Nebraska Basketball Game Day: Northwestern

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Published Mar 9, 2022

Nebraska Basketball Game Day: Northwestern

Robin Washut • InsideNebraska

Senior Writer

@RobinWashut

WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN

Nebraska Cornhuskers (10-21, 4-16) vs Northwestern Wildcats (14-15, 7-13)

Wednesday, Mar. 9, 2022 - 5 p.m. CT

Gainbridge Fieldhouse (Indianapolis, Ind.)

TV: BTN

Radio: Husker Sports Network

Internet: FOX Sports App

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Nebraska projected starters

NAME	HT/WT	YEAR	NOTES

Alonzo Verge Jr.	6-3/164	Sr.	Averaged 14.2 ppg, ranked in the Big Ten's top-10 in FG% (10th), FT% (7th), and steals (3rd, 1.5 spg) while leading the conference in assists (5.3 apg).
Trey McGowens	6-4/196	Jr.	Averaging 8.0 points on 63.1% shooting with 2.5 steals over the last four games.
Bryce McGowens	6-7/179	Fr.	Named the Associated Press Big Ten Newcomer of the Year, a consensus third-team All-Big Ten selection, and made the Big Ten All-Freshman team.
Lat Mayen	6-9/217	Jr.	Had 4 points and 4 rebounds in 29 minutes in the win at Wisconsin for a team-low plus/minus of -6.
Derrick Walker	6-9/239	Jr.	Shooting 67.9% from the floor and will be just the 7th Husker ever - and first in over 20 years - to shoot at least 60% for a season.

Northwestern projected starters

NAME	HT/WT	YEAR	NOTES

Boo Buie	6-2/180	Jr.	Averages 14.1 points per game and is 7th in the Big Ten with 4.0 assists per game. Scored 27 points while shooting 10-for-15 from the field with six 3-pointers at Nebraska.
Chase Audige	6-4/200	Jr.	Averaging 10.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, and is second in the Big Ten with 1.8 steals per game.
Julian Roper II	6-3/180	Fr.	Averages 3.7 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 0.9 steals per game while shooting just 37.9% from the field.
Robbie Beran	6-9/215	Jr.	Scoring 6.3 points with 4.3 rebounds and 0.7 blocks per game. Held scoreless in first meeting at NU.
Pete Nance	6-10/225	Sr.	Leads team in scoring (14.7 ppg), rebounding (6.6 rpg), and blocks (1.2 bpg), while shooting 45% from 3-point range.

3 KEYS TO VICTORY

1. Keep it rolling

Nebraska has been playing some of its best basketball in years over the past three games, and it's arguably as hot as any team in the country going into this week's Big Ten Tournament.

The Huskers have banded together and finally looked like the team most expected they'd be this year. Unfortunately, it took until the end of February for it to click, but at least it happened.

Now NU is presented with an opportunity in Indianapolis to build up even more momentum heading into the offseason.

If Nebraska can play anywhere close to the level it did during its three-game road winning streak last week; there's no reason why it couldn't continue its run and exact revenge on Northwestern.

The Wildcats handed the Huskers two of their most embarrassing losses of the season, so there should be no shortage of motivation for NU to keep things rolling.

2. Defend with effort

Head coach Fred Hoiberg called Nebraska's 87-63 home loss to Northwestern on Feb. 5 one of his team's worst efforts of the season. Two weeks later, things didn't go any better in a 77-65 road defeat in the rematch.

While the play offensively in those losses was nothing to write home about, what bothered Hoiberg most was how uninspired the Huskers were defensively.

With lazy close-outs on shooters, way-too-late rotations on the perimeter, and half-hearted switches off of screens, NU made life about as easy as possible for the Wildcats.

As a result, Northwestern torched them for 10 made 3-pointers in the first half alone and led by 22 at halftime in the first meeting. The Wildcats then did it again in Evanston, hitting 13 threes and shooting 50% from the field.

3. Protect the basketball

Nebraska's defense was awful in its two losses to Northwestern, but it certainly didn't help its cause on the other end of the floor, either.

Sloppy passes and ball-handling led to the Wildcats scoring a combined 34 points off 30 NU turnovers this season.

When the Huskers have struggled, they've almost always been careless with the basketball. It's no coincidence that Nebraska has only averaged 10.0 turnovers during its three-game winning streak.

The good news was that NU has been disruptive in its own right on defense.

The Huskers forced 11 and 12 turnovers in its losses to Northwestern, a team that is as good as anyone in protecting the ball.

The Wildcats rank sixth nationally in offensive turnovers percentage (14.0) and eighth in offensive steal percentage (7.0).

QUOTABLE

“Why not us? We’ve been shocking the world the way we’re playing, and I think a lot of teams are scared to play us now. So why not us? Who’s to say we can’t go to the Big Ten (Tournament) and make a statement?”

Junior forward Derrick Walker on Nebraska's mentality going into the Big Ten Tournament.

PREDICTION

Nebraska (+4) 71, Northwestern 67

Robin's season record: 21-10

vs. the spread: 16-15

FUTURECAST

2025Top Targets

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