Nebraska Hoops Game Day: Florida State
Here is what you need to know going into Nebraska’s matchup today against Florida State in its final game of the ESPN Events Invitational in Orlando, Florida…
Who, What, Where, When
Nebraska Cornhuskers (3-3) vs. Lindenwood Lions (0-0)
Monday, Nov. 6, 2023 – 6:30 p.m. CT
State Farm Field House (4,000)
TV: ESPNNews
Radio: Huskers Radio Network
Internet: ESPN App
Nebraska projected starters
| Sam Griesel | G | Sr. | 6-7/216 | Scored 4 points on 1-4 FGs with 1 assist and 2 TOs vs Memphis. |
| Emmanuel Bandoumel | G | Sr. | 6-4/187 | Tied season highs with 18 points and 5 assists vs. Memphis. |
| C.J. Wilcher | G | So. | 6-5/208 | Scored 5 points on 2-7 shooting but had 4 assists vs. Memphis. |
| Juwan Gary | F | Jr. | 6-6/215 | Had 6 points on 2-11 FGs and 1-7 on 3-pointers against Memphis. |
| Derrick Walker | F | Sr. | 6-9/245 | Had 15 points and 12 rebounds in his season debut vs. Memphis. |
Florida State projected starters
| Caleb Mills | G | Jr. | 6-5/180 | Houston transfer who leads team with 13.1 ppg along with 2.9 apg. |
| Darin Green Jr. | G | Jr. | 6-5/195 | UCF transfer scoring 12.1 ppg while shooting 44.3% on 3-pointers. |
| Cam’Ron Fletcher | G | Jr. | 6-7/215 | Kentucky transfer averaging 12.1 ppg and a team-high 7.7 rpg. |
| Matthew Cleveland | G | So. | 6-7/200 | Averaging 10.6 ppg and 4.1 rpg and has a team-high 29 FT attempts. |
| Naheem McCleod | C | So. | 7-4/255 | Averaging 3.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, and a team-high 1.4 blocks. |
3 keys to victory
Take better care of the ball
Nebraska made nine 3-pointers and dished out a season-high 17 assists on 22 made baskets in Friday’s loss to Memphis. But all of that was negated because the Huskers continuously gave the ball away. NU committed a season-high 20 turnovers in the defeat, topping its previous high of 17 at St. John’s. Derrick Walker, who posted a double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds in his season debut, accounted for a whopping nine of those giveaways. That sloppy ball security resulted in the Tigers owning a 19-9 advantage in points off turnovers. Florida State doesn’t bring nearly the level of defensive pressure as Memphis, but the Huskers must take better care of the ball to give themselves a chance.
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Keep up the shooting
When Nebraska wasn’t turning it over, the ball movement was as good as it’s been all year. Along with assisting on all but five made shots, the Huskers created plenty of high-percentage looks. That led to NU setting season highs with nine made 3-pointers at a .375 clip. Emmanuel Bandoumel and Keisei Tominaga led the charge with three 3-pointers each and shot a combined 6-of-9 from behind the arc. C.J. Wilcher and Juwan Gary accounted for the other three makes but did so at a much lower percentage (3-for-12). Florida State’s perimeter defense ranks in the middle of the pack nationally, so 3-point looks will be there for NU.
Crash the glass
There might not be a single mismatch more in Nebraska’s favor tonight than its offensive rebounding. Florida State has been one of the worst teams in the country on the defensive glass. The Seminoles rank 348th nationally and dead last among Power Six schools in allowed offensive rebounding percentage (37.5). Conversely, the Huskers have been as good as anyone in creating second-chance opportunities on the boards, ranking 24th with an OR% of 36.5. Gary headlines those efforts, but Walker made an immediate impact with six of the team’s 11 offensive boards vs. Memphis. That helped Nebraska own an 18-9 advantage in second-chance points.
Quotable
“Obviously we’re going to have to go back to the drawing board on some things. We get a day tomorrow and we play the late game on Sunday, so we’ll get an opportunity at the shoot around. But we’ve got to get this situation fixed right now. Obviously, we’re getting crushed by pressure. It wasn’t too big of an issue early in the year and we played pretty efficiently. And now, all of a sudden, against longer, more athletic teams, it’s really bothering us. Twenty turnovers – 13 in the second half – you’re not going to win many games.”
NU head coach Fred Hoiberg on his team following two losses in two days in Orlando.
Nebraska vs. Florida State prediction
Nebraska (-1.5) 72, Florida State 69
Robin’s overall season record: 4-2
Robin’s record vs. the spread: 4-2
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