Game Day Essentials: Game #5 vs Southern

Southern

Head Coach: Sean Woods
Location: Baton Rouge, LA
Conference: SWAC
Nickname: Jaguars

Last time out: Lost to South Dakota 
Shirt not to wear: Yellow, Leopard 

Opening Line: Nebraska by 17

Other:  

• The last time these teams played was in the first year of the Fred Hoiberg era. It took OT and a career high 22 points from Jervay Green to pull out the win
• No one is still on the roster for Nebraska from that game 2 years ago.
• Southern, Tennessee St, and South Dakota all play each other this year

Player to watch: Jayden Sadler

Everything begins with the Jaguar senior PG who has been a 4 year starter for coach Sean Wood. Sadler leads the team in scoring and assists while rarely attempting more than a single 3pt attempt a game.

Player to watch: Damien Sears

This doesn't have much in the height or size department.  Lyons is one of the few players on the entire roster who approximates a center.  The stocky Sears leads the team in offensive rebounds and is the one guy Nebraska needs to body up when a shot goes up.

Probable SU Starters

5 Jayden Saddler G 6-1 195 Sr. Aberdeen, MD

3 P.J. Byrd G 6-1 175 Jr. Houston, TX

0 Terrell Williams F 6-6 200 R-So. Arlington, TX

12 Damien Sears F/C 6-7 245 R-Sr. Haughton, LA

35 Tyrone Lyons G/F 6-7 190 R-Jr. North Amityville, N.Y.

Probable Rotation

30 Brendon Brooks G 5-10 165 R-Sr. Dallas, TX

4 Isaiah Rollins G 6-3 185 Sr. Opelousas, LA

2 J’Quan Ewing F 6-9 195 R-Fr. Clarksville, TN

22 Brion Whitley G 6-4 200 R-Jr. Sarasota, FL

Bench

1 Ahsante Shivers G 6-4 205 R-Sr. Seat Pleasant, MD
10 Delor Johnson G/F 6-3 195 Jr. Houston, TX
11 DeSean Woods G 6-0 165 So. Lexington, KY
13 Dre’Shawn Allen G 6-1 170 Jr. Auburn Hills, Mich.
14 Jason Holliday G 6-5 205 R-Sr. Baton Rouge, LA
20 Gavin Harris G 6-2 155 Fr. Gonzales, LA
23 Kirk Parker C 6-7 245 R-Sr. Vicksburg, MS
25 Da’Tayvious Gabriel G 6-4 160 Fr. St. Martinville, LA
33 Gavin Flowers F 6-7 200 Fr. East Orange, New Jersey

The Rest of the Roster

Quickly

• Colorado St transfer Byrd functions as the PG when Saddler isn't on the floor
• Williams is a glue guy
• NC A&T transfer Lyons is active including offering rim protection, hitting a few 3s, and drawing contact
• Ewing is tall on a team that doesn't have tall players
• Whitley has taken the most 3s on the team but doesn't have a track record of making them. He's a black hole on offense.
• Rollins and Brooks are guard depth

Probable starters for Nebraska
1  Alonzo  Verge    G    6-3
5  Bryce  McGowens    G    6-7

23   Keon Edwards    G    6-7

11  Lat Mayen    F    6-9

13  Derrick Walker    F    6-9

Bench

32  Wilhelm Breidenbach    F    6-10

30  Keisei Tominaga    G    6-2

0    C.J.  Wilcher    G    6-5

35    Eduardo Andre    F    6-11

10  Kobe Webster    G    6-0

14  Trevor Lakes    F    6-8
3   Quaran McPherson    G    6-3

33    Oleg Kojenets    F    7-0
4    Jackson Cronin    G    6-1

12    Sam Hoiberg    G    6-0
15    Chris McGraw    G    6-0
21    Jace Piatkowski    G    6-3
 

The Skinny: 

Sean Woods brings in a deep but undersized roster who gets after you defensively, hoping to turn turnovers into offense.  Offensively, they'll look to run into the paint but expect them to fire up more 3pt shots than usual as Nebraska packs the paint.

Nebraska will come into this with a great chance to win the rebounding game and score some easy points off of Southern fouls or turnovers.  While it's possible Nebraska can put this team away early with some 3s, it's likely this will be a game of runs where Nebraska will need to keep coming as Southern won't be intimated and they won't quit.

Prediction: Nebraska 84 - Southern 72