Game Day Essentials: Game #1 vs UT Rio Grande Valley

UTRGV

Head Coach: Kahil Fennell (1st year)
Location: Edinburg, Texas
Conference: Southland
Nickname: Vaqueros
Last time out: Last year went 6-25 
Shirt not to wear: Orange, Gray

Opening Line: Nebraska by 23.5

Nota bene:  

• The Huskers previously played this school back in 2009 though at the time they were known as the University of Texas-Pan American Broncos. The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) was created when the state of Texas merged UTRGV and University of Texas at Brownsville/Texas Southmost College in 2012. 
• First year coach Kahil Fennell comes to the Vaqueros from BYU where he was an assistant under Mark Pope for the last two seasons. Fennell has emphasized shooting in his initial season.
• Also new this season is UTRGV moving from the WAC conference to the Southland. One motivation for the move is tied to an old-fashioned notion that conference schools be geographically close. Winning basketball games could be a side-effect for the Vaqueros as while the Southland features some heavy hitters, overall it's less competitive than the WAC.
• Thought it was interesting enough to note that UTRGV was starting up their football program this season after it had been dormant since 1950. What's your excuse again Creighton?
• Edinburg is also home to a G-League team, the UTRGV Vipers. The Houston Rocket's G-League affiliate currently has 3 formers Huskers on the roster: Jack McVeigh, Teddy Allen, Kevin Cross

Player to watch: Hasan Abdul-Hakim

The 6'8" Canadian is a three level scorer and much like Dalano Banton he's a gifted passer. Draws a lot of contact taking it to the rim. One of three returning players from last year's squad.

Player to watch: Cliff Davis

UTRGV was able to flip one of the best shooters in their new conference from Northwestern St. The 6'2" SG shot 37.6% from 3 last year on 221 attempts! (Keisei took 202 3s last season). Davis had a very high usage rate at NW St. though we'll see if that carries over to his new team.

Others to watch

• Dekedran "DK" Thorn - 6th year senior, spent the previous 5 years at Alcorn St. The undersized 6'4" 'glue guy' forward shot 35.2% from 3 last year
• KT Raimey- The 6'3" Raimey is a well travelled KC native who most recently played for DePaul. The 5th year senior went 41-113 from 3 last season (36.3%)
• Tommy Gankhuyag- 6'8" Mongolian forward who averaged 11.5 ppg and shot 37.5% from 3 in D-II. Clocking in at 260#, 'Mongolian Tommy' will be a sight to see. Currently listed at UTRGV's starting center.
• Marshall Destremau - 6'9" 234# Australian post is capable of shooting from outside, one of the few posts on the roster. 
• Trey Miller - Traditional PG who didn't play much as Southern Illinois last season but started every game for conference rival Incarnate Word the prior season
• Mustafo Vanjov - Not sure the 7ft Juco product from Tajikistan will play much but he's basically the only other post player on the roster

Roster/infirmary report

Questionable

1    Guard    Sam Hoiberg     6-0    185 lbs    Junior (ANKLE)

23    Forward    Andrew Morgan     6-10    242 lbs    Senior (Concussion)

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

0    Guard    Connor Essegian     6-4    190 lbs    Junior

34    Center    Braxton Meah     7-1    264 lbs    Senior

Bench

2    Guard    Ahron Ulis     6-3    190 lbs    Senior
5    Forward    Braden Frager     6-7    220 lbs    Freshman
8    Guard    Jeffrey Grace III     6-3    200 lbs    Junior
9    Forward    Berke Büyüktuncel     6-10    244 lbs    Sophomore
12    Guard    Gavin Griffiths     6-7    193 lbs    Sophomore
20    Forward    Justin Bolis     6-8    225 lbs    Sophomore
25    Guard    Nick Janowski     6-4    208 lbs    Freshman
31    Guard    Cale Jacobsen     6-4    195 lbs    Sophomore
35    Forward    Henry Burt     6-7    222 lbs    Sophomore

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

Hoiberg presser

The Skinny: 

Nebraska spent the last three seasons running an unorthodox offense where they ran a lot of action through the post in part because they had post players that excelled at passing and in part because they didn't have true point guards. I think it's really as simple as Nebraska is just going to play a more traditional style of Fred Hoiberg basketball so I'm thinking of his first year with Cam Mack except almost everyone on the roster is better.  The Huskers broke school 3pt shooting volume records last season in part because everyone on the court took 3s.  This season I doubt either Rollie Worster or Ahron Ulis at the point will combine to shoot as many 3s as Rienk Mast did at center last season (122).  While the team will continue to shoot 3s, look for more pace this season and look for more post passes as Nebraska is equipped to do both.

Defensively the problem with having a force like Braxton Meah is that you only have 1 Braxton Meah.  How much do you change your defense with him on and off the court?  Tonight is a great example and a good time to talk about UTRGV.  They are a team comprised of guys who take 3s.  With Meah instead of running Nebraska's quasi-zone where they chase 3pt shooters you could conceivably run drop screen coverage with Meah.  Can you do that with Morgan? With Berke?  How does Meah look chasing around on the perimeter if he's not sitting in the paint?

Tonight should be an easy win for the Huskers but given that UTRGV is going to launch a ton of 3s (and Nebraska will conceivably let them), there is always a chance a ton of them will go in.  Expect Nebraska to win in a convincing manner though and hopefully the contest will not be in doubt.  

As far as the final score goes, is this UTRVG planning to grind out the shot clock or run and gun? 

Prediction: Nebraska 93 - UTRVG 64