Nebraska Hoops Game Day: USC
On a losing streak that has reached four games, Nebraska is desperate for a victory at home against USC tonight at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
Here is what you need to know going into the Huskers’ matchup with the Trojans…
Who, What, Where, When
Nebraska Cornhuskers (12-6, 2-5 Big Ten) vs. USC Trojans (11-7, 3-4 Big Ten)
Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025 – 8:00 p.m. CT
Pinnacle Bank Arena (15,500)
TV: Big Ten Network
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 four points, one rebound, one assist, and one turnover over 25 minutes of work in Nebraska’s road loss at Maryland. |
| Brice Williams | G | Sr. | 6-7/214 | Shot just 6-of-14 from the field but finished with 14 points, four rebounds, three assists, and three steals in the loss to Maryland. |
| Juwan Gary | F | Sr. | 6-6/226 | Scored six points on 3-9 shooting with seven rebounds at Maryland. He eclipsed 1,000 career points in the loss. |
| Berke Buyuktuncel | F | So. | 6-10/224 | Scored eight points on 3-of-5 shooting, including going 2-for-2 on 3-pointers, with four rebounds in Nebraska’s loss at Maryland. |
| Braxton Meah | F | Sr. | 7-1/264 | He only played a season-low 3:46 in the loss at Maryland, recording just two rebounds without a shot attempt. |
USC projected starters
| Saint Thomas | G | Sr. | 6-7/235 | Former Millard North standout who averages 11.0 points and leads USC with 4.1 assists, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.4 steals per game. |
| Desmond Claude | G | Jr. | 6-6/201 | He leads USC in scoring at 16.0 points per game while dishing out 4.1 assists per game. That includes a season-high 31 points in a win over Illinois. |
| Wesley Yates III | G | So. | 6-4/219 | He averages 10.7 points per game while swiping 1.2 steals per contest on the season. |
| Chibuzo Agbo | G | Sr. | 6-7/227 | He averages 12.4 points per game and leads the Trojans with 41 made 3-pointers at a 38 percent clip. |
| Josh Cohen | F | Sr. | 6-10/250 | The only USC starter averaging under 10.0 ppg, he’s scoring 7.8 points with 2.4 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game. |
3 keys to victory
Solve the 3-point defense
For Nebraska to beat USC or anyone else on its schedule, it must figure out its defensive issues on the perimeter. The Huskers have been torched from behind the arc during their four-game losing streak, giving up 58 made 3-pointers (14.5 per game) at a blistering 47.5% clip. Head coach Fred Hoiberg insists that it’s not as much of a schematic issue as it is his players needing better defensive effort and intensity. That means NU’s close-outs must be aggressive, the rotations must be crisp, and the intensity must be elite for a full 40 minutes. If not, the Trojans – which shoot a solid 35.2% from three – will light Nebraska up once again.
Stop giving the ball away
Nebraska turned it over 13 times last time out at Maryland, an OK-but-not-great number. Only four of those came in the second half, but sloppy ball handling early again caused the Huskers problems out of the gate. Turnovers have been an issue for NU all season, as it now ranks 186th nationally in offensive turnover rate. Nebraska’s goal each game is to finish with 10 or fewer giveaways. It’s accomplished that just four times through 18 games this season, including averaging nearly 13 turnovers over its four-game losing streak. Something to watch tonight is how much the Huskers go back to a two-point guard lineup with Rollie Worster and Ahron Ulis on the floor together. NU utilized that look in the second half at Maryland and significantly improved its handling of the Terrapins’ on-ball pressure.
Be the aggressor
Hoiberg described USC as a bunch of guys who were “all the same,” and he meant it as a compliment. The Trojans’ roster is full of tall, strong, and athletic players at all five positions, giving them physicality and versatility no matter who is on the court. However, USC still has issues with opponents who throw the first punches. The Trojans rank 17th in the Big Ten in rebounding (32.3 rpg) and dead last in offensive boards (8.1 orpg). They also commit 17.6 fouls per game (fifth-most in the conference) to allow foes to score 20.6% of their points at the free-throw line. If Nebraska can crash the glass on both ends and attack the rim on offense, it could control the boards, extend and finish possessions, and cash in at the charity stripe. There’s no better formula to end a losing streak than that.
Quotable
“It’s all out there right now. We went from being in a really good situation and a really good position to still having our goals right in front of us. A lot of teams have gone through three, four-game losing streaks in this league. It happens. You got to respond. You got to keep going out there, and one thing I really liked about the last game was I thought our defensive edge was back, and that has to be our constant.”
Head coach Fred Hoiberg on Nebraska needing to get its season back on track through defense and toughness.
Prediction
Nebraska (-4.5) 77, USC 68
Robin’s season record: 16-2
Vs. the spread: 9-9
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