Game Day Essentials: Game #10 vs Murray State

[hhcmatt]

Nebraska Cornhuskers (7-2) vs Murray State Racers (6-4)

** 2024 Diamond Head Classic **

 

Date: Sunday Dec. 22nd, 2024

Time: 8:00 pm CST
Arena: SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center, Honolulu, Hawaii

Broadcast:  ESPN

Murray State Info

Head Coach: Steve Prohm (3rd year/7th overall)
Location: Murray, Kentucky
Conference: Missouri Valley Conference
Nickname: Racers

Mascot: Racer One (Live Horse), Dunker (Costume)

Line: Nebraska by 9.5

Rotation Depth: 8
Last time out: Lost to Indiana St

Nota bene:  

• Nebraska is 0-2 all-time vs Murray St. Nebraska lost in the 1990 San Juan Shootout Championship game 81-79. They also dropped a home game 79-71 on Dec 30, 2000 during Barry Collier's first season
• This is Steve Prohm's second stint at Murray St. as he was the coach for the Racers from 2006-2011. From 2011-15 he was the coach at Iowa St, taking over after Fred Hoiberg left for the Bulls.  Thus this season Hoiberg will coach against the coach that preceded him (Greg McDermott) and proceeded him at Iowa St.
• Murray St is currently ranked #9 in 3 point attempt % allowed and #1 in Assist per FGM %.  This is the analytical way of saying their running teams of the 3pt line.  This is a complete flip of defensively philosophy/numbers from Prohm's first 2 seasons back at Murray St.
• Murray St. ranks 346th in KenPom's bench minutes stat as four of their starters average over 27 minutes per game
• This marks the Huskers’ seventh trip to the islands for a tournament and the first since the 2014 Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic
• Fred Hoiberg led Iowa St to the championship of the 2013 Diamond Head Classic.  There is an infamous report that Iowa St made the team sleep in a ballroom before their flight home to save money.

Player to watch: Jacobi Wood

Everything starts with the 6'2" 5th year PG who at 36 mpg, rarely leaves the court.  Wood leads the team in scoring and assists while currently shooting 38% from 3.

 

 

Murray St Roster

Player	#	Class	Pos	Height	Weight	Summary
JaCobi Wood	24	SR	G	6-2	180	15.0 Pts 4.2 Reb 5.4 Ast
AJ Ferguson	7	SR	G	6-6	185	12.3 Pts 6.0 Reb 1.4 Ast
Terence Harcum	9	SR	G	6-3	190	12.0 Pts 2.0 Reb 1.5 Ast
Kylen Milton	0	SR	G	6-4	190	11.2 Pts 4.1 Reb 1.6 Ast
Nick Ellington	23	SR	F	6-8	220	9.7 Pts 4.5 Reb 0.6 Ast
KyeRon Lindsay	2	JR	F	6-7	215	8.3 Pts 5.3 Reb 0.9 Ast
Alden Applewhite	13	JR	F	6-7	200	6.5 Pts 4.4 Reb 1.6 Ast
Justin Morgan	11	JR	G	6-6	215	2.3 Pts 1.6 Reb 0.4 Ast

Nick Ellington and KyeRon Lindsay rotate at the 5 where neither of them are threats from 3. Ellington is a better scorer, more experienced at Murray St., and gets to the FT line a ton. Lindsay is a bouncy former 4 star. Along with Wood, Terrance Harcum is the main 3pt shooting threat on the team. AJ Ferguson doesn't shoot a ton but he's ultra-efficient with a 65.3 eFG% along with impressive ability to draw contact. Arkansas Pine-Bluff Kylen Milton isn't a great shooter but is yet another guy who draws contact.

UNL Game Notes

 

Roster/infirmary report

 

 

Possible starters for Nebraska

3    Guard    Brice Williams     6-7    214 lbs    Senior

4    Forward    Juwan Gary     6-6    226 lbs    Senior

24    Guard    Rollie Worster     6-5    210 lbs    Senior

34    Center    Braxton Meah     7-1    264 lbs    Senior

9    Forward    Berke Büyüktuncel     6-10    244 lbs    Sophomore

 

Bench

0    Guard    Connor Essegian     6-4    190 lbs    Junior

1    Guard    Sam Hoiberg     6-0    185 lbs    Junior

23    Forward    Andrew Morgan     6-10    242 lbs    Senior 

2    Guard    Ahron Ulis     6-3    190 lbs    Senior

31    Guard    Cale Jacobsen     6-4    195 lbs    Sophomore

12    Guard    Gavin Griffiths     6-7    193 lbs    Sophomore

5    Forward    Braden Frager     6-7    220 lbs    Freshman
8    Guard    Jeffrey Grace III     6-3    200 lbs    Junior
20    Forward    Justin Bolis     6-8    225 lbs    Sophomore
25    Guard    Nick Janowski     6-4    208 lbs    Freshman

35    Forward    Henry Burt     6-7    222 lbs    Sophomore

 

Out for year
51    Forward    Rienk Mast     6-10    260 lbs    Senior

 

Tourney Schedule

Diamond Head Classic Schedule
Dec. 22	Oregon St. vs. Col. of Charleston	2 p.m.
	Loyola Chicago vs. Oakland	4 p.m.
	Nebraska vs. Murray State	8 p.m.
	Charlotte vs. Hawai'i	10:30 p.m.
Dec. 23	Consolation #1	4:30 p.m.
	Semifinal #1	7:00 p.m.
	Semifinal #2	9:30 p.m.
	Consolation #2	11:30 p.m.
Dec. 25	Seventh Place Game	12:30 p.m./2:30 p.m.
	Fifth Place Game	12:30 p.m./2:30 p.m.
	Third Place Game	5:30 p.m.
	Championship Game	7:30 p.m.

 

 

 

The Skinny: 

Nebraska finds themselves as arguably the favorite to win the Diamond Head Classic.  This first game against Murray St is absolutely critical considering that a loss hurts your tourney resume on a couple of different levels as losing likely lines you up with lesser opponents.

 

The Racers are one of the best at taking away the 3pt shot so look for Nebraska to be content with spending the entire day trying to drive into the paint. Between drawing fouls and scoring easily over the undersized Murray St post players, it would be surprising to see Nebraska take over 20 3pt attempts today.

 

On the defensive end it's all about being able to guard without fouling as this will turn the Racers into a desperate 3pt shooting team.  While they're a very good 3pt shooting team, it's not their focal point.

 

Expect Nebraska to control this game and hopefully to win without a struggle

 

Prediction: Nebraska 82 - Murray St 71

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[Vinny]

Revised my made threes downward after the read. 

[hskr4life]

Is Berke still on a minutes restriction as mentioned in the paragraph after the schedule or was that for last game?

[hhcmatt]

  On 12/22/2024 at 8:57 PM, hskr4life said:

Is Berke still on a minutes restriction as mentioned in the paragraph after the schedule or was that for last game?

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I forgot to erase that from last time. I'd expect him to be fully healthy

[Handy Johnson]

Morgan is gonna Bring his Lunch Pail today! 

 

[hhcmatt]

Aaron Ulis out for this game

[hskr4life]

  On 12/23/2024 at 12:16 AM, hhcmatt said:

Aaron Ulis out for this game

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Edit your 3 point makes in your predictions as needed.

[BugeaterZ]

  On 12/23/2024 at 1:00 AM, hskr4life said:

Edit your 3 point makes in your predictions as needed.

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Thanks, I was counting on a half court buzzer beater and now that's out the window

[hskr4life]

  On 12/22/2024 at 9:02 PM, hhcmatt said:

 

I forgot to erase that from last time. I'd expect him to be fully healthy

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Hopefully you can recover this paragraph from your trash. Might need it again.

[hhcmatt]

  On 12/23/2024 at 1:00 AM, hskr4life said:

Edit your 3 point makes in your predictions as needed.

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  On 12/22/2024 at 7:59 PM, hhcmatt said:

it would be surprising to see Nebraska take over 20 3pt attempts today.

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They took 17. I expected them to make 7 per the contest. They ended up with 6.  I never get these correct.