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Nebraska lands former Rutgers transfer Gavin Griffiths from the transfer portal. The 4 star 6'8" sharpshooter was a big commit for the Scarlet Knights but struggled during his freshman year until the end of the season. Despite the size look for Griffiths to slot at either the 2 or 3. Griffiths will have 3 years of eligibility left and is the 3rd known commitment for 2024-25. Nebraska currently has 4 scholarships remaining.

Nebraska’s Fred Hoiberg is the recipient of the 2023-24 Jim Phelan National Coach of the Year award. The award is presented annually to the top head coach in division I college basketball. Hoiberg led the Cornhuskers to their first NCAA tournament appearance since 2014. Nebraska finished with 23 victories - the program’s most since 1991. Nebraska was top-40 nationally in adjusted offensive and defensive efficiency, holding opponents to a top-20 defensive field goal percentage. The Cornhuskers finished third in the Big 10, posting a winning record for only the third time since they joined the league for the 2011-12 season. Hoiberg is the second Husker men’s basketball coach to earn the honor, as Tim Miles was the 2014 Jim Phelan National Coach of the Year. The Jim Phelan Award is named in honor of a legendary bow-tied coach who spent his entire head coaching career at Mount Saint Mary’s University. Phelan graduated from La Salle University in 1951 and played one season in the NBA with the Philadelphia Warriors. After a brief professional career, Phelan went to Mount St. Mary’s as an assistant in 1953. One year later he began his historical career as a head coach. He led the Mountaineers to 16 Division II NCAA tournaments. Five times they advanced to the Final Four and he led them to the DII National Championship in 1962. When he retired in 2003, after coaching for 49 years, he had amassed 830 wins (overall record of 830-524) in all divisions. In those 49 years, 19 of his teams amassed 20 or more wins in a season. In 2008 he was inducted into National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame. The recipient of the annual award is determined by a 10-member voting committee, which consists of current and former head coaches, as well as two senior staff members of collegeinsider.com. Here is Fred finding out about the award from his family

On Thursday, 4/4/24 on ESPN at 8pm, Keisei Tominaga will participate in the 3pt shooting contest along with 7 other D-1 graduates. The next day at 5:30 pm on CBS Sports Network Keisei will be playing for the West All-Stars

Michigan Info Head Coach: Juwan Howard (5th Season) Location: Ann Arbor, MI Conference: B1G Nickname: Wolverines Point Spread: Nebraska by 5.5 Typical Rotation Depth: 8+ KenPom rank: 124 Nota bene: Michigan has beaten Nebraska 16 out of the 18 times they've played since Nebraska joined the B1G Nebraska has never won at the Crisler Center With a win, this Nebraska team would tie for 2nd in all-time season wins at Nebraska It's a matchup of former NBA players who are also coaching their sons. Jace Howard plays for Juwan while Sam Hoiberg plays for Fred. While Juwan wasn't a head coach in the NBA, he was an assistant for the Heat for 6 seasons. Forward Olivier Nkamhoua is out with an injury. Dug McDaniel is off his suspension so he'd be playing regardless of whether this was a home or away game KenPom most used lineups PG SG SF PF C Pct 1 0 Dug McDaniel 5-11 175 So 4 Nimari Burnett 6-4 200 Sr 5 Terrance Williams 6-7 225 Sr 42 Will Tschetter 6-8 245 So 32 Tarris Reed 6-10 265 So 18.7 Player to watch: Dug McDaniels Arguably Michigan's best player, the Wolverines' starting PG didn't play in Lincoln due to suspension. Averages 16.6 ppg, 4.6 apg, and 1.1 spg, which is best on the team. Player to watch: Will Tschetter Super efficient offensive player, is shooting 56% from 3 and 62.2% from 2 for the season. Can be foul and turnover prone at times. Player to watch: Terrance Williams In addition to his defensive prowess, Williams has stepped up his offensive game and is shooting 39.1% from 3. His shot distribution is split between the 2 and 3 so he's an opportunistic scorer Player to watch: Tarris Reed In some ways the starting center for the Wolverines might be the most important player on the court today as he very well might determine if Nebraska will double in the post like they have most of the season or play more straight up like vs Northwestern. Reed finishes at high percentage in the paint and is their one true rim protector. He's not a threat from outside and is a terrible FT shooter. Others to watch Formrer McDonald's All-American Nimari Burnett is an all around efficient player with the caveat that he's a shooting guard who isn't particularly good at shooting. This is his 3rd school after Texas Tech and Alabama. 6'10' 215# backup center and Seton Hall transfer Tray Jackson is traditional center depth for the Wolverines. UNL Game Notes Out indefinitely 5 Ahron Ulis 6-3 190 lbs Junior - Likely out for the season Questionable 15 Blaise Keita 6-11 257 lbs Junior - Ongoing ankle injury recovery 11 Eli Rice 6-8 213 lbs Freshman - Ankle injury Possible starters for Nebraska 10 Jamarques Lawrence 6-3 183 lbs Sophomore 30 Keisei Tominaga 6-2 179 lbs Senior 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 4 Juwan Gary 6-6 221 lbs Junior 0 C.J. Wilcher 6-5 214 lbs Junior 9 Jarron Coleman 6-5 213 lbs Senior 1 Sam Hoiberg 6-0 183 lbs Sophomore 21 Matar Diop 6-10 213 lbs Freshman 35 Henry Burt 6-7 216 lbs RS Freshman 2 Ramel Lloyd Jr. 6-6 210 lbs RS Freshman 31 Cale Jacobsen 6-4 200 lbs RS Freshman 24 Jeffrey Grace III 6-3 197 lbs Sophomore Hoiberg Presser The Skinny: Nebraska and Michigan will be well rested coming into this one as both teams have had the week off. Nebraska comes in needing this one to ensure a first round bye in the B1G tournament. Michigan is playing for pride as they're already locked in as the last seed in the conference. The Wolverines do have the home court advantage though it remains to be seen what sort of crowd shows up in the am for this disappointing Michigan team. Michigan will present a challenge to Nebraska in the sense that by default they are a team that runs you off the 3pt line and if they're not successful they're throw various zones and other junk at you. If Nebraska can come out firing right away, it might be enough to keep Michigan from caring enough to dip into their bag of tricks. While Dug McDaniels has led the Wolverines offensively, it's been through volume scoring in conference play. Expect Nebraska to keep double-teaming the posts and hoping that McDaniels is willing to take shots vs finding open teammates for 3. The science department thinks that Nebraska should have juice in their legs. Will they play like it? Expect that Michigan isn't capable of pulling together 40 minutes like they might against higher pedigree teams or in better timeslots. Prediction: Nebraska 75 - Michigan 67

Ohio State Info Head Coach: Chris Holtmann Interim Head Coach: Jake Diebler Location: Columbus, OH Conference: B1G Nickname: Buckeyes Mascot: Brutus Buckeye Last time out: Beat Michigan St Point Spread: Ohio St by 3.5 Typical Rotation Depth: 10+ KenPom rank: 58 Nota bene: Chris Holtmann has been fired by Ohio St. The Buckeyes are 2-1 under interim head coach Jake Diebler including an impressive win over Purdue Dieber has opened up the rotation. 2024 Bench minutes under Holtmann: 23.2%. Under Diebler: 32.1% Nebraska has won their last 3 games vs Ohio St. Prior to that, Nebraska was 2-16 vs the Buckeyes since joining the B1G. Nebraska is seven 3pt makes away from breaking the school record for made 3s in a season (270) Juwan Gary didn't play in the last game vs Ohio St. KenPom most used lineups PG SG SF PF C Pct 1 2 Bruce Thornton 6-2 215 So 1 Roddy Gayle 6-4 210 So 12 Evan Mahaffey 6-6 200 So 10 Jamison Battle 6-7 220 Sr 34 Felix Okpara 6-11 235 So 12.1 Player to watch: Bruce Thorton The sophomore PG leads the team in scoring, assists and steals and is a 3 level scorer as he is drawing 4.5 fouls per 40 minutes. Thorton has struggled from the field, especially from 3 as he's shooting 31.7% from deep Player to watch: Roddy Gayle The sophomore SG is a lot like Thorton where he's a lot better drawing contact in the lane than he is shooting from the outside. Watch for Gayle to be the player tasked with denying Keisei. Player to watch: Jamison Battle The Minnesota transfer is a well known commodity in the conference and is shooting a white-hot 44% from 3 this season. WIth Thorton, Gayle, and Battle leading the Buckeyes in scoring, we'll see if Nebraska will give Battle more attention on the outside than the other guys. Others to watch Penn St transfer Evan Mahaffey isn't a huge threat to score but he'll kill you on the boards and is a plus defender. The Buck's have a two man center rotation with different skillsets though both are dominant rebounders. Felix Okpara is a rim protector who can run the court. Senior 6'8" 250# Zed Key is more of a bruiser down low on both sides. Dale Bonner, a 6'2" Senior combo guard from Baylor, fills in for both guards but is struggling even more from them to score. 6'6" freshman wing Scotty Middleton is shooting 36.7% from 3. 6'6" Freshman forward Devin Royal had a game vs Michigan St, scoring 14 points in 18 minutes. Freshman PG Taison Chatman might get some run. Heck, walk-on Bowen Hardman, the guy that Holtmann ran out to shoot 3s in Lincoln, could even see playing time in this one. UNL Game Notes Out indefinitely 5 Ahron Ulis 6-3 190 lbs Junior - Likely out for the season Questionable 15 Blaise Keita 6-11 257 lbs Junior - Ongoing ankle injury recovery Possible starters for Nebraska 4 Juwan Gary 6-6 221 lbs Junior 30 Keisei Tominaga 6-2 179 lbs Senior 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 10 Jamarques Lawrence 6-3 183 lbs Sophomore 0 C.J. Wilcher 6-5 214 lbs Junior 1 Sam Hoiberg 6-0 183 lbs Sophomore 9 Jarron Coleman 6-5 213 lbs Senior 11 Eli Rice 6-8 213 lbs Freshman 21 Matar Diop 6-10 213 lbs Freshman 35 Henry Burt 6-7 216 lbs RS Freshman 2 Ramel Lloyd Jr. 6-6 210 lbs RS Freshman 31 Cale Jacobsen 6-4 200 lbs RS Freshman 24 Jeffrey Grace III 6-3 197 lbs Sophomore Hoiberg Presser Shoutout from Fred to the impact Coleman and Ullis have had on the team The Skinny: Nebraska comes into this one as hot as anyone in the county over the last few weeks and defense has been the calling card. The Huskers rank #1 in Bartorvik's adjusted defense since Jan 30th. They'll need that defense on the road against an Ohio St team on a bit of a run after changing coaches. With wins over Purdue and at Michigan State, the Buckeyes represent a Quad 1 win opportunity for the Huskers. Ohio St tends to run people off the 3pt line though Nebraska countered that in Lincoln with Rienk Mast absolutely roasting the Buckeyes, going 6-8 from deep on his way to a career high 34 points. Offensively the Bucks do spread the ball around though they tend to focus inside as outside of Battle and Middleton they're quite bad from outside. If you look at Ohio St's performances throughout the year they've tended to yo-yo, following one bad performance with a a good. They're also a team that might think they're still in post-season contention. Who knows what you'll get tonight from the Buckeyes. Is this Nebraska team locked in? Can they hold a lead in Columbus if they get one? Prediction: Nebraska 75 - Ohio St 71

Minnesota Info Head Coach: Ben Johnson (3rd year) Location: Minneapolis, MN Conference: B1G Nickname: Golden Gophers Mascot: Goldie the Gopher Line: Nebraska by 6.5 Shirt not to wear: Yellow, Gold Typical Rotation Depth: 7+ KenPom rank: 63 Nota bene: The last time Minnesota won in Lincoln was in 2012 during Nebraska's first year in the B1G. Tubby Smith was the coach for the Gophers in a game played at the Bob Devaney Center. In other words, Minnesota has never won at Pinnacle Bank Arena Minnesota is 23-3 against the spread The Gophers and Cornhuskers have faced off 86 times, the most Nebraska has faced a B1G opponent KenPom most used lineups PG SG SF PF C Pct 1 0 Elijah Hawkins 5-11 165 Jr 2 Mike Mitchell 6-2 185 Jr 24 Cam Christie 6-6 190 Fr 3 Dawson Garcia 6-11 230 Jr 21 Pharrel Payne 6-9 255 So 28.6 Player to watch: Elijah Hawkins Above are the win/loss splits for Elijah Hawkins which illustrate that the Gophers tend to go as he does. The B1G's leader in assists sets the tone on both ends for the Gophers. Player to watch: Dawson Garcia Garcia currently is leading the Gophers in scoring and rebounds. He also has the ability to pass out of the post. His outside shot hasn't been great this season, just 31.8%. Player to watch: Pharrel Payne The emergence of the sophomore post player has put the shot blocker in the middle and allowed Garcia to shift to the 4. Is an elite finisher and rebounder. Currently shooting FTs at a 40.6% clip, Payne is almost singlehandedly tanking the Gopher team FT%. Player to watch: Cam Christie The younger brother of Max Christie is a star in the making and has been a remarkable jump shooter, hitting 42.1% from 3 this season. Others to watch Mike Mitchell is one of the main 3pt threats on the team. Braeden Carrington has been a disappointment offensively but look for him to be all over Tominaga when he's in the game. Former D-II star Parker Fox has worked himself into the lineup as a reliable glue-guy post player. Wing Joshua Ola-Joseph killed Nebraska the first time they met but hasn't played much in February. F Isaiah Ihnen also rarely is used in Ben Johnson's currently tight rotation. UNL Game Notes Roster/infirmary report Out indefinitely 5 Ahron Ulis 6-3 190 lbs Junior - Likely out for the season 15 Blaise Keita 6-11 257 lbs Junior - Ongoing ankle injury recovery 2 Ramel Lloyd Jr. 6-6 210 lbs RS Freshman Possible starters for Nebraska 30 Keisei Tominaga 6-2 179 lbs Senior 3 Brice Williams 6-7 213 lbs Junior 53 Josiah Allick 6-8 231 lbs Senior 51 Rienk Mast 6-10 248 lbs Junior 4 Juwan Gary 6-6 221 lbs Junior Bench 0 C.J. Wilcher 6-5 214 lbs Junior 1 Sam Hoiberg 6-0 183 lbs Sophomore 10 Jamarques Lawrence 6-3 183 lbs Sophomore 9 Jarron Coleman 6-5 213 lbs Senior 11 Eli Rice 6-8 213 lbs Freshman 21 Matar Diop 6-10 213 lbs Freshman 31 Cale Jacobsen 6-4 200 lbs RS Freshman 35 Henry Burt 6-7 216 lbs RS Freshman 24 Jeffrey Grace III 6-3 197 lbs Sophomore The Skinny: Ben Johnson started the season squarely on the hot seat and was staring down a 17 point deficit and a 0-2 B1G start at home vs Nebraska in December before the Gophers flipped the script. Currently at 17-9, they are a win at Nebraska and Illinois away from being a legit NCAA bubble team. Minnesota will be highly motivated to win at Nebraska today. The Gophers are a bad matchup for the Huskers as much of their offense comes from the 3 while they take away the 3pt line. Guys like Keisei and CJ will find their looks from the perimeter rarely and rushed. The Huskers will need to keep out of foul trouble, crash the boards on defense, and keep out of foul trouble if they want to grab win #20. Nebraska should find some points off of Gopher turnovers and second chance points off of misses. Look for Nebraska to get the benefit of calls at home and to weather at least one Minnesota run. Prediction: Nebraska 79 - Minnesota 72

Illinois Info Head Coach: Brad Underwood (7th season) Location: Champaign, IL Conference: B1G Nickname: Fightin' Illini Mascot: Chief Illiniwek They got rid of Chief Illiniwek in 2007 Typical Rotation Depth: 7+ Point Spread: Illinois by 9.5 Last Time out: Beat Ohio St KenPom rank: 10 Nota bene: Illinois is KenPom's 12th most experienced team in terms of his D-1 Experience metric Illinois is KenPom's 9th tallest team in terms of KenPom's average height metric Fred Hoiberg hasn't beaten Illinois as the coach of Nebraska. The Husker did lose an OT game at home to the Illini in 2021 Illinois has won 7 straight vs the Huskers KenPom most used lineups PG SG SF PF C Pct 1 3 Marcus Domask 6-6 215 Sr 4 Justin Harmon 6-4 180 Sr 0 Terrence Shannon 6-6 225 Sr 13 Quincy Guerrier 6-8 220 Sr 33 Coleman Hawkins 6-10 225 Sr 15.1 2 3 Marcus Domask 6-6 215 Sr 4 Justin Harmon 6-4 180 Sr 0 Terrence Shannon 6-6 225 Sr 10 Luke Goode 6-7 210 Jr 33 Coleman Hawkins 6-10 225 Sr 12.8 Player to watch: Terrance Shannon Shannon is like an elite Terran Petteway where he can get to the rim almost at will and draw a lot of contact on the way. Often a one-man fast break, you'll be better served to turn him into a 3pt shooter where he makes a pedestrian 35% Player to watch: Marcus Domask The 3-time All Valley Southern Illinois transfer guard serves somewhat as a ball handler for this Illinois team. Domask is like a Terrance Shannon lite where he's a lot better at getting to the rim than he is at shooting from outside. Player to watch: Luke Goode He's like the CJ Wilcher of Illinois as when he comes off the bench it's to take and make 3s. The career 40% 3pt shooter isn't quite as aggressive with his shot though some of that is due to needing his teammates to get him the ball. Others to watch Oregon transfer Quincy Guerrier's nose for rebounding and ability to take outside shots have cemented his role as the starting 4 man for the Illini. Between Guerrier and Goode playing the 4, Coleman Hawkins is almost exclusively at the 5 where his 37% 3pt shooting has taken him to the next level. Beefy center Dain Dainja has been relegated to under 10 mpg. Ty Rodgers is the glue guy where he's a high level rebounder but the 6'6' F isn't a threat to take a 3. Utah Valley transfer Justin Harmon is another glue-guy type but is hitting 3s at about a 40% clip. UNL Game Notes Out indefinitely 5 Ahron Ulis 6-3 190 lbs Junior - Likely out for the season Emergency use 15 Blaise Keita 6-11 257 lbs Junior - Ongoing ankle injury recovery Possible starters for Nebraska 10 Jamarques Lawrence 6-3 183 lbs Sophomore 30 Keisei Tominaga 6-2 179 lbs Senior 3 Brice Williams 6-7 213 lbs Junior 4 Juwan Gary 6-6 221 lbs Junior 51 Rienk Mast 6-10 248 lbs Junior Bench 0 C.J. Wilcher 6-5 214 lbs Junior 53 Josiah Allick 6-8 231 lbs Senior 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 35 Henry Burt 6-7 216 lbs RS Freshman 2 Ramel Lloyd Jr. 6-6 210 lbs RS Freshman 31 Cale Jacobsen 6-4 200 lbs RS Freshman 24 Jeffrey Grace III 6-3 197 lbs Sophomore The Skinny: Nebraska will once again try for their first road conference win vs what has always been their least winnable game on the schedule. Not only is Illinois one of the best teams in the country, but their elite ability to take away the 3 and FT line make this a nightmare matchup for a Nebraska team looking to score from deep. Illinois is almost exclusively trying to force you into bad shots so the majority of turnovers by Nebraska will be self-inflicted. The Illini will pound the offensive glass intensely so expect Nebraska to send everyone to the glass today. Extremely doubtful that Nebraska can take the Maryland path to victory as they don't play anything near high-level defense. The Huskers will likely need to outshoot Illinois to win. Additionally, Illinois hasn't played since Tuesday and won't play another game until Saturday; this is a team unlikely to hold anything back after watching Nebraska come back against Wisconsin. Would take one heck of a shooting day from the Huskers. Prediction: Illinois 95 - Nebraska 73

Wisconsin Info Head Coach: Greg Gard Location: Madison, WI Conference: B1G Nickname: Badgers Mascot: Bucky Badger Line: Wisconsin by 1.5 Typical Rotation Depth: 9+ KenPom rank: 11 Nota bene: Wisconsin has returned most of its roster from last season, ranking 9th in KenPom's minute continuity stat Wisconsin beat Nebraska 88-72 at the Kohl Center despite one of their best shooting performances of the season as they couldn't stop the Badgers all day. 5 Badgers scored in double digits with Tyler Wahl leading the way with 17 points. Keisei Tominaga also scored 17 in the loss. KenPom most used lineups PG SG SF PF C Pct 1 23 Chucky Hepburn 6-2 195 Jr 11 Max Klesmit 6-4 200 Jr 2 AJ Storr 6-7 205 So 5 Tyler Wahl 6-9 225 Sr 22 Steven Crowl 7-0 247 Jr 35.0 Player to watch: AJ Storr Wisconsin brought back 9 of their top 10 scorers from last year. AJ Storr is the one transfer they've added and he's turned out to be the leading scorer, especially with his 3pt shot falling during conference play. Player to watch: Steven Crowl Crowl is a problem as he's not only highly accurate inside but is also able to find teammates when double teams occur. In addition to being a great rebounder on both ends, he's hit a ridiculous 11 of his 16 3s this season. About the only thing Crowl doesn't do is block shots. Player to watch: Chucky Hepburn The Omaha native is always someone Nebraska fans watch in this matchup. Hepburn struggled last year having to shoulder a higher scoring load. With Storr in the picture, Hepburn is able to focus on being a distributor on offense and a disrubtor on defense. He's the only Badger starter shooting under 36% from 3 in confrence play. Others to watch Tyler Wahl has recovered from an ankle injury that really hampered his productivity last season. Max Klesmit has been on fire during conference play. Freshman guard John Blackwell has played into the rotation in part because of his 3pt shooting and in part because of Connor Essegian's struggles. However, most will remember Essegian coming off the bench vs. Nebraska and hitting 4 3s in 12 minutes. Carter Gilmore, Nolan Winter, and Markus Ilver are depth at the post. UNL Game Notes Out indefinitely 5 Ahron Ulis 6-3 190 lbs Junior - Likely out for the season 15 Blaise Keita 6-11 257 lbs Junior - Ongoing ankle injury recovery Game Time 4 Juwan Gary 6-6 221 lbs Junior Possible starters for Nebraska 10 Jamarques Lawrence 6-3 183 lbs Sophomore 30 Keisei Tominaga 6-2 179 lbs Senior 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 0 C.J. Wilcher 6-5 214 lbs Junior 9 Jarron Coleman 6-5 213 lbs Senior 1 Sam Hoiberg 6-0 183 lbs Sophomore 35 Henry Burt 6-7 216 lbs RS Freshman 2 Ramel Lloyd Jr. 6-6 210 lbs RS Freshman 11 Eli Rice 6-8 213 lbs Freshman 21 Matar Diop 6-10 213 lbs Freshman 31 Cale Jacobsen 6-4 200 lbs RS Freshman 24 Jeffrey Grace III 6-3 197 lbs Sophomore Hoiberg/Williams One of the rare times you'll see Hoiberg to be almost angry during a pre-game presser. Would also note that Hoiberg didn't mention Brice Williams when listing players about toughness despite the fact that Williams was in the room. The Skinny: Wisconsin has gelled as a team and walks into the PBA with the best record in the conference and a top 10 standing. In a conference where road wins have been rare, the Badgers currently are 3-1 on the road in the B1G. Wisky still has a couple of games against 2nd place Purdue, including one on Sunday, that might decide the conference. Are they looking ahead to that? A lot has been made about the lack of fight Nebraska has shown on the road but hopefully before we get to that they will keep up their play at home. The Badgers aren't going to turn you over nor aggressively hunt offensive rebounds, so Nebraska has a chance to win the possession battle against the best shooting team in the conference. With Wisconsin as the odds on favorite to shoot more FTs in this one, Nebraska will likely need the extra shot attempts to win. Is Juwan Gary back for this one? Look for Nebraska to fight in this one where Wisconsin very well might be looking ahead. Prediction: Nebraska 81 - Wisconsin 77

Northwestern Info Head Coach: Chris Collins Location: Evansville, IL Conference: B1G Nickname: Wildcats Mascot: Willie the Wildcat Last time out: Beat Maryland Point Spread: Nebraska by 1.5 Typical Rotation Depth: 7 KenPom rank: 59 Nota bene: It's alumni weekend and specifically Nebraska is honoring the 1993-94 Big Eight Tournament Champion team including a returning Danny Nee. Nebraska expects around 64 alumni of players and staff to be present dating from Lloyd Castner, a student manager for Jerry Bush from 1954-57, to Derrick Walker, class of 2023 Fred Hoiberg is 0-7 vs Northwestern at Nebraska and the Huskers haven't beaten the Wildcats since 2019 Northwestern ranks 337th in bench minutes as they have 4 starters who average over 30+ minutes per game Nebraska gutted out a 70-66 OT win vs Maryland during last season's alumni weekend game There is supposed to be a football player dunk contest around 12:45 today KenPom most used lineups PG SG SF PF C Pct 1 0 Boo Buie 6-2 180 Sr 3 Ty Berry 6-3 185 Sr 5 Ryan Langborg 6-4 195 Sr 13 Brooks Barnhizer 6-6 215 Jr 34 Matthew Nicholson 7-0 280 Sr 19.9 Player to watch: Boo Buie 5th year starting PG Boo Buie was one of the main catalyst behind Northwestern's surprising run to the NCAA tournament last season and continues to play at a high level, leading the 'Cats in scoring and assists. If Nebraska finds themselves in a close game at the end, NW will be at the advantage simply because they have arguably the best PG in the conference. Player to watch: Ty Berry Northwestern isn't quite the defensive team they rolled out last season with Chase Audige graduating but have increased their offensive output in part due to Berry finding his shooting stroke back. After a 38.3% 3pt success two years ago, Berry struggle last season, shooting 29.1% from 3. This season he's hitting a career high 43.3% from 3 and 52.7% from 2. Player to watch: Brooks Barnhizer Barnhizer is Northwestern's glue guy where his most important contribution is grabbing rebounds for a Northwestern team that is one of the worst in the conference at this statistic. Barnhizer will add some rim protection along with competent shooting ability. Player to watch: Ryan Langborg The Princeton transfer is another high level 3pt shooter for the Wildcats and is currently shooting 37.5% from 3. Others to watch Matthew Nicholson might be the most noticeable player on the court due to his unmissable stature. He's NW's best rim protector and he almost always makes the right plays. For the last few games 6'10" 255# Luke Hunger has been getting the start over Nicholson, presumably because he allows the 'Cats to play 5 out. Both centers tend to be foul prone. 6'7" forward Nick Martinelli averages 20 minutes of the bench where he brings rebounding and inside scoring. UNL Game Notes Roster/infirmary report Will update if needed when the B1G releases their injury Out indefinitely 5 Ahron Ulis 6-3 190 lbs Junior - Likely out for the season 15 Blaise Keita 6-11 257 lbs Junior - Ongoing ankle injury recovery Day to Day 4 Juwan Gary 6-6 221 lbs Junior Possible starters for Nebraska 10 Jamarques Lawrence 6-3 183 lbs Sophomore 30 Keisei Tominaga 6-2 179 lbs Senior 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 0 C.J. Wilcher 6-5 214 lbs Junior 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 35 Henry Burt 6-7 216 lbs RS Freshman 2 Ramel Lloyd Jr. 6-6 210 lbs RS Freshman 31 Cale Jacobsen 6-4 200 lbs RS Freshman 24 Jeffrey Grace III 6-3 197 lbs Sophomore The Skinny: Nebraska comes into this home game after a two game road skid that finds them without the services of Juwan Gary at the moment. While it seemed that Gary might have endured yet another season ending injury in Piscataway, it turns out the diagnosis is a calf strain. While you never want to be without the services of your starting 4 man, this Northwestern team is one of the better conference opponents to face in that scenario. The Wildcats aren't a very good rebounding team, they play at one of the slower paces in the country, and they're unlikely to get the Huskers into a ton of foul trouble. Anything helps as the Huskers try to notch another conference win. As bad as Nebraska's defensive effort has been in conference play, it's Northwestern that ranks last in conference defensive efficiency. When you pair these numbers with how well both teams can shoot, any outcome is on the table today. For Nebraska the big key will be holding on to the ball as the Wildcats are a sneaky ball-hawking squad. This game also represents one of the rare games where a 'referee clown show' would benefit Nebraska as the Huskers have the bench depth advantage. Speaking of depth, how will Eli Rice and/or Matar Diap perform as the two players potentially in the rotation to fill in for Gary? FWIW freshmen tend to play better at home. While you like the chance of winning this game it's worth noting that Nebraska has never defeated a Northwestern team with Boo Buie. Prediction: Nebraska 76 - Northwestern 72

Indiana Info Head Coach: Mike Woodson (3rd year) Location: Bloomington, Indiana Conference: B1G Nickname: Hoosiers Shirt not to wear: Marvin Harrison Sr. Jersey Line: Nebraska by 4.5 Typical Rotation Depth: 9+ KenPom rank: 87 Nota bene: Fred Hoiberg vs Mike Woodson is a matchup of former NBA coaches Indiana Center Payton Sparks was a teammate of Boogie Coleman last season at Ball St. Indiana boasts one of the tallest lineups in D-1, clocking in at #3 in KenPom's average height metric. Nebraska's secret scrimmage foe Utah is #2. Mackenzie Mgbako attended Roselle Catholic HS last season, playing with Simeon Wilcher. This is the same HS attended by CJ WIlcher and Jamarques Lawrence. KenPom most used lineups PG SG SF PF C Pct 1 2 Gabe Cupps 6-2 175 Fr 32 Trey Galloway 6-5 205 Sr 21 Mackenzie Mgbako 6-8 217 Fr 5 Malik Reneau 6-9 233 So 1 Kel'el Ware 7-0 242 So 25.1 Player to watch: Malik Reneau While not as dominant as Trayce Jackson-Davis, F/C Reneau has taken over as Indiana's go-to scorer in the paint while also ranking 2nd on the team in assists. Does have 3pt range. Player to watch: Mackenzie Mgbako The 5 star freshman has become the Hoosier's main 3pt threat with PG Xavier Johnson out of the lineup. Player to watch: Kel'el Ware Another former 5 star, Ware transferred from Oregon and has started at the 5 for Indiana where he's arguably been their best player. Ware looks like a lottery pick at times but sometimes his motor doesn't match. Others to watch Trey Galloway is a glue guy having to do more because of limited guard play. Freshman guard Gabe Cupps is mostly just bringing the ball up the court and shoots at a Benny Parker like rate. 6'8" 215# Miami transfer Anthony Walker is nice depth but he's yet another post player who doesn't take outside shots. Xavier Johnson would be a real boost for the Hoosiers in terms of ball handing and 3pt shooting should he play. UNL Game Notes Roster/infirmary report Will update if needed when the B1G releases their injury Out indefinitely 5 Ahron Ulis 6-3 190 lbs Junior - Likely out for the season 15 Blaise Keita 6-11 257 lbs Junior - Ongoing ankle injury recovery Have been showing up on the injury report 35 Henry Burt 6-7 216 lbs RS Freshman 2 Ramel Lloyd Jr. 6-6 210 lbs RS Freshman Game Time Decision 51 Rienk Mast 6-10 248 lbs Junior - Knee Scope Possible starters for Nebraska 10 Jamarques Lawrence 6-3 183 lbs Sophomore 30 Keisei Tominaga 6-2 179 lbs Senior 3 Brice Williams 6-7 213 lbs Junior 4 Juwan Gary 6-6 221 lbs Junior 53 Josiah Allick 6-8 231 lbs Senior Bench 0 C.J. Wilcher 6-5 214 lbs Junior 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 31 Cale Jacobsen 6-4 200 lbs RS Freshman 24 Jeffrey Grace III 6-3 197 lbs Sophomore Hoiberg/Wilcher Presser Hoiberg talks about Mast being a game time decision and ramping up on Keita's rehab The Skinny: 2023-24 has been a down enough season for the B1G to the point that Indiana comes in as a Quad 3 opponent. Nebraska is simultaneously looking to rack up conference wins at home while avoiding resume killing loses. Indiana's 3 loses have come against some of the best in the country...can Nebraska make the grade? Indiana presents a great style matchup for the Huskers. There won't be a ton of 3pt shooters for their defense to chase as the Hoosiers are one of the most 2pt heavy teams in D-1. Defensively, the Hoosiers should present plenty of open 3pt shots and expect Nebraska to take advantage. What could decide this one is Nebraska's ability to defend the paint without fouling as Indiana draws plenty of contact and Nebraska could be without Rienk Mast. Things could get real dicey if Nebraska has to play Diop or even CJ Wilcher at center. Despite their height, Indiana isn't an elite rebounding squad so it's possible for Nebraska to limit 2nd chance shots. This is a getable game for the Huskers and look for them to have a great shot in this one, especially with their edge in FT shooting. Prediction: Nebraska 78 - Indiana 73

Lindenwood Head Coach: Kyle Gerdeman (5th year) Location: St Charles, Missouri Conference: Ohio Valley Conference Nickname: Lions Mascot: Leo the Lion Last time out: Last year went Shirt not to wear: Gold, Black, University of Arkansas Pine-Bluff gear Opening Line: Nebraska by 21 Nota bene: This is the first ever meeting in Men's basketball between Lindenwood and Nebraska The Lions lost 5 of their top 6 leading scorers from 2022-23 (Keenon Cole returns). The new team spent time gelling on a summer trip to Italy. Prior to becoming the head coach at Lindenwood, Kyle Gerderman was an assistant under Keno Davis at Central Michigan This is Lindenwood's 2nd year as a D-1 school though the school as claim to being the 'Second oldest higher-education institution west of the Mississippi River', originally founded as 'The Lindenwood School for Girls' in 1832. (St Louis University was founded in 1812) Prior to moving to D-1, Lindenwood was a D-2 school from 2010 to 2021. Prior to that time they competed as a NAIA school. St Charles is a suburb of St Louis Player to watch: Keenon Cole Cole is a small ball center/forward who shot 46% from 3 last season. Capable of scoring from all 3 levels; foul prone Others to watch Darius Beane -Spent last season sitting out due to transfer rules; driving scorer, poor 3pt shooter; appears to be a combo guard attempting to play PG Keith Haymon - 6'7" transfer from Northern Arizona is Keenon Cole lite Amoro Lado - 6'4" transfer from Hawaii slotted to start at guard Jaylon McDaniel - the 6'7" 230# juco product appears to be the starting center per Lindenwood's game notes. Isaac Ondekane - Clocks in at 6'8" 275. You'll know it if he's on the court; another juco product Colin Ruffin - Freshman pg from local new powerhouse Link Academy who might get some run Jordan Wildy - *OUT WITH ACL TEAR* - The former Iona recruit for Rick Pitino and juco product seemed like he's be a big contributor to the Lion's backcourt before tearing his ACL this summer during a practice UNL Game Notes 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 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 presser - NOTES HERE The Skinny: Continuity....it's the driving force behind the reasonable expectations and optimism for Fred Hoiberg's 5th year at Nebraska. The Huskers return their entire coaching staff that seemed to finally stabilize the ship last year with a system that Nebraska went out and recruited to over the summer. Nebraska lost cornerstone players like Sam Griesel and Derrick Walker but went and replaced them with veterans like Mast, Williams, Coleman, and Allick while also keeping the core of players that won 9 conference games last season. It's already necessary depth (already being tested) and experience that has Nebraska hoping to dance at the end of the season. You never want to overlook an opponent but as fans you have that luxury; Lindenwood should be an easy buy win for Nebraska. The Lions and their ball screen offense project to take a lot of jumpers so the shooting prowess of the Lions should dictate how long they can hang around trying for the upset. Look for Nebraska to capitalize off of turnovers for easy points and both teams to up their pace from last season Prediction: Nebraska 91 - Lindenwood 64