Game Day Essentials: Game #2 vs Florida A&M

Florida A&M

Head Coach: Robert McCullum (7th year)
Location: Tallahassee, Florida
Conference: SWAC
Nickname: Rattlers
Mascot:     Venom the Rattlesnake
Last time out: Lost to Creighton 105-54
Shirts/shoes not to wear: Green, Orange, Rattlesnake Boots

Opening Line: Nebraska by 25.5

Nota bene:  

• Nebraska is 2-0 all time vs the Rattlers, having faced them in 1993 and 2009.  The teams were supposed to play Dec 6, 2020 but the game was cancelled due to Covid-19.
• Famous alumni include Andre Dawson and Bob Hayes
• After playing two Nebraska teams, FAMU will play Iowa and Iowa St in mid-December

Player to watch: K'Jei Parker

On a team that is mostly Juniors and Seniors, true freshman Parker played a team high 37 minutes, scoring 12 points on 16 shots, including 14 mid-range jumpers!  Parker is supposed to be splitting time with all-name teammate Love Bettis, but Bettis didn't play in the first game.

Player to watch: Keith Lamar

6'6" Stenson transfer led the team with 16 points as one of the few Rattlers that could get to the rim and finish.

Others to watch

• Shanon Grant  - The 6'10" 285 transfer center from Mercer will give the Nebraska frontcourt literally and metaphorically a bigger test than anything that Lindenwood had to offer though 0! rebounds in 20 minutes of play
• Roderick Coffee - Odds on favorite for a student led "WE WANT COFFEE" chant at the end of this one. Chase Barrs and Ja'Derryus Eatmon also in the conversation

Roster/infirmary report

CONFIRMED OUT

5   Ahron Ulis     6-3    190 lbs    Junior - Waiting to hear from NCAA re gambling
15  Blaise Keita     6-11    257 lbs    Junior - Ongoing ankle injury recovery
4   Juwan Gary     6-6    221 lbs    Junior - Violation of team rules

GAME TIME DECISION 

30   Keisei Tominaga           6-2    179 lbs    Senior

Possible starters for Nebraska

10    Jamarques Lawrence  6-3    183 lbs    Sophomore
0    C.J. Wilcher                  6-5    214 lbs    Junior
3     Brice Williams               6-7    213 lbs    Junior
53   Josiah Allick                 6-8    231 lbs    Senior
51    Rienk Mast                 6-10    248 lbs    Junior

Bench

9    Jarron Coleman            6-5    213 lbs    Senior
1    Sam Hoiberg                 6-0    183 lbs    Sophomore
11    Eli Rice                         6-8    213 lbs    Freshman
21    Matar Diop                 6-10    213 lbs    Freshman
2    Ramel Lloyd Jr.             6-6    210 lbs    RS Freshan
31    Cale Jacobsen            6-4    200 lbs    RS Freshan
35    Henry Burt                  6-7    216 lbs    RS Freshan
24    Jeffrey Grace III         6-3    197 lbs    Sophomore 

Hoiberg / Wilcher Presser

The Skinny: 

The first 4 years of Nebraska under Fred Hoiberg involved a lot of struggling to defeat "buy game teams" so it was nice to open year 5 by controlling a game start to finish.  The Huskers look to build on that start against a Florida A&M team that looked every bit like a team picked to finish 11th in the SWAC on Tuesday.  The Rattlers have assembled a team with length at most positions that might give the Nebraska offense more of a challenge than Lindenwood but will likely struggle to score in this one.  Nebraska will win, it's just a matter of by how much.

It remains to be seen how aggressively Nebraska will pursue the 3pt shot this season. They took a ton of them vs Lindenwood but that's a squad that tends to pack the paint. The Rattlers historically try to run you off the 3pt line but Creighton was easily able to find shots from deep on Tuesday.  Seems like you'll continue to see more 3s from the Huskers simply because that's the type of players they currently roster.  Guys like Derrick Walker, Denim Dawson and even Sam Griesel have been replaced by Reink Mast, Eli Rice, and Brice Williams where outside shooting is a strength.  Heck, they're taking all those 3s and Keisei Tominaga has yet to see the floor.

Here's to hoping for another smooth ride before the competition starts to pick up.

Prediction: Nebraska 87 - Florida A&M 59