Essentials: Game #1 vs FGCU

[hhcmatt]

Nebraska Cornhuskers vs Florida Gulf Coast Eagles

Location: Pinnacle Bank Arena - Lincoln, NE
Time: 8:00 p.m CT






TV: Big Ten Network (Tom Hamilton, Jim Jackson)
Radio: Across the state on the IMG Husker Sports Radio Network, including KLIN (1400 AM/94.5 FM) in Lincoln, KFAB (1110 AM) in Omaha and KRVN (880 AM) in Lexington.
Play-by-play: Kent Pavelka; Color: Matt Davison
Line: Nebraska by 1

 

FGCU Info


Head Coach: Joe Dooley
Conference: Atlantic Sun
Roster | Schedule
Mascot: Eagle
Born on Date: 1991
Players on the Husker Roster older than FGCU: Ray Gallegos
What not to wear: Blue shirts, anything Aqua, that dumb Philadelphia Eagles jacket you own

Promotions
List at Huskers.com

Parking
There will be frustration.
Here is a rough guide

The Skinny

FGCU was the NCAA Cinderella darling last year that brings back four starters and a new coach in former Kansas Assistant Joe Dooley.

The key to them winning last year was taking high percentage shots inside the arc, which includes the dunks that gave them the name "Dunk City". Weaknesses included turning over the ball quite a bit and shooting free throws at a 66% clip.

Both teams will be a little short handed with FGCU suiting up 7 scholarship players and Nebraska 9. If they are handing out fouls like predicted, this could benefit the Huskers.

The Huskers look a lot more athletic than last year though without Brandon Ubel in the middle there were way too many Kearney Lopers taking it to the hoop at will during the exhibition game. Expect inside defense to be a problem all year though FGCU has more quickness than bulk on the inside which should help.

With the new Husker players and the new FGCU system expect several dunks due to turnovers from sloppy play and hesitation. That's the key to this game...easy points off of turnovers.

Prediction: Nebraska 69 - FGCU 63 with a 87% chance of Runzas

Click here to view the article

[throwback]

Thanks for the write-up - something interesting, at least to me:

 

NU only has one player still on the roster who played in the 51-50 win against FGCU at the Devaney Center from just 2 years ago - Rivers, who played 6 minutes and had zero stats. Gallegos was redshirting 2 years ago.

 

And both teams have new coaching staffs. It always amazes me how quickly rosters turn over in college basketball.

 

http://espn.go.com/ncb/boxscore?gameId=313410158

[Silverbacked1]

Hope it is like the women.

[atskooc]

It's good to see an essentials thread again!