Hoops Preview: Nebraska 2023-24 #2
THE ESSENTIALS
| WHAT | #124 Michigan (8-22, 3-16 B10) vs #34 Nebraska (21-9, 11-8 B10) |
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|---|---|---|
| WHERE | Crisler Arena, Ann Arbor, MI | |
| WHEN | Sunday, NOON | |
| THE LINE | Kenpom: Neb-5 Torvik: Neb-5 |
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| TELEVISION | BTN (link) |
THE OVERVIEW
Before Michigan was eviscerated on the road by Ohio State and Rutgers, Nebraska did the same thing. Most years the third on that list would seem like the most surprising, but this year the Huskers are firmly in the Tournament. It took three miserable seasons, one just-bad one, and the entire Big Ten East collectively sacrificing their basketball programs to the football gods, but Nebrasketball has reached a point where they should be able to travel to Michigan without much fear of a loss. Or they would if they didn't turn into Michigan when they're on the road. Torvik:
| HOME vs B10 | ROAD vs B10 |
|---|---|
 |
 |
I mean…
| NEBRASKA ROAD vs B10 | MICHIGAN HOME vs B10 |
|---|---|
 |
 |
…there's a chance.
However, Hoiberg's Huskers avoided a perfect home/road W/L dichotomy by beating a bad Indiana team on 2/21, and Michigan is now without Nkamhoua. So if there is any trepidation on the trip from Lincoln, it's that Michigan might use the opportunity to court Hoiberg.
But for that to happen they'd have to fire Juwan Howard. And for that to happen, as I understand it, Santa Ono would have to fire Warde Manuel. And what's standing in the way of that happening? At this point, I don't know.
[After THE JUMP: Nebraska hasn't changed, but Michigan has.]
THE US
My graphic [click to embiggen]:
Llewellin has been limping lately and sat out the Ohio State game. He's listed as questionable for Sunday so I moved him out of the lineup. I also moved Tschetter to the starters.
THE LINEUP CARD
My graphic [click for big]:
Starting with our game, Tominaga has moved back to starting PG as Juwan Gary's secured a starting role over Lawrence, but they still have Keisei play a lot of two. They've been rolling with an 8-man rotation the last few weeks.
THE THEM
As long as you don't turn it over. [Campredon]
Consult the previous edition. Not a lot to update since the last time other than the lineup tweak, except Tominaga's cooled off (0/3, 2/7, and 1/6) from three in his last three games. Probably means nothing.
THE TEMPO FREE
We can shoot but we don't have a center-ass team.
THE KEYS
Have a kickout plan, Tarris. The Huskers have been chewed up by bigs all year, but Reed's been more likely to lose the ball than find an open guy when he gets doubled.
The Tray Jackson game? Nkamhoua had a terrible game in Lincoln but the shots were there. The Jackson we originally thought we were getting should have the right matchup.
More cheering, less dribbling for Williams. I don't get the hate for T-Will; he's obviously been miscast as a 2nd or 3rd option scorer when he should be a Mason Gillis off the bench. Appreciate the senior on senior night. Also don't make him be the 1st option scorer that was dumb.
Get Nimari Loose. The splits between teams who have 6'7 wings to spare and those who need to use two guards has been the difference between a Burnett who goes 1/7 on pullup triples with 3 turnovers, versus the version actually generating offense. Nebraska is sometimes one, sometimes the other.
Annoy Tominaga. Dug's defense versus the league's best scoring guard is a mismatch, but Dug at his best can get under your skin, and Tominaga's streaky enough for that to be an effective strategy. Maize Rage, if you're up for some cleverness, this would be a good time to deploy it.
Fire Warde. We're in the wrong era to have a guy from two eras ago trying to steer us in a different direction.
THE SECTION WHERE I PREDICT THE SAME THING KENPOM DOES
Nebraska by five.
Wait, basketball season is still going on? Huh.
Actually basketball season technically ended before the football season.
Tominaga probably should’ve gone to Purdue.
Every single person (including the coach) is cyan'ed except for one with a brick icon and one who spent half the season academically suspended. That's got to be a record for bleakest lineup card ever.
Fire Warde. We're in the wrong era to have a guy from two eras ago trying to steer us in a different direction.
Fire Warde and then Fire Juwan! Lets go!!!!!!
Poor TWill and Jace. For Michigan's revenue sports there haven't been many gradual penthouse-to-outhouse journeys like the one they've made the past four seasons.
They have led the charge! Must have diarrhea.
Has Juwan not earned the banana peel yet?
If Warde were smart he would ask Hoiberg to grab a cup of coffee.
I don't get the hate for T-Will
Do people hate T-Will? I missed that. I think he's criticized same as everyone else on the team. If anything he's more praised than anyone else other than maybe Tschetter. And Dug.
Of course T-Will should not be a second option. Or third option. Or fifth option. No one on this team should be, except Dug (who is miscast as the #1 option).
T-Will gets the same grief as everyone else AFAIK. But mostly he doesn't get grief because mostly no one is paying attention or cares.
Everyone understands that he should be a sixth (or seventh) man ideally. If there's any disappointment it's that he's the same player he was four years ago.
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