Hoops Gameday: Nebraska at Creighton
WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN
Nebraska Cornhuskers (7-3, 1-1) vs. Creighton Bluejays (6-2, 0-0)
Saturday, Dec. 9, 2017 - 1:30 p.m.
CentrutyLink Center
TV: FS1
Radio: Husker Sports Network
Internet: FOX Sports Go
| NAME | HT/WT | YEAR | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Glynn Watson |
6-0/174 |
Jr. |
Scored a season high 29 points and added nine rebounds vs. No. 14 Minnesota. |
|
Evan Taylor |
6-5/206 |
Sr. |
Totaled four points, seven rebounds and three assists vs. No. 14 Minnesota. |
|
James Palmer |
6-6/210 |
Jr. |
Reached double figures a team-high nine times, including 11 points and four assists vs. Minnesota. |
|
Isaac Copeland |
6-9/221 |
Jr. |
Has scored double figures five times, including 12 points and five boards vs. Minnesota. |
|
Jordy Tshimanga |
6-11/268 |
So. |
Had four points, six boards and a block vs. No. 14 Minnesota. |
| NAME | HT/WT | YEAR | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Davion Mintz |
6-3/180 |
So. |
Averages 5.4 points. 2.9 rebounds and a team-high 3.3 assists. |
|
Marcus Foster |
6-3/205 |
Sr. |
Leads the Bluejays in scoring at 19.0 points per game, while shooting 48 percent from the field and 41 percent from beyond the arc. |
|
Khyri Thomas |
6-3/210 |
Jr. |
Second on the team in scoring at 16.8 points per game, including 46 percent from 3-point range, while averaging 4.5 rebounds per game. |
|
Ronnie Harrell Jr. |
6-7/200 |
Jr. |
Averages 6.6 points, 7.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game. |
|
Martin Krampelj |
6-9/220 |
So. |
Averages double figures at 12.6 points per game, while grabbing a team-high 7.8 caroms per outing. |
3 KEYS TO VICTORY
1. Control the tempo
While Nebraska has been at its best when it gets out and runs in transition, the last thing the Huskers want to do today is find themselves in a track meet on the road vs. a potent Creighton. The Bluejays come in averaging 92.5 points per game while shooting 52 percent from the field and 39 percent from 3-point range, and they've been even better at CenturyLink Center, scoring over 100 ppg at home this season. This will require NU to walk a fine line between slowing things down while also not getting stagnant on offense in the halfcourt. Nebraska's perimeter shooting will be crucial in controlling the pace while also producing points.
2. Give Watson some help.
When junior guard Glynn Watson has played well this season, Nebraska is undefeated. When he's struggled, NU is 0-3. Thus, it's no secret that stopping Watson will be priority No. 1 on Creighton's defensive scouting report today, and there's little question that CU will put Khyri Thomas - regarded as one of the best on-ball defenders in the country - on Watson as much as possible. That means someone else needs to step up for the Huskers to take the load off No. 5's shoulders. The obvious pick is junior forward Isaac Copeland, who is the only player on the roster who's ever beaten Creighton (he was 4-1 vs. the Bluejays at Georgetown). When Copeland has scored in double figures, NU is 5-0 and has won by an average of 14.2 points.
3. Get the monkey on Miles' back
Only Watson and fellow junior Jack McVeigh have even played Creighton more than once in their Nebraska careers, so the six-game losing streak to the Bluejays isn't something that weighs on the players. This is an issue of Miles finally finding a way to snap his career winless run vs. CU head coach Greg McDermott, which currently stands at 0-12 during their meetings at multiple levels of college coaching. The key for Miles will be not letting the pressure of trying to snap his 0-5 streak vs. the Bluejays translate to his players, as the atmosphere in what's expected to be a sold-out CenturyLink Center will already be enough to handle. Miles and his staff need to stay poised and collected on the bench, even if things start to go south at some point. Some have said this might be Miles' best roster to match up with Creighton, but he has to be at his best as a coach to pull this off.
QUOTABLE
PREDICTION
Creighton 82-71
Robin's season record: 8-2
vs. the spread: 4-6
