Nebraska Basketball: Isaiah Roby is saving his best performances for last
Roby has become a spark plug for Nebraska Basketball.
Isaiah Roby is coming into his own at the perfect time for Nebraska Basketball. That was evident in Wednesday’s game against Butler. Roby scored 28 points on nine-of-12 shooting from the field, and he went nine-of-10 from the free-throw line. He was a huge part in the Nebraska Cornhuskers securing a win over Butler in the opening game of the NIT.
From scoring almost 30 points to recording eight rebounds, he was a huge part of the success of Nebraska Basketball on Wednesday. That statement could also be applied to the regular season as well. With one of their top players in Issac Copeland going down at the end of February, the team needed additional scoring. Roby was that guy, and despite the ups-and-downs that any college basketball season brings, his effort and hard work was a constant.
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Much like the rest of the Nebraska Basketball program, he has really made a name for himself here in March. In just this month alone, he has recorded two games of 10 points, 13 points, 15 points, 23 points, and 28 points. His hot streak in essence began in the team’s Senior Day victory over Iowa on March 10. It seemed like that game was a much-needed one for the entire Nebraska Basketball program, as several players have remained hot shooters since then. Roby has been no exception and he has truly excelled in his role at being a scorer for the undermanned Cornhuskers in postseason play.
Roby’s success is something that I have been waiting to happen for quite a while now. I could see it in certain games towards the end of the regular season. His performance against Penn State on February 19 would certainly be one of those occasions. In what was a 95-71 defeat for the Cornhuskers, Roby played well. In 33 minutes, he scored 17 points and did so efficiently. He went eight-of-10 from the field and made a shot from behind the three-point line. He also showed defensive prowess, recording three steals.
There is no doubt he has struggled at times this season. Take for instance the team’s Thursday night debacle at Michigan on February 28. In a game that in fairness the whole team struggled, Roby certainly did not stand out. In 26 minutes, he shot two-of-seven from the field recording six points. Then again, maybe he did stand out for how poor his performance was. If there was one bright spot to his performance that night, it was his five rebounds.
Since that game, he has not recorded a contest of single-digit points. He has been a spark plug for the team so far in the month of March, and he needs to continue to be that spark plug on Sunday against a tough TCU team. We talk a lot about James Palmer Jr. and what he brings to the table, and how great his scoring is, yada yada. Roby has been quietly contributing to this tremendous run for Nebraska basketball and something needs to be set for that. He needs to be that same impact player on Sunday. He needs to be efficient, he needs to look for good shots, and he needs to make sure he crashes the glass. I know it’s easy to say sitting at my computer desk, but it’s reality.
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When Isaiah Roby plays great, Nebraska Basketball plays great. The team seems to feed off his energy and together, him and James Palmer make quite a scoring tandem. Roby could be the difference between sitting at home on the couch following Sunday’s game and a trip to New York. The Cornhuskers need Roby to be on his game. If he is, TCU will have a long night ahead of them.