Game Day Essentials: Game #29 vs Northwestern

[hhcmatt]

Nebraska Cornhuskers (7-21) vs Northwestern Wildcats (6-21)

 

Date: Saturday March 1st, 2020
Time: 3:15 p.m. 
Arena: Pinnacle Bank Arena (15,000, 29th largest in D-I)

Broadcast:  BTN

 Nothwestern Info

Head Coach: Chris Collins
Location: Evansville, IL
Conference: B1G
Nickname: Wildcats

Mascot: Willie the Wildcat
Typical Rotation Depth: 7-8
Line: Northwestern by 5.5

KenPom rank: 100

Offensive Style: Passing into the paint

Defensive Style: Zone/non-aggressive

Key Injuries: 

• SG Anthony Gaines - Out for season with shoulder injury

 

Players to watch:  Pat Spencer

If you don't know who Pat Spencer is you'd probably be a great candidate for jury duty.  Spencer is a graduate transfer from Loyola where he was one of the best lacrosse players in Div-1, winning the Tewaaraton Award last year. Instead of moving on to a professional lacrosse career, Spencer decided he wanted to play college ball and chose Northwestern. While he struggles with his outside shot, he's an excellent FT shooter and leads the team in assists.

 

Players to watch:   Boo Buie

The freshman PG is aggressive scorer who currently isn't shooting well and the Huskers should take their chances on Buie beating them.

 

Roster points

PG SG SF PF C Pct 1 0 Boo Buie 6-2  180  Fr 12 Pat Spencer 6-3  205  Sr 10 Miller Kopp 6-7  210  So 31 Robbie Beran 6-9  205  Fr 15 Ryan Young 6-10  235  Fr 26.0

 

Yet another shorthanded team. The Purple came in with just 10 scholarship players and are down to 8. They're also young, starting 2 sophomores and 2 freshmen

• Miller Kopp leads the team in 3pt shooting
• Forward Pete Nance comes from a NBA family where his father played for 13 seasons and his brother is currently playing. Nance is a 3 and D guy except he can't hit 3s.
• Robbie Beran is the highest rated recruit in NU history and has established himself in the starting lineup.
• Young leads the team in rebounding and shoots at a high percentage in the paint when he gets the ball.
• 6'7" Boston College grad transfer F AJ Turner can play point and did so at BC. Has found his 3pt stroke in conference play
• 6'10" freshman center Jared Jones is just depth
• Soph G Ryan Greer is guard depth with limited offensive game

 

The Skinny:

Here we are at the last home game for Nebraska and probably the best chance for either team to break their double digit losing streaks. Northwestern is going to attempt to make Nebraska beat them from 3 and Nebraska most likely will return the favor. As much as it felt like NW torched Nebraska back in January it was a manageable 34.5%.

 

Northwestern has some nice pieces but Nebraska should be able to scheme around them.  Look for the Huskers to finally win one though like most everything this year it probably won't be smooth nor easy.

 

Prediction: Nebraska 75 - Northwestern 70

 

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[AuroranHusker]

Chances for RUNZA!  

 

Let's get that big win, Big Red, in the battle of NU vs NU.

 

By the way, check the date of game, @hhcmatt

[jimmykc]

What is the over/under on whether the announcers mention "Lacrosse" during the first five minutes of the game?

[Handy Johnson]

Ok, is their mascot really “Willy the Wildcat”? I thought Kansas St had dibs on that. Some of you other OK Boomers will remember that K-State’s Willy could dunk a Basketball in full costume regalia...!

 

[The Polish Rifle]

Nebraska Basketball + Nebraska Baseball = Current 20 game losing streak combined. Please lord let something good happen, I forgot what winning feels like. 

[jimmykc]

I believe Willy is also Wayne State's mascot. He seems to get around.

[hhcmatt]

2 hours ago, Handy Johnson said:

Ok, is their mascot really “Willy the Wildcat”? I thought Kansas St had dibs on that. Some of you other OK Boomers will remember that K-State’s Willy could dunk a Basketball in full costume regalia...!

 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willie_the_Wildcat_(Northwestern)

[hhcmatt]

11 hours ago, AuroranHusker said:

Chances for RUNZA!  

 

Let's get that big win, Big Red, in the battle of NU vs NU.

 

By the way, check the date of game, @hhcmatt

 

I'd put us at about a 45% chance.

[AuroranHusker]

1 hour ago, hhcmatt said:

 

I'd put us at about a 45% chance.

 

I'll take whatever odds for "75," as long as it is a Husker win.