Caveman’s Perspective: Nebraska vs Ohio State

The Nebraska Cornhuskers and the Ohio State Buckeyes battled three times last season, with the Buckeyes capturing two of three contests. On January 20th, 2014, the Cornhuskers recorded their first Big Ten victory in the Pinnacle Bank Arena against the #17 Ohio State Buckeyes.

The Huskers snapped a 5-game losing streak–which included a 31-point loss to the Buckeyes in Columbus two weeks earlier. Shavon Shields (just named 1st Team Academic All-American, see below) and Terran Petteway both scored 18 points in the upset. Big Red then went on an 11-3 run to close the year and secure the 4th seed in the Big Ten Tournament. Who did they run into?……The Buckeyes.

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The Huskers let an 18-point lead slip away as the Buckeyes went on to win 71-67, sending the Big Red to their first NCAA tournament on a sour note.

Mar 14, 2014; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers forward Terran Petteway (5) reacts against the Ohio State Buckeyes in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten college basketball tournament at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Ohio State defeats Nebraska 71-67. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

It’s been a year now, but things don’t seem to have changed. The Huskers are on the wrong end of another 5-game skid–including a 28-point home loss to the Iowa Hawkeyes. Things are definitely at a low point in the season. The Buckeyes have had a strong season, but have recently dropped from the top 25 after two straight losses.

The question is what can be done to stop the bleeding for the Huskers? To combat a lax mentality in his players, Nebraska coach Tim Miles has suspended player access to the media and the new $19 million locker room. In the first game back since this suspension, it will be interesting to see how the adversity translates to player performance on the court.

The Caveman’s Perspective: Last season, this Husker team was defined by their passion and heart on the court. We haven’t seen that this year, and especially not in the last few weeks. This team has all the talent it needs to be successful, they just need a kick in the butt. Coach Miles gave them that. I see the Huskers turning up the pressure competitively and taking this slumping Buckeyes team by surprise at home.

Caveman’s Prediction: Nebraska def. Ohio State: 64-60

Tipoff from Columbus will be tonight at 6:00 p.m CST and can be seen on ESPN/WatchESPN. Until then, GO BIG RED!!!