Nebraska Hoops Game Day: Indiana
After suffering a 37-point loss in last weekend’s Big Ten opener, Nebraska hopes to bounce back in its first conference home game tonight vs. Indiana.
Here is what you need to know going into the Huskers’ clash with the Hoosiers…
Who, What, Where, When
Nebraska Cornhuskers (6-2, 0-1 Big Ten) vs. Indiana Hoosiers (8-2, 1-0 Big Ten)
Friday, Dec. 13, 2024 – 7:00 p.m. CT
Pinnacle Bank Arena (15,500)
TV: FOX
Radio: Huskers Radio Network
Internet/Streaming: Fox Sports App
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Nebraska projected starters
| Rollie Worster | G | Sr. | 6-5/210 | Finished with 9 points, 3 assists, and 2 steals in the loss at Michigan State. He’s posted a 4.6-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio over the last four games. |
| Brice Williams | G | Sr. | 6-7/214 | Was one of only two Huskers to score in double figures at MSU with 11 points. He’s now averaging a team-high 17.5 points per game this season. |
| Connor Essegian | G | Jr. | 6-4/190 | After averaging 25.5 points over the previous two outings, he was held to 1 point on 0-2 shooting over 20 minutes at Michigan State. |
| Juwan Gary | F | Sr. | 6-6/226 | He scored 9 points at MSU but shot just 4-11 from the field and went 1-5 on 3-pointers with 3 turnovers. |
| Braxton Meah | F | Sr. | 7-1/264 | Held scoreless and only took one shot with two rebounds while playing just 11 minutes at Michigan State due to early foul trouble. |
Indiana projected starters
| Myles Rice | G | So. | 6-3/185 | A transfer from Washington State who is scoring 10.8 ppg while shooting 42 percent from 3-point range. He also ranks second on the team with 3.4 apg. |
| Trey Galloway | G | Sr. | 6-5/205 | Indiana’s only starter not scoring in double figures (6.1 ppg) but he leads the Hoosiers with 3.7 assists per game. |
| Mackenzie Mgbako | F | So. | 6-9/222 | The 2023-24 Big Ten Freshman of the Year averages 15.1 ppg on 51 percent shooting, including hitting 41 percent from behind the arc. |
| Malik Reneau | F | Jr. | 6-9/232 | Leads Indiana in scoring at 15.5 points per game on 60 percent shooting from the field. He also averages 6.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game. |
| Oumar Ballo | C | Sr. | 7-0/265 | Transfer from Arizona who averages 13.2 points on 70 percent shooting. He also ranks among the Big Ten leaders with 9.0 rpg and 2.0 bpg. |
3 keys to victory
Fight on the boards
Go over any stat you want from the final box score of Nebraska’s 37-point loss at Michigan State last Saturday. There was no greater indicator of the Spartans’ total domination in that game than what they did on the glass. The Huskers ended up a staggering -19 in the final rebounding margin, with MSU finishing with 48 total boards and 17 second-chance points. Indiana’s greatest strength is its frontcourt. It comes in with a +6 rebounding advantage on the season after finishing +13 on the glass last time out vs. Minnesota. If NU isn’t ready to hit first and fight for rebounds tonight, this one could be a similarly lopsided result.
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Win the 3-point line
Nebraska has hardly been the most dynamic 3-point shooting team in the country this season. But when the Huskers’ offense is at its best, it starts with competent production from behind the arc. Hitting threes will be critical for NU tonight, as that could be one of its most significant x-factors vs. Indiana. The Hoosiers have been even worse from downtown this season, ranking 350th in 3-point rate (29.7) and 348th with just 22.8% of its points coming from deep. However, when IU does shoot threes, it’s been very efficient at 35.9% on the year, good for 85th nationally. Nebraska must get guard Connor Essegian – who had 1 point on just two shot attempts at Michigan State – going early to put stress on Indiana’s shooters.
Bottle up Ballo
Indiana made one of the splash portal additions in college basketball this past offseason, landing Arizona transfer Oumar Ballo. The heralded 7-footer has been everything the Hoosiers had hoped thus far. He averages 13.2 ppg on 70% shooting while leading the Big Ten with 2.0 bpg and ranking third with 9.1 rpg. The Hoosiers thrive on getting him the ball on the block as much as possible, especially throwing it over the top to him in transition. Once he’s there, Ballo is just as much a threat to score as he is to kick out to an opener shooter (2.5 apg). The good news is that few defenses are more equipped to handle elite big men than Nebraska’s. Look for the Huskers to throw the same traps and double teams at Ballo that they’ve used on Creighton’s Ryan Kalkbrenner, Purdue’s Zach Edey, and countless others. NU must make Indiana’s guards try to beat them on the perimeter.
Quotable
“We just got punked. We just got little brother’d for real.”
Nebraska guard Brice Williams on Nebraska’s lack of physicality in last weekend’s 82-59 loss at Michigan State.
Prediction
Nebraska (-1.5) 77, Indiana 72
Robin’s season record: 7-1
Vs. the spread: 4-4
