Game #14 Wed, 12/30, vs Northwestern @ PBA, 3:00 pm CST, ESPNU

[Red Don]

Huskers (8-5), KenPom ranking #137 (@ 12/29/15) Begin B1G Conference Play

Huskers Lose to Northwestern 81-72, running out of gas after being up 12 points in the 2nd half.

Wed, 12/30 vs Northwestern (12-1) #45, 3:00 pm CST, ESPNU

Last:
Tue, 12/22 vs Prairie View A&M (0-10) #347, (W, 81-50) - Huskers win by 31 pts, but after giving-up 18 pt lead in 1st half.

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:cheer2: Let's Go Huskers :shout: Pack 'THE VAULT' :cheer2:

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Links: Game Page, Pre-Game Notes, Audio/Visual & Live Game Stats

o Huskers Game Page:
http://www.huskers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=100&ATCLID=210604392

o Live Game Stats – ESPN (click on ‘Box Score’):
http://www.huskers.com//liveStats/li...&DB_OEM_ID=100
OR
http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/scoreboard/_/group/7/date/20151230

o Broadcast Televison: ESPNU

o Online: WatchESPN (http://es.pn/1NihDU0)

o Announcers (ESPNU): Jordan Bernfield & Daymeon Fishback

o RADIO: IMG Husker Sports Radio Network - including KLIN-Lincoln (1400 AM); KXSP-Omaha (590 AM); & KRVN-Lexington (880 AM)

o Radio Announcers: Kent Pavelka & Matt Davison

o Audio Link: http://www.huskers.com/liveEvents/li...&DB_OEM_ID=100

o Satellite Radio: Sirius: Ch. 83; XM: Ch. 201

o Game Officials: (TBA)

o Opening line: Huskers favored by 3

o Game Notes: (more than you'll want to know)
http://www.huskers.com/pdf9/4297106.pdf

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Scouting Northwestern
Led by third-year coach Chris Collins, Northwestern comes to Lincoln with a 12-1 record. The Wildcats are on a nine-game win streak since a loss to North Carolina on Nov. 23.

The Wildcats returned all five starters from a team that went 15-17 in 2014-15, but are without a pair of starters.
Vic Law suffered a season-ending shoulder injury before the opener, while Alex Olah suffered a foot injury and is out for Wednesday’s game. Olah was averaging 12.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game.

The Wildcats are averaging 79.9 points per game and shooting 39 percent from 3-point range.
Sophomore Bryant McIntosh averages 16.2 points per game and 6.8 assists per game. Senior Tre Demps scores 15.2 ppg while dishing out 4.2 assists per game.

Northwestern
Typical Rotation Depth: 8-9 players
Offensive Style: Perimeter passing, 3pt shooting
Defensive Style: Zone-Man Mix
Line: Nebraska by 3

Player to watch: Bryant McIntosh

Collins has rolled with the Sophomore PG since day 1 and he's evolved from a good shooter to a very good shooter, knocking down 47.2% of his 3s which anchors his impressive 59.2 eFG%. Last season the Huskers hounded him into 4 turnovers and 3 points. This year it will be more about containment than shutdown as Northwestern has a decidedly better supporting cast.

The Skinny

The Christmas break has been much kinder to the Huskers as they've had a week to recoup from their December whereas Northwestern has lost their starting center Alex Olah indefinitely with a stress fracture. Northwestern however comes into Lincoln with their best start since 1931 though their 12-1 record has been against some so-so competition.

Essentially returning their entire starting lineup from last year, this year's 3pt shooting NW team has been shooting lights out, their 57.2 eFG% is a top 10 number. Three players for NW shoot 40%+ from downtown and freshman stretch 4 Aaron Falzon shoots a respectable 36.8% as a 3pt specialist. Inside the Wildcats do have some serviceable bigs in VT transfer Joey Van Zegeren and freshman Dereck Pardon. Expect NW to continue to look inside to set up a rhythm 3pt shot as part of their offense.

It's still the same slow-as-molasses NW team and the zone defense that the Wildcats will utilize often against the Huskers will slow things down even more. If the Huskers are going to attack this thing without passing, they'd better draw contact against a NW zone designed to kill hero ball. The lack of Olah also opens up the offensive boards a bit more for Nebraska. Sure it's overall a tall team that Collins rolls out but it's not a team you need to worry about killing you on the break.

Can the Huskers be patient enough in their offense to crack NW's zone? Can they draw enough contact and hold onto the ball enough to overcome what will likely be a Northwestern team that outshoots them? Will the Olah injury lead to some Wildcat that we didn't scout well enough blowing up?

Look for the 3pm Husker faithful to help pull out a close one against a NW team not used to playing against noise.

Prediction: Nebraska 67 - Northwestern 63 with a 40% chance of Runzas
http://huskerhoopscentral.com/topic/8893-game-day-essentials-game-14-vs-northwestern/

 

[Red Don]

Northwestern	Likely Starters
No.	Name	Position	Yr.	Ht.	Wt.	G/GS	PPG	RPG	Other
14	Tre Demps	G	Sr.	6-3	202	13/13	15.2	3.6	4.2 apg
30	Bryant McIntosh	G	So.	6-3	185	13/13	16.2	3.2	6.8 apg
34	Sanjay Lumpkin	G/F	Jr.	6-6	220	13/13	5.8	6.2	56.6 FG Pct.
35	Aaron Falzon	F	Fr.	6-8	213	13/10	8.8	3.2	36.8 3-pt Pct.
1	Joey van Zegeren	C	Sr.	6-10	235	9/1	4.3	4.1	1.6 bpg

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Nebraska – Likely Starters

No	Name	Position	Ht.	Wt.	Yr.	GP/GS	MPG	PPG	RPG	APG
3	Andrew White III	G	6-7	216	Jr.	13/13	27.6	17.1	5.5	0.3
5	Glynn Watson Jr.	G	6-0	165	Fr.	13/1	21.3	7.5	2.2	2.6
12	Michael Jacobson	F	6-8	222	Fr.	13/4	12.1	4.1	3.2	0.4
31	Shavon Shields	G/F	6-7	225	Sr.	13/13	29.7	16.3	5.5	2.9
32	Benny Parker	G	5-9	175	Sr.	13/13	25.3	4.1	2.2	2.2
	Rotation
0	Tai Webster	G	6-4	196	Jr.	13/12	26.9	9.3	3.7	2.0
10	Jack McVeigh	G/F	6-8	210	Fr.	13/0	16.8	5.0	3.1	1.0
11	Bakari Evelyn	G	6-2	178	Fr.	8/0	12.8	4.0	3.2	0.4
23	Nick Fuller	G/F	6-7	204	So.	11/0	8.5	2.6	1.8	0.2
24	Jake Hammond	F	6-10	235	So.	13/8	13.8	3.3	4.1	0.2
30	Ed Morrow Jr.	F	6-7	225	Fr.	13/1	13.6	3.1	3.8	0.2
	Bench
4	Johnny Trueblood	G	6-4	195	Fr.	5/0	3.4	0.8	0.2	0.8
15	Malcolm Laws	G	6-1	190	So.	3/0	3.7	0.3	0.3	0.0
20	Tanner Borchardt	F	6-8	274	Fr.	4/0	4.0	1.0	0.8	0.0

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[HUSKER HOT SAUCE]

I had no idea that NW was 12 - 1... Oh my.... This would be a killer little upset.... Kick that Ass Huskers!!!!!

 

[Nebugeater]

What a terrible start time for a Wed Dec 30 game.

 

[Nebugeater]

I had no idea that NW was 12 - 1... Oh my.... This would be a killer little upset.... Kick that Ass Huskers!!!!!

Is it still an upset of the line has the Husker favored?

 

[NUFootballTim]

Is it still an upset of the line has the Husker favored?

it would be to anyone that has seen NU's last 2 games.

 

[Ellis Boyd Redding]

Texas A&M transfer Elijah Thomas (6'9" 240lbs) will be in Lincoln for this game.

 

[CrnhskrBob]

Thanks. I'll dvr it. Hope it will be worth watching. opcorn:

 

[HuskerInOkieland]

I wonder what the crowd will be like given the start time and no classes in session.

 

[HuskerInOkieland]

Waiting for Houston-USF game to conclude on ESPNU.

1:38 to go.

 

[HuskerInOkieland]

Starters: Shields, Jacobson, White, Parker, and Watson

 

[HuskerInOkieland]

It would be nice to start off the Big Ten season with a win for a change.

 

[HuskerInOkieland]

Parker nails a trey.

3-0 NU

 

[HuskerInOkieland]

Big crowd. Nice.

 

[Ackos]

Must win game.