Nebraska Hoops Game Day: South Dakota
On the heels of a massive road upset over instate rival Creighton, Nebraska hopes to keep things rolling tonight against South Dakota.
Here is what you need to know going into the Huskers’ home matchup with the Coyotes…
Who, What, Where, When
Nebraska Cornhuskers (4-1, 0-0) vs. South Dakota (6-2, 0-0)
Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024 – 5:30 p.m. CT
Pinnacle Bank Arena (15,500)
TV: BTN
Radio: Huskers Radio Network
Internet/Streaming: BTN+
Subscribe to get exclusive Huskers content on HuskerOnline today!
Nebraska projected starters
| Rollie Worster | G | Sr. | 6-5/210 | Finished with 11 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 turnover over 30 minutes of work in Nebraska’s upset victory at No. 14 Creighton. |
| Brice Williams | G | Sr. | 6-7/214 | Posted a team-high 16 points at Creighton, reaching double figures for the ninth straight game. That matches the longest stretch of his career. |
| Juwan Gary | F | Sr. | 6-6/226 | Tied for the team with 16 points, seven rebounds, and two steals to finish a team-high +11 at Creighton. He improved to 2-0 at CHI Health Center for his career. |
| Berke Buyuktuncel | F | So. | 6-10/240 | Scored 12 points on 4-of-7 shooting with a team-high 9 rebounds in the win over Creighton. He reached double figures for the third consecutive game. |
| Braxton Meah | F | Sr. | 7-1/264 | Only played 11 minutes but hauled in 6 rebounds and helped hold CU All-American Ryan Kalkbrenner to just 4 points on 0-1 shooting. |
South Dakota projected starters
| Paul Bruns | G | Sr. | 6-4/190 | Former North Dakota transfer. Averaging 10.0 points. 4.5 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game while shooting 85% at the free throw line. |
| Kaleb Stewart | G | Sr. | 6-3/185 | Former transfer from Louisiana Tech who was named Preseason All-Summit League. Averages 10.8 ppg and scored 22 in USD’s loss at Iowa. |
| Chase Forte | G | Sr. | 6-4/190 | Previously played at UNC Asheville, Gulf Coast State, and Northwestern State. Averages 12.0 ppg and leads the team with 3.1 apg and 1.8 spg. |
| Max Burchill | G | Sr. | 6-4/200 | Scoring 6.4 points and ranks second on the team with 2.4 assists per game. Shooting 41.2% on 3-pointers and 85.7 on free throws. |
| Cameron Fens | C | Jr. | 7-0/255 | Transfer from Illinois-Chicago. Averages 9.3 points on 64.6% shooting and leads USD in rebounding (5.3 rpg) and blocked shots (1.4 bpg). |
3 keys to victory
Keep your foot on the gas
According to the KenPom projections, tonight ties for Nebraska’s best remaining opportunity at a win (along with Southern) with a 96% chance of victory. However, if the Huskers think they can show up to PBA and go through the motions, South Dakota could make things a bit uncomfortable. The last time NU upset Creighton in 2022, it followed with a 16-point loss to Indiana. Obviously, USD isn’t the Hoosiers, but the Coyotes are pesky enough to make life difficult if Nebraska isn’t ready to play. This is a game where all those veteran leaders must step up and ensure the Huskers have no emotional hangover.
Top 10
- 1Hot
New CFP Top 25
College Football Playoff rankings revealed
- 2New
Strength of Schedule
CFP Top 25 SOS ranking
- 3Trending
12-Team CFP bracket
Updated College Football Playoff bracket
- 4
Hunter Dickinson ejected
Kansas big man kicks Duke player in head
- 5
Colbie Young status
Kirby Smart reveals latest on Georgia WR
Stay in control and execute
There’s a reason head coach Fred Hoiberg compared South Dakota’s style to what Nebraska saw in its season opener against Texas Rio Grande Valley. Like the Vaqueros, USD will present some unique challenges on both ends of the floor. The Coyotes are nearly the same threat on the perimeter, but they crash the offensive glass with all five players (and rank 12th nationally in average possession length at just 15.3 seconds. The Huskers must keep things under control on offense and not let South Dakota bait them into sloppy mistakes. Defensive rebounding will be a top priority, as will defending without fouling. The Yotes rank in the top 100 with a 38.2 free-throw rate (FTA divided by FGA).
Continue to get Essegian going
Nebraska did pretty much everything right in its win at Creighton. However, one of the more potentially notable developments was how it prioritized getting Connor Essegian more involved offensively. The transfer guard from Wisconsin had a modest impact through his first four games as a Husker. He only scored in double figures once while shooting 38% from the field and 35% on 3-pointers. However, Essegian was as active, assertive, and effective in Omaha as he’d been all year. That started with his off-ball movement. There were possessions where he never stopped moving and utilized multiple screens to get the ball. The next part was how Essegian didn’t just settle for 3-point looks. Of his six shots vs. the Bluejays, only two were threes. Keisei Tominaga did the same things to spark his breakout finish in 2022-23, and Essegian would be well served to follow a similar path.
Quotable
“If you’re satisfied, if you go out there and you have a little hangover from the Creighton game, it’s not gonna end well. We try to warn our guys and talk to our guys a lot about that these last couple games.”
-Head coach Fred Hoiberg on why Nebraska must turn the page from its win at Creighton and lock in on South Dakota.
Prediction
Nebraska (-18) 87, South Dakota 66
Robin’s season record: 4-1
Vs. the spread: 3-2
