Game Day Essentials: Game #7 vs South Dakota

South Dakota Info

Head Coach: Todd Lee 
Location: Vermillion, SD
Conference: Summit
Nickname: Coyotes

Mascots: Charlie
Rotation Depth: 9

KenPom: 207
Line: Nebraska by 12

Other:  

• Nebraska leads the series 32-6
• Nebraska comes into this game with a 4-0 record vs teams with a quadruped mascot. 0-2 in all other games. 
• This is the 2nd year Nebraska plays South Dakota and the 3rd year in a row we've played a team from "the Dakotas"
• South Dakota has a couple of former Nebraska basketball players on the roster. Johnny Trueblood is a grad assistant and Brady Heiman is a player.  Heiman doesn't appear to be playing at this point
• You could call today's game an unofficial Golden Window Classic championship in honor of last year's thrown together tournament.  Nebraska, South Dakota, Tennessee St, and Southern all play each other this season. South Dakota has also beaten Tennessee St and Southern. Tennessee St hosts Southern on Sunday in the 'consolation game'.

Player to watch: Kruz Perrott-Hunt

South Dakota has their own New Zealand PG these days and Perrott-Hunt is leading the team in assists and scoring. Much like Tai, he functions like a combo guard in Todd Lee's motion offense.

Player to watch: Tasos Kamateros

The European center (Greece) will pick and pop from the 3pt line and can be trouble on the boards.  Has been foul prone his entire career.

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: 

For the second consecutive year Todd Lee and the Coyotes roll into town.  Last year the Coyotes scored 69 points in that game with Stanley Umude putting up 23 and AJ Plitzuweit putting up 24.  Umude transferred to Arkansas for his last year and Plitzuweit is out for the season with injury. There is arguably less firepower available in Vermillion this year though thus far the Coyotes have been manufacturing it at the FT line.  They currently lead DIv I in the KenPom stats of FTA/FGA and % of their total points scored from shooting FTs.  Defensively, the Coyotes aren't great and are routinely roasted from the 3pt line.  That 3pt defense looked pretty good last year in Lincoln though as Nebraska hucked their way to 29% 3pt shooting. Is this the game where the 3 balls start going in for Nebraska?

It's probable that Nebraska will appear to be playing better defense today but it remains to be seen how much of that is Nebraska and how much it will be South Dakota's commitment to driving into the paint; this is a team that likely won't kill you launching uncontested 3s.  Offensively this has the makings of turning into Alonzo Verge dribbling around and taking 15-20 shots. Honestly this isn't a bad way to beat this Coyote team with it's lack of rim protection. If the Huskers make some 3s today though, watch out.

Can Nebraska basketball help salvage the Black Friday of Nebraska football and volleyball?

Prediction: Nebraska 88 - South Dakota - 69