Brice Williams will be a game-time decision for Nebraska's game vs. No. 1 Purdue
As Nebraska looks to rebound from an ugly defeat at Wisconsin and prepare for No. 1-ranked Purdue, one of its most important players remains a game-time decision.
Brice Williams, NU’s second-leading scorer at 13.5 points per game, has not practiced since rolling his ankle late in the loss to the Badgers.
Head coach Fred Hoiberg said the versatile junior guard would undergo extra treatment over the next 24 hours before the team decided his status vs. the Boilermakers.
“Brice is still pretty sore,” Hoiberg said. “He has not practiced the last two days. He’s going to get an extra treatment here this afternoon and an individual workout. We’ll see how he’s doing tomorrow… Don’t know for sure yet on Brice, but he’s still pretty sore.”
Injuries have plagued the Huskers all season, and Williams’ potential absence would leave a significant void in the lineup.
The Charlotte transfer has started all 15 contests and trails only Rienk Mast (29.6) with 27.0 minutes per game. Williams ranks second on the team in made 3-pointers (22), tied for the lead in blocks (11), and third in assists (36).
The 6-foot-7, 213-pounder also has the second-most rebounds through the first 15 games (79) behind Mast (118)
Beyond his stats, Williams has also recently taken on a more prominent role as one of Nebraska’s lead ball handlers. He just set a career-high with six assists at Wisconsin.
“He has played quite a bit with the ball in his hands the last couple weeks, and we’re going to continue to rely on him in that role,” Hoiberg said. “He’s got good length, and for the most part, he’s done a solid job with his decision-making.”
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Williams isn’t the only Nebraska player with an injury to monitor
Hoiberg said Mast was “hit in the calf” during the loss to Wisconsin and did not practice on Sunday. The 6-10 center participated in “half” of Monday’s session.
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“But that’s going to be Rienk probably the rest of the year with the procedure he had on his knee,” Hoiberg said.
Barring any setbacks before Tuesday night, Mast should be in the starting lineup.
Hoiberg also said C.J. Wilcher was still “a little sore” while dealing with back spasms. Wilcher sat most of the second half vs. Indiana and played 17 minutes off the bench at UW.
The junior guard has practiced the past two days and will be available against Purdue.
Still no word on Blaise Keita’s potential return
Nebraska could use another body in its frontcourt rotation. Whether Blaise Keita could provide that at some point this season remains unclear.
Keita has hardly practiced since undergoing foot surgery last spring. Hoiberg said last week that the 6-11 center would begin to “ramp up” his on-court activity.
That process remains very much a work in progress.
“He’s continuing to ramp up, (but) he still hasn’t done any live action on the floor with the team,” Hoiberg said. “So, he’s still a couple weeks away before we will know if we’re going to get him back on the floor any time in the next month.
“But he’s continuing to ramp up his individual work. He still has a little bit of pain there, but we’re going to get him out there in the next probably 10 days and really test it and see where he is.”
