Central Michigan transfer forward Ugnius Jarusevicius commits to Nebraska

Central Michigan transfer forward Ugnius Jarusevicius is taking his talents to Nebraska, committing to join the Cornhuskers per CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein. He excelled last season with the Chippewas, earning first-team All-MAC honors while averaging 16.2 points and 7.3 rebounds per game.

Jarusevicius played high school basketball at Kaunas Varpas (Alytus). He did not have a star-rating in the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. Prior to Central Michigan, the forward suited-up for the Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners.

After averaging 4.4 points and 5.5 points respectively over his two seasons with Cal State Bakersfield, Jarusevicius broke out last season with Central Michigan. His points per game tripled, although the Chippewas only went 14-17 on the season. Moving forward, he could be a valuable addition for Nebraska’s mission.

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.

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Moreover, the Nebraska Cornhuskers ended their season in disappointment, missing the Big Ten Tournament after finishing in the bottom three for the conference standings. Head coach Fred Hoiberg knows he needs to find a way to turn things around quickly. 

Hoiberg appeared on Huskers Radio Network earlier in the offseason for the program. There, he made a promise to Nebraska fans that he’s going to turn the program around and avoid another similar season to this past one.

“I promise you this, Husker Nation, we are going to do everything we can to get this thing back to where we are in the tournament,” Fred Hoiberg said. “And we are going to be there consistently. This place means the world to me. I absolutely love it. I’m passionate about it.” 

For Hoiberg and Nebraska, turning things around starts with recruiting. That includes from the high school ranks and in the Transfer Portal. However, it’s also important to get the right type of players for this program. Evidently, he believes Ugnius Jarusevicius will play a large role in that.

“We’ve got staff right now that are out on the road recruiting, and once the portal opens up, obviously, we’re going to be active in it. We’re going to put a team on the court that’s going to fit the values of Huskers. I think this team was,” Hoiberg added. “It was a hard-working team. We just did not close out games the way we needed to. We’re going to do everything in our power to get this thing right and get a consistent winner on the court.”

— On3’s Dan Morrison contributed to this article.