Nebraska takes care of business in 84-53 exhibition win over Doane

Nebraska made its unofficial 2023-24 season debut on Sunday with an 84-53 exhibition win over Doane.

Five Huskers scored in double figures, led by 18 from true freshman Eli Rice. Junior C.J. Wilcher and sophomore Sam Hoiberg added 15 points each as NU shot 53% from the field overall and 57% in the second half. 

Only leading by six just after halftime, NU finally took control with a 15-2 run to go up 55-34. Nebraska eventually led by as many as 35 before settling for a 31-point victory.

Here are three of my biggest takeaways from the game and what it means for the Huskers going forward…

Nebraska had to play (really) small ball

Nebraska was already without its top four frontcourt players going into the game. Rienk Mast was out after being the victim of what head coach Fred Hoiberg called a “random act of violence” last week.

Josiah Allick was sidelined by a minor knee injury he suffered in NU’s closed scrimmage vs. Utah last Saturday.

Hoiberg held Juwan Gary out for “a violation of team policies,” and Blaise Keita still hasn’t recovered from offseason ankle surgery.

As if all that wasn’t enough, freshman Matar Diop – who was set to start at center on Sunday – was a late scratch after coming down with strep.

That left the Huskers with just six available scholarship players and four walk-ons against Doane. 

Brice Williams, a 6-foot-7 forward, started at the five and had 10 points and five rebounds. Wilcher (6-5) was the four, with guards Jamarques Lawrence (6-3), Sam Hoiberg (6-0), and Keisei Tominaga (6-2) rounding out the starting lineup.

As the game went on, Nebraska even used a lineup with 6-4 walk-on guard Cale Jacobsen at the five. They also did that for a game in Spain this summer.

In all, the Huskers were plus-10 in rebounding (41-31) and scored 56 of their 84 points in the paint. Defensively, Doane managed six points off five offensive rebounds and only scored 22 in the paint.

“It obviously gave us an opportunity to play a lot of different combinations – most of them were very small,” Fred Hoiberg said. “We just have to go out there and compete, which I thought our guys did.”

RELATED: Nebraska basketball will be shorthanded for exhibition opener vs. Doane

All eyes on Keisei Tominaga’s ankle

With 7:36 left in the first half, Tominaga got the ball in transition after a steal and pushed up the court. He bumped into a Doane defender and rolled his left ankle.

The senior guard limped off the floor under his power but went straight to the locker room. He didn’t return until the start of the second half.

The good news was that Tominaga wasn’t wearing a protective boot or using crutches. In fact, he seemed to be walking around – albeit with a limp – in relatively good spirits for the rest of the game.

Fred Hoiberg said the team would evaluate Tominaga over the next few days.

“We’ll know a lot more in the morning on Keisei,” Hoiberg said. “The ankle did swell up after he twisted it early in the first half. Hopefully, he’ll recover quickly from it. He’s obviously a very important part of what we do, especially on the offensive end. We need to get him back healthy.”

The last thing the Huskers need is another long-term injury to a potential starter before the regular season even begins. But that’s especially true with Tominaga, who became NU’s first NU’s Preseason All-Big Ten selection since James Palmer Jr. in 2018.

“He does not have a history of sprained ankles,” Hoiberg said. “We’ll get a day off tomorrow, and he’ll come in for treatments. Get him back in there on Tuesday morning, and then, hopefully, he recovers well.”

RELATED: For freshman Eli Rice, Nebraska’s exhibition could help cement a role in 2023-24 rotation

Welcome to the show, Eli Rice

Exhibitions are always prime opportunities for young players to get their first taste of college game experience.

As the only available true freshman on Nebraska’s roster on Sunday, that was certainly the case for Rice.

The 6-8 wing scored a team-high 18 points on 7-of-14 shooting, including leading NU with three made 3-pointers. He added three rebounds and an assist in his 23 minutes off the bench.

The caliber of the opponent must be considered in these conversations, but Rice looked comfortable in his Pinnacle Bank Arena debut.

He also led the Huskers in scoring during their three games in Spain and has continued to impress through preseason practices. Sunday’s exhibition was another step in the right direction for Rice to secure a role in NU’s rotation this season.

“Eli’s special, man,” Wilcher said. “Even off the court, he’s kind of like a pro at such a young age. He’s special, man. He’s going to be good. It’s just a continuation of what we’ve been seeing from him.”

“He’s just a natural-born scorer, too,” Sam Hoiberg added. “He never plays without confidence. He led our team in scoring in Spain, and we know he’s someone who can bring that.”

They said it

“You see the potential that he has, the size that he has – I mean, the kid has a chance to be a superstar when it’s all said and done.”

Nebraska head coach Fred Hoiberg on true freshman wing Eli Rice’s potential.

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