Nebraska Hoops Game Day: Fairleigh Dickinson
Nebraska basketball will get another early non-conference test tonight when Fairleigh Dickinson comes to Pinnacle Bank Arena.
Here is what you need to know going into the Huskers’ showdown with the Knights…
Who, What, Where, When
Nebraska Cornhuskers (2-0, 0-0) vs. Fairleigh Dickinson Knights (1-2, 0-0)
Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024 – 7:00 p.m. CT
Pinnacle Bank Arena (15,500)
TV: None
Radio: Huskers Radio Network
Internet/Streaming: B1G+
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Nebraska projected starters
| Rollie Worster | G | Sr. | 6-5/210 | Had 5 points, 2 assists, and 5 turnovers vs. Bethune-Cookman. Averaging 2.5 assists to 4.0 turnovers per game. |
| Brice Williams | G | Sr. | 6-7/214 | Leads team with 18.5 ppg. Scored 10 points and hit two of NU’s four 3-pointers vs. BCU. He also had a team-high 6 TOs. |
| Juwan Gary | F | Sr. | 6-6/226 | Led Nebraska in points (11), rebounds (9), and steals (5) vs. Bethune-Cookman while posting NU’s top defensive rating. |
| Berke Buyuktuncel | F | So. | 6-10/240 | Finished with 6 points, 7 boards, and 2 blocks vs. BCU. Leads the Huskers with 10 defensive rebounds on the year. |
| Braxton Meah | F | Sr. | 7-1/264 | Posted 9 points on 4-6 shooting with 4 rebounds and a blocked shot in the win over Bethune-Cookman. |
Fairleigh Dickinson projected starters
| Terrence Brown | G | 6-3/175 | So. | Scoring a team-high 20.3 ppg on 52.3% shooting, including dropping 19 at Creighton and 18 at Miami. |
| Ahmed Barba-Bey | G | 6-3/185 | Sr. | Averaging 7.0 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game this season. |
| Dylan Jones | G | 6-5/190 | Jr. | Ranks second on the team with 13.3 ppg while leading FDU with made 3-pointers at a 46.2% clip. |
| Jo’el Emanuel | F | 6-6/205 | Jr. | Scoring 11.7 points per game while shooting a team-best 61.9% from the field. |
| Bismark Nsiah | F | 6-8/220 | Sr. | Averages 7.0 points on 52.4% shooting and 3.0 rebounds per game. Had 12 points and 4 boards at Creighton. |
3 keys to victory
Value the basketball
With 31 giveaways over its first two games, turnovers quickly became a glaring concern for Nebraska early this season. The larger worry there, though, is how the Huskers are losing possession. More often than not, their turnovers haven’t resulted from high-pressure defense. NU now ranks 355th out of 364 Division I teams in non-steal turnover rate. In other words, it’s committed more unforced TOs than any team in the country. Nebraska needs to stay within the framework of the offense and not have players try to do too much with the basketball. Stick with the simple plays, and the ball security should improve dramatically.
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Put the ball in the basket
You can draw up whatever scheme adjustment or personnel shakeup you want. Ultimately, the key to Nebraska’s success right now is the most fundamental aspect of the game. The Huskers got countless high-percentage looks at the rim and open shots on the perimeter against Bethune-Cookman. Yet, no one could find a way to put the ball through the hoop. NU shot 34.5% from the field – including a dismal 25.8% in the first half – and 18.2% on 3-pointers vs. BCU. It missed eight attempts at the rim and averaged just .806 points per possession. Nebraska is getting the looks it wants. Now, it needs to figure out how to make them go in.
Keep dominating with defense
As rough as Nebraska’s shooting and ball security have been to open the year, its defense has carried the load. The Huskers’ length, physicality, and athleticism at all five positions have been a nightmare for opponents thus far. They rank 30th nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency (96.1) and seventh in defensive turnover percentage (27.9). Texas Rio Grande Valley and Bethune-Cookman shot a combined 37.0% from the field vs. NU. As a result, Nebraska has now won 23 straight games when holding opponents to fewer than 70 points. That streak must extend to 24 in a row tonight.
Quotable
“I’ve been through a lot of highs and lows, ups and downs when I was in my playing career. Sometimes that thing was like the ocean. Sometimes it was like a little thimble up there, and for our guys the other night, you could just see they were a little tense when they went up to shoot it.”
-Nebraska head coach Fred Hoiberg on his team’s early shooting struggles this season.
Prediction
Nebraska (-26) 90, Fairleigh Dickinson 67
Robin’s season record: 2-0
Vs. the spread: 1-1
