Cheatham |
6-5/195 |
Sr. |
Has scored in double figures in 11 of the last 13 games despite being held to nine points at Ohio State. |
|
Yvan Ouedraogo |
6-9/260 |
Fr. |
Scored in double figures for the third time this season with 10 points and five boards at Ohio State. |
| NAME | HT/WT | YEAR | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Devonte Green |
6-3/185 |
Sr. |
Averages 11.6 points per game and has made a team-high 27 3-pointers on the season. |
|
Aljami Durham |
6-4/185 |
Jr. |
Averages 10.6 ppg and a team-high 2.6 assists per game. Ranks third in the Big Ten in shooting 82.9% from the FT line. |
|
Justin Smith |
6-7/230 |
Jr. |
Scoring 12.0 points with 5.4 rebounds per game and ranks third in the Big Ten with 1.4 steals per game. |
|
Trayce Jackson-Davis |
6-9/245 |
Fr. |
Leads the team with 12.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game. Had 25 points and 15 rebounds in the win over Nebraska back in December. |
|
Joey Brunk |
6-11/245 |
Jr. |
Butler transfer who averages 7.6 points and ranks second on the team with 6.7 rebounds per game. |
3 KEYS TO VICTORY
1. Keep Indiana off the FT line
For Indiana's offense to work, it has to score at the free-throw line. The Hoosiers have lived at the charity stripe as much as any team in the country, shooting a whopping 449 free throws on the year. That's 55 more than any other Big Ten team and the fourth-most in Division I. They've made 308 free throws, more than six conference teams have even attempted this season. In the first meeting in Bloomington, IU shot 38 free throws to Nebraska's 18, resulting in a 13-point edge at the stripe. Indiana won that game by six in overtime. For the Huskers to have a chance, they have to defend the rim against a much bigger and stronger Indiana frontcourt and do so without fouling.
2. Pack the paint and dare IU to shoot
This is yet another game where Nebraska has to pick its poison a bit on defense and sacrifice some open 3-point looks in favor of keeping Indiana's bigs away from the basket. Hoosier forward Trayce Jackson-Davis had a monster game vs. NU last time out, dropping 25 points and 15 boards and drawing six fouls on his own. Indiana has really struggled with its shooting as of late, so the odds are in Nebraska's favor that that funk continues tonight, especially after having seen how dominant Jackson-Davis can be. In the first meeting, the Hoosiers were just 5-of-25 from behind the arc. The Huskers need a repeat performance.
3. Move the ball
It wasn't just a coincidence that Nebraska looked like a completely different team offensively from the first half to the second half in Tuesday night's loss at Ohio State. The Huskers were as stagnant with the basketball for the first 20 minutes as they'd been all season, and it put them in a 25-point hole as a result. However, when NU started actually swinging the ball and effectively executing its drive-and-kicks, it suddenly put together one of its best shooting halves of the season. Ball movement will be imperative tonight against an Indiana team that makes you earn everything in the paint. Nebraska did that to near perfection in the first meeting with four of five starters scoring in double figures and shooting 44 percent from the field and 12-of-32 from 3-point range. Again, replicate that recipe, and you'll be in it to the end.
QUOTABLE
PREDICTION
Indiana 76, Nebraska 70
Robin's 2019-20 record: 9-8
vs. the spread: 7-10