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Nebraska Hoops Game Day: Georgetown

Robin Washut profile picby:Robin Washut•04/02/25•

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Connor Essegian Nebraska basketball
Connor Essegian shoots a 3-pointer during Nebraska's win over Arizona State at the College Basketball Crown. (Photo: Nebraska Athletics)

Nebraska’s run in the College Basketball Crown continues tonight in a second-round matchup against Georgetown.

Here is what you need to know going into the Huskers’ quarterfinal showdown with the Hoyas in Las Vegas…

Who, What, Where, When

Nebraska Cornhuskers (18-14, 7-13 Big Ten) vs. Georgetown Hoyas (18-15, 8-12 Big East)

Wednesday, April 2, 2025 – 8:30 p.m. CT

MGM Grand Garden Arena (17,000)

TV: FS1

Radio: Huskers Radio Network

Internet/Streaming: FOX Sports App

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Nebraska projected starters

Brice WilliamsGSr.6-7/214His game-high 30 points vs. Arizona State put him at 650 for the season, passing Eric Piatkowski (646 in 1993-94) for fourth place on NU’s all-time single-season list.
Sam HoibergGJr.6-0/185He racked up seven points and four assists and set career-highs with seven rebounds and four steals over 34 minutes in the win over Arizona State.
Juwan GaryG/FSr.6-6/226He finished with 18 points, five rebounds, and three assists against Arizona State. That put his average at 21.8 points over the last four games.
Andrew MorganFSr.6-10/242He had six points and four rebounds over 17 minutes in the win over Arizona State while making his first start since at Penn State on Feb. 19.
Berke BuyuktuncelFSo.6-10/240He had five points on 2-of-7 shooting with five rebounds over 19 minutes against Arizona State. He’s now 6-for-29 from the field (20.7%) since returning from his ankle injury.

Georgetown projected starters

Malik MackGSo.6-2/175Averages 12.5 points and a team-high 4.3 assists per game. He scored a game-high 37 points in Georgetown’s first-round win over Washington State.
Curtis Williams Jr.GSo.6-6/205He only averaged 4.8 points and 1.8 rebounds over 14.9 minutes per game during the regular season. He shot just 1-of-10 from 3-point range against Washington State.
Jordan BurkesFSo.6-9/205He posted a double-double with 16 points and 13 rebounds in the win over Washington State. He averaged 5.5 ppg and 3.4 rpg during the regular season.
Drew McKennaFFr.6-8/220He finished with nine points and six rebounds over 30 minutes after averaging just 1.5 ppg and 1.5 rpg over 6.7 mpg in the regular season.
Caleb WilliamsFFr.6-7/230He scored 13 points with eight rebounds in 34 minutes against Washington State. He ranked fifth on the team with 35 offensive rebounds during the regular season.

3 keys to victory

Set the tone

Before pretty much every game Nebraska has played this season, starting fast has been near the top of Fred Hoiberg’s to-do list. Unfortunately, that has been much easier said than done for the Huskers this season. Even in Monday night’s win over Arizona State, NU was sluggish out of the gates and fell into yet another double-digit deficit. While Nebraska was able to rally back and extend its season, it must find a way to start and stay hot. Georgetown is another team that’s been hit with injury and roster attrition, and the Huskers cannot afford to spot them with early confidence with another slow start. Falling into an early hole against an opponent that just scored 85 points two nights ago could be detrimental.

Contain Mack and the 3-point line

Brice Williams’s 30 points against Arizona State stood as the College Basketball Crown scoring record for about four hours. Then Georgetown’s Malik Mack one-upped him with a 37-point effort in a win over Washington State. The Hoyas played that game without their top three scorers from the regular season, leaving the 6-2 Mack as their primary offensive threat. He made the most of the opportunity by scoring 37 of Georgetown’s 85 points and attempting 24 of the team’s 76 shots. Mack was especially dangerous from 3-point range, hitting a blistering 8-of-12 from behind the arc. The Hoyas shot 36 threes as a team, meaning Nebraska must do all it can to limit Mack and the perimeter on defense.

Be ready for everything on offense

Nebraska had less than 48 hours to prepare a game plan for Georgetown. Trying to figure out what to predict from the Hoyas’ defense was a near-impossible task. Hoiberg expected Georgetown to change up its defenses more than any team NU had faced this season. The Hoyas were in a zone most of the game vs. Washington State, but that included switching from a 1-2-1, a 1-2-2, a match-up zone, and a couple of “junk” defenses. On top of that, Georgetown utilizes a containment press to allow its defense to get set on most possessions. Establishing a quick pace and constant off-ball movement will be critical for Nebraska tonight. The Huskers can’t get stagnant like they did early vs. Arizona State. They also must finish defensive possessions with rebounds to prevent the Hoyas from getting set.

Quotable

“Works, never complains. Knows not only our plays but but the other teams’ plays. He calls them from the bench. Kid’s going to be a hell of a coach one year.”

-Nebraska head coach Fred Hoiberg on walk-on Cale Jacobsen’s basketball IQ and his future in the game.

Prediction

Nebraska (-7.5) 74, Georgetown 70

Robin’s season record: 23-9

Vs. the spread: 15-17

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