Game Day Essentials: Game #2 vs Bethune Cookman

Bethune Cookman

Head Coach: Reggie Theus (4th year)
Location: Daytona Beach, Florida
Conference: Southwestern Athletic Conference
Nickname: Wildcats
Last time out: Lost to Texas Tech
Shirt not to wear: Maroon, Gold, Minnesota Gopher hat you found in your glove compartment

Opening Line: Nebraska by 24.5

Nota bene:  

• This is the 2nd time Nebraska will play Bethune Cookman in their history. Their first ever meeting was one for the record books as Nebraska smothered the Wildcats 70-26 on Dec 20, 2003. The 26 points was the least allowed by the Huskers since January 7, 1941 when Nebraska defeated Kansas St 33-22.  Bethune Cookman actually led in the game 6-0.
• This will be a matchup of former NBA coaches and players as Reggie Theus played 14 years in the NBA and was the head coach of the Sacramento Kings for two seasons. Theus and Hoiberg worked together for the Timberwolves organization from 2009-10 when Theus was an assistant and Hoiberg was in the front office
• Reggie Theus has led an eventful life including playing a fictional high school basketball coach in late 90s Saturday morning TV show "Hang Time", playing for Jerry Tarkanian in the late 70s, and being the shooting guard the Bulls traded in 1984 that led to the Bulls selecting shooting guard Michael Jordan in the 1984 draft.  B-C is Theus's third college stop as he coached Cal St Northridge from 2013-18 and New Mexico St from 2005-07.
• Bethune-Cookman was a longtime member of the Mid-East Athletic Conference. They switched to the SWAC at the start of the 2021-22 season.

Player to watch: Brayon Freeman

This is the 4th stop for Freeman who previously played at Coastal Carolina, Rhode Island, and George Washington. The 6'2" CG is the most likely player to take a 3 for a team that typically doesn't take a ton

Player to watch: Reggie Ward

One of two returning players, Ward is an undersized F/C clocking in at 6'6", 230#. He's a highly efficient finisher at the rim and will occasionally pop a 3 if left wide open.

Others to watch

• Antwann Jones - This might be a familiar name to some as Jones played for Creighton during the 2020-21 season after coming from Memphis. Since then he's played at Louisiana and UCF.  When healthy, the oft-injured Jones is a serviceable glue guy. It's unknown whether or not he'll play tonight after leaving the Wildcat's opener at Texas Tech with non-contact right foot/ankle injury 6 minutes into the game.  (After watching back the injury and Jones putting zero weight on the foot afterwards I'd be surprised if he played)
• Gianni Hunt - 6th year PG who spent his first 3 years at Oregon St followed by stops and Sacramento St and Cal St. Northridge. Serviceable 3pt shooter but otherwise not much of a scorer and can be turnover prone.
• Everyone Else - WIth the exception of returner Seneca Willoughby, most everyone else on the team is a collection of guys that have multiple stops at the D-1 level.

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

9    Forward    Berke Büyüktuncel     6-10    244 lbs    Sophomore
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

0    Guard    Connor Essegian     6-4    190 lbs    Junior
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

1    Guard    Sam Hoiberg     6-0    185 lbs    Junior

23    Forward    Andrew Morgan     6-10    242 lbs    Senior 

35    Forward    Henry Burt     6-7    222 lbs    Sophomore

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

Hoiberg presser/ Andrew Morgan 

The Skinny: 

Bethune Cookman is going to give Nebraska a very different look than UTRVG.  Instead of a team out there hunting threes, what you should see tonight is a deep team looking to run and steal their way to a victory.  The Wildcats will attempt to live in transition or else hero ball their way through this game at the PBA.  This is a type of team Nebraska is set up to beat with their base defense.  Speaking of base defense, at this point it feels like Nebraska's length not only allows for closeouts in their scramble 3 defense but also has a chance to be the Hoiberg's best team in terms of defensive rebounding and generating turnovers. We'll need to see how it looks vs better teams but the pieces are there.  Tonight the Wildcats will take and make plenty of tough shots when forced to run offense. As long as the Huskers clean up on the boards they'll be fine.

I don't know that Nebraska will plan to pound the ball inside every game but I expect them to keep at it during this one.  Nebraska has two more games to figure out their rotations but their best lineups are likely to involve Brice Williams, Rollie Worster, and whoever else might have it that night.  Andrew Morgan ended up playing 20 minutes last game despite being out of shape after recovering from his concussion.

I wouldn't expect Nebraska to put away the Wildcats early as Bethune Cookman slugged it out with Texas Tech until the Red Raiders put on a 27-4 run towards the end of the first half and into the second.  At some point B-C will stop making shots and can Nebraska put them away? If they put away the Wildcats, can they keep them there?

Prediction: Nebraska 90 - Bethune Cookman 65