Game Day Essentials: Game #3 vs Fairleigh Dickinson

Fairleigh Dickinson

Head Coach: Jack Castleberry (2nd year)
Location: Teaneck, NJ
Conference: Northeast Conference
Nickname: Knights
Last time out: Beat D-III Purchase College
Shirt not to wear: Blue, chain mail

Opening Line: Nebraska by 27

Nota bene:  

• Fairleigh Dickinson is most known as the team that knocked off Zach Eddy and Purdue as the #16 seed in the 2023 NCAA tourney
• After winning vs Purdue during his one season at FDU, Tobin Anderson parlayed that success into the Iona job that had previously been held by Rick Pitino. Anderson's assistant Jack Castleberry was tabbed as the new head coach. 
• FDU, the largest private university in New Jersey, has multiple campuses. As part of this feature, it's one of the few schools that fields a D-1 and D-III team. The Farleigh Dickinson University-Florham team's mascot is the Devils.
• Nebraska is 1-0 all time vs FDU, their first meeting being in 2003-04.  Coincidentally, the only time before this season Nebraska played both FDU and Bethune Cookman was 2003-04.

Player to watch: Terrance Brown

The 6'3" sophomore guard has dominated the shot attempts for the Knights, almost exclusively inside the arc. Brown is a physical, annoying defender with some ball-hawking skills

Player to watch: Dylan Jones

The 6'5" Juco guard is the main source of 3pt offense for FDU and essentially all he does.  Currently shooting 9-18 from deep, Jones will take and make highly contested shots from 3. Jones recently went 4-8 from deep against a Creighton team that is predicated on taking away the 3.

Others to watch

• Bismark Nsiah - D-II transfer forward, 6'8" 220. FDU plays a lot of 5 out and Nsiah is able to pass and make 3s while playing as an undersized center
•  Jo'el Emanuel - Another highly athletic glue guy type player who does most his damage inside the arc.
• Ahmed Barba-Bey - Last season was Nsiah's teammate at D-II Jefferson University. He's a PG splitting time with returner Brayden Reynolds. Barba-Bey has started the first three though Reynolds is arguably better.

Roster/infirmary report

34    Center    Braxton Meah     7-1    264 lbs    Senior (Out)

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

9    Forward    Berke Büyüktuncel     6-10    244 lbs    Sophomore

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
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

Much like us, Fred Hoiberg is trying to figure out if his team is going to figure it out or if he needs to do something different.

The Skinny: 

Nebraska has played what some might consider a couple of clunkers to start the season where games against inferior opponents were not fully decided until late.  The Huskers have been plagued by turnovers and poor 3pt shooting...all of which might be attributed to guy either not knowing or trusting where everyone else on the court.  One of the attributes of a Fred Hoiberg team is that they share the ball.  Thus far their assist number project more heroball than Hoiball.  The defense has been sturdy though so between that and Nebraska's ability to get to the FT line, this team has been able to win despite not playing their best.

Farleigh Dickenson will try to run Nebraska out of their own gym so we'll see who is able to play in control in what should be a high pace, high scoring game. When they do run offense, FDU is remarkably quick in rotation the ball around the perimeter so it's up to Nebraska to find and pop out on the one guy that can beat them from 3. The Knights will take many quick and tough shots...it's just a matter of realizing they all likely won't go in.  If Nebraska can't make shots tonight the offensive boards are wide open against this undersized FDU squad. Any Nebraska post player that can grab a miss should be able to feast on taking out the trash.

Does Nebraska make changes to their playing minutes? Scheme? Or do they just go back out and simply try and execute at a higher level?

Prediction: Nebraska 87 - FDU 66