Why Nebraska could make run to Sweet 16, past Texas A&M, Houston

Nebraska is a prime candidate to get to the Sweet 16 in the 2024 NCAA Tournament, according to On3’s James Fletcher.

As a No. 8 seed, the Huskers take on No. 9 Texas A&M first with the winner presumably playing No. 1 Houston in the Round of 32. On3’s own Andy Staples likes Texas A&M to make a run, beating Nebraska and then eventually Houston.

Joining Andy Staples On3, Fletcher explained his choice of the Huskers and Fred Hoiberg.

“I’m going Nebraska over Texas A&M,” Fletcher said. “And then Nebraska with a real live dog chance to knock off Houston in the next round. So we think that both of those eight-nine teams are very capable of beating Houston if they get to that second round. I really like the way this Nebraska team has been playing. I think that the Texas A&M group, obviously under Buzz Williams, they’re really good. I just think that this Nebraska team is the hotter team right now.” 

Nebraska has the slight edge, but Fletcher isn’t denying what the Aggies could do in March Madness.

“I think what with (Keisei) Tominaga, what he’s been able to do, I think that they have been just a better team as of late,” Fletcher said. “They’re clicking on more cylinders. They’ve got the momentum coming into this one so I’m doing with Nebraska in that first game, but I do think that they have a real chance to knock off Houston. 

“I would also put Texas A&M in that category where Houston has got to be on top of their game if they want to advance past Texas A&M, I do agree with you there though.”

Nebraska fell to Illinois in the Big Ten semifinals, but the Huskers have had quite the year under Hoiberg to this point.

“Like Sam said, we’re going to do the exact same thing we’ve done all year,” Hoiberg said postgame. “We’re going to learn from this one and start focusing on whoever our opponent will be, and we’ll know that tomorrow at probably 5:30 or 6:00. Coaches will get in the film room and start working on the game plan, and we’ll get the guys in there and present a first look to them and start working that way.

“We haven’t played a back-to-back all year. Our MTE last year was different than last year when we’ve had the experience of a back-to-back. Especially the late game to the early game. That is hard. That is really, really hard. Especially when you have one of the main guys out of the lineup. Again, I give the guys a lot of credit for the way we came out of the gate. They were phenomenal for the first 25 minutes of the game. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to sustain it. Give Illinois credit, they had a lot to do with it.”