Essentials: Game #4 vs UMass

UMass Info

Head Coach: Derek Kellogg

Conference: Atlantic-10

Roster | Schedule

Mascot: Minutemen

Last time out: Beat Youngstown St

Familiar Face: Chris Harriman was an assistant at A-10 opponent St Louis from 2008-12

Typical Rotation Depth: 7-8 deep

UMass Starting Lineup

3 Chaz Williams 5-9 175 Sr

25 Cady Lalanne 6-10 250 Jr

34 Raphiael Putney 6-9 185 Sr

22 Sampson Carter 6-8 220 Sr

2 Derrick Gordon 6-3 200 So

Players to watch: Chaz Williams and Cady Lalanne

5'9" PG Chaz Williams leads the team in scoring and assists for the 3rd year in a row and has done so this season despite a few slow first halves. Williams is simply too good to shut down so it's a matter of rotating defenders throughout the game and attempting to keep him out of the paint. Leading rebounder and 2nd leading scorer is the beast in the paint that Nebraska might have trouble defending the entire season. Can the Huskers keep him off of the offensive boards? How will they stop him without Leslie Smith in the game?

The Skinny

This young Husker team will get better as the year goes on but this tournament will give us a true measurement of how much improvement will be needed to compete in the Big 10. UMass returns its most important pieces from last year's NIT team and has legitimate aspirations for a NCAA bid this year. The Minutemen's athletic roster will easily be the best Nebraska has seen in this young season.

Dictating Tempo will be the key to this game. A faster game favors the run and gun Minutemen but Nebraska typically has the discipline to slow a game down. The small crowd and early start should help their cause. UMass has a big edge in rebounding whereas the Huskers have been winning the turnover battle. Expect the Huskers to stay in the paint on defense and maybe run a little zone as UMass resorting to 3s is a best case scenario.

We have a lot of questions about the Huskers at this point. How will the Huskers handle the big runs UMass is capable of? How will they handle it if they find themselves down? Who is going to be on the court at the end of a close game? In some regards, it actually makes the Huskers harder opponent as UMass probably doesn't have this figured out either.

About the only outcome that would be shocking would be the Huskers blowing out a high power veteran team like this. As long as Nebraska remains in this game, win or lose, you should keep that warm and fuzzy feeling you have so far.

Prediction: Nebraska 72 - UMass 68