Game Day Essentials:
Nebraska 11-2 (1-1) vs. Indiana 10-3 (2-0)
- Tip Time: 9:00 p.m. Eastern, Wednesday
- Location: Pinnacle Bank Arena (15,000), Lincoln, Neb.
- Television: BTN (Kevin Kugler, Shon Ellis)
- Stream: Fox Sports
- IU Radio Network: IU Radio Network
- Point Spread: Nebraska is around a 6-point favorite.
- KenPom Projected Score: No. 87 Indiana 72 – No. 54 Nebraska 79
- Series: Indiana leads series, 19-7.
Nebraska’s Fred Hoiberg
Fred Hoiberg is in his fifth season as head coach of the Nebraska men’s basketball squad. A Lincoln native, Hoiberg serves as the program’s 28th coach in history.
Hoiberg began his coaching career with a return to his alma mater at Iowa State in the spring of 2010. In just his second season, Hoiberg led the Cyclones to a 23-11 overall record and the program’s first AP Poll ranking since 2005. Hoiberg also led his team to an NCAA Tournament appearance the same season, which would be the first since 2005 as well. Hoiberg would win two conference tournaments before joining as a head coach in the NBA.
Hoiberg spent four seasons as the coach of the Chicago Bulls from 2015 to 2019. Hoiberg broke an 8-year streak of playoff appearances in his first season and lost in the first round the following year. After another playoff absence and a 5-19 start to the 2018-19 season, Hoiberg was fired as head coach.
In the spring of 2019, Hoiberg was hired as head coach of Nebraska. Since joining, Hoiberg has a record of 51-85 with no winning seasons. Last season was by far his best, with the team going 16-16 with a 9-11 record in conference. Their 11 wins this season is already more than each of his first three with the Cornhuskers.
Nebraska’s results and roster
| 11/6/2023 | Lindenwood | Lincoln, Neb. | W 84-52 | Box Score | |
| 11/9/2023 | Florida A&M | Lincoln, Neb. | W 81-54 | Box Score | |
| 11/13/2023 | Rider | Lincoln. Neb. | W 64-50 | Box Score | |
| 11/15/2023 | Stony Brook | Lincoln. Neb | W 84-63 | Box Score | |
| 11/18/2023 | vs. Oregon State | Sioux Falls, S.D. | W 84-63 | Box Score | |
| 11/22/2023 | Duquesne | Lincoln. Neb. | W 89-79 | Box Score | |
| 11/26/2023 | Cal State Fullerton | Lincoln, Neb. | W 85-72 | Box Score | |
| 12/3/2023 | #15 Creighton | Lincoln, Neb. | L 60-89 | Box Score | |
| 12/6/2023 | at Minnesota | Minneapolis, Minn. | L 65-76 | Box Score | |
| 12/10/2023 | Michigan State | Lincoln, Neb. | W 77-70 | Box Score | |
| 12/17/2023 | at Kansas State | Manhattan, Kan. | W 62-46 | Box Score | |
| 12/20/2023 | North Dakota | Lincoln, Neb. | W 83-75 | Box Score | |
| 12/29/2023 | South Carolina State | Lincoln, Neb. | W 91-62 | Box Score |
Nebraska’s game notes (via Nebraska Athletics)
GARY RETURNS BETTER THAN EVER
After his 2022-23 season was cut short with a left shoulder injury that required surgery, Juwan Gary has come back playing some of the best basketball of his career. During his rehab, Gary spent extensive time working on his shooting mechanics and the work has paid off.
He is averaging 13.3 points per game on a team-best .537 field goal percentage. Gary is second on the team in rebounding (6.9 rpg) and tops the huskers in both steals (1.4 spg) and blocked shots (1.0 bpg). Currently, Gary ranks in the top 15 in the Big Ten in rebounding (13th), blocked shots (13th) and steals (15th).
Gary already has eight double-figure games in his first 10 contests after having just nine last year and just 20 in 75 career games entering 2023-24. He set career highs in both blocked shots (four) and assists (four) in just 16 minutes against South Carolina St.
TOMINAGA RETURNS TO ALL-BIG TEN FORM
Nebraska’s lineup has been boosted by the return of fifth-year senior Keisei Tominaga. He is fourth on the team in scoring at 12.7 points per game while shooting 43 percent from the field and 33 percent from 3-point range.
Tominaga was named to the preseason All-Big Ten team, becoming just the third Husker to receive the honor since Nebraska joined the conference in the 2011-12 season. Last season, he averaged 13.1 points per game on 53 percent shooting, including 40 percent from 3-point range, while appearing in all 32 contests. Tominaga led the Huskers in 3-pointers with 66 and was one of only six players nationally to average double figures and shoot 50 percent from the field, 40 percent from 3-point range and 85 percent from the foul line.
NEW FACES, NEW ROLES
Nebraska made a big splash in the transfer portal, adding five players to the roster, and their impact is already being felt during the early portion of the season. The group of Josiah Allick (New Mexico), Jarron Coleman (Bradley), Rienk Mast (Bradley), Ahron Ulis (Iowa) and Brice Williams (Charlotte) combined for more than 4,300 points, 2,100 rebounds and 800 assists entering this year.
Mast is averaging 13.0 points per game while leading the Huskers in rebounding (9.9 rpg) and assists (3.0 apg). Mast currently ranks second in the Big Ten in rebounding and 18th in assists. The 6-foot-10 forward has been in double figures eight times, highlighted by a 20-point, 16-rebound effort against Florida A&M and 19 points and 12 rebounds against Kansas State. He leads NU with four double-doubles and has 24 for his career. Mast missed NU’s last two games after a procedure on Dec. 18, and is not expected back until early January.
Williams has started all 13 contests and is second in scoring at 13.7 points per game to rank 19th in the Big Ten. Williams, who is third on the team in assists per game (2.2 apg) is shooting 44 percent from the field, 35 percent from 3-point range and 88 percent from the foul line. The 6-foot-7 guard has been in double figures 11 times this season, highlighted by a 25-point effort in the win against Oregon State on Nov. 17 and had 18 points, six rebounds and four assists at Minnesota on Dec. 6. Williams is 21 points away from the 1,000-point plateau for his career and two rebounds away from 400 for his career.
Allick has been a presence inside, averaging 7.0 points per game and 5.3 rebounds per game. Allick has five double-figure efforts this season, including 12 points, seven rebounds and five assists vs. Duquesne. He has been in double figures in each of the last two games, including 10 points, seven rebounds and four assists against South Carolina State.
Coleman has come off the bench in 10 contests and averages 2.6 assists and 2.7 points per game while posting a a 1.5-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio.
Nebraska’s KenPom notable numbers:
(out of 362 teams)
Tempo – No. 142 (Offense No. 47 / Defense No. 343)
Offensive Efficiency – No. 48
- The Cornhuskers hold an effective field goal percentage of 51.4 percent (No. 134) while shooting 53.1 percent from two (No. 85) and 32.9 percent from three (No. 194) as a team.
- Even though their percentage doesn’t jump off the board, Nebraska’s shoots threes at a very high rate. 44.9 percent of their shots (3FGA/FGA) are from three (No. 31) and they make up 34.2 percent of their total point distribution (No. 88)
- Indiana’s length could cause some problems on the interior, with Nebraska’s opponent block rate at 11.9 percent (No. 310). Other than that, the Cornhuskers take care of the ball well with a 16.2 turnover percentage (No. 92).
Defensive Efficiency – No. 68
- Nebraska has limited teams to a 43 percent effective field goal percentage (No. 6) and holds opponents to a 28.1 percent mark from three (No. 16) and 43.6 percent from inside (No. 21).
- The Cornhuskers are getting shots contested, but they don’t force a high rate of turnovers (16.8 percent, No. 230). Steals are only coming at an 8.7 percent rate (No. 239), and even with good shot contesting, they don’t get a lot of blocks (7.7 percent, No. 246).
- Nebraska does not get into foul trouble very often. Teams are not attempting a lot of free throws (23.8 percent rate of FTA/FGA, No. 16) and not many points come from the line either (16.7 percent, No. 279).
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