Game Day Essentials: Game #4 vs Dayton

Scoochie is the PG while Cooke is essentially a small SF with smallish guard Kyle Davis as part of the rotation. Both guys shoot north of 38% from long range and will regularly make contact. Our guards will have our hands full with their quickness though Miles could throw some length at this problem.

The Skinny: How was the turkey? Had enough pumpkin pie?  Now that we've gone through the pleasantries of the first 3 games things are about to get real as after this tourney we travel to Clemson, get local legend Craig Smith, tangle with the Roast Beef Sandwiches and finish it up with a Road trip to Lawrence.  Ready for all that? We don't need to be, let's take this one step at a time.

Lots of people thought Archie Miller was gone last year but why leave when you return the majority of your roster from last year's 7 seed. Expect a slow paced, low scoring game as both team will sell out to stop transition baskets.  In some regards, Nebraska's patient offense will be well suited to handle a Flyer defense designed to patiently wait for you to make a mistake. Dayton doesn't have a ton of size so Nebraska will be able to fearlessly attack when they find a lane and grab second chance points on occasion.

With the exception of a redshirting Gill it should have been easy to see this starting rotation coming: Miles is starting and playing the experienced guys. Taylor is showing his value as a glue guy, Roby is bringing length and athleticism, and Horne brings an swaggy offensive spark that will continue to earn him minutes.  Jordy looks to play minimal minutes once again vs a team with no true post players and Gill remains in wait and see mode.  At some point Anton is going to drop 20+ in a game. Is it going to be in the next month?  Besides the lineup the Huskers can exploit the lack of size on the boards and the relatively poor FT shooting of the Flyers if they find themselves in trouble.

The key to this game will be how Nebraska handles the 3pt attack of the Flyers since historically these teams give them pick and last year you just chalk up a 10+ point loss.  Maybe it's just simply having a couple of guys like Morrow or Jacobson who can guard a post player or some exotic zone or something in between.  How we defend in this game, regardless of win or loss, is going to tell you a lot about our chances this season.

This team can beat Dayton and the uninspired crowds of the PBA have prepared them for the dead arena that awaits on Thanksgiving day. Are they up to the challenge?  

Prediction: Dayton 72 - Nebraska 64