Nebraska Basketball: Huskers Look To Upset Red-Hot Minnesota

Coming off of two ugly losses, the Nebraska basketball team is in need of a big win. However, it won’t be easy against a Golden Gophers team that has won seven straight.

There’s a bevy of things that need to go the Huskers’ way if they wish to pull off another upset.

Struggling Down The Stretch

Nebraska’s last two losses have been disheartening, to say the least. First, being manhandled by Michigan State, 88-72, then by squandering a two-point first half deficit against Illinois to lose, 73-57.

Turnovers and Defense Remain a Weakness

It’s been a story of turnovers, missed opportunities and lack of perimeter defense that has plagued the Huskers down the stretch.

Last time out, Nebraska allowed 13 three pointers from the Illini, something the surging Gophers will surely take advantage of if the Huskers don’t get their act together.

Not only has Nebraska struggled defensively, but 18 turnovers against Illinois doomed them in a humiliating loss at home. It’s been a problem all season, but the Huskers still can’t figure out a solution.

Building On The Positives and Fixing Mistakes

A few positives can be noted, even in losses. If the Huskers want to get a win in Minneapolis, they need to clean up the problems noted above along with shooting over 84 percent from the line. This is something they were able to do against the Illini.

In addition to converting from the line, the Huskers were able to outrebound Illinois 34-31. Another area where they’ll have to be solid against Minnesota.

Enough about the Huskers, let’s learn a little about Minnesota.

A Frigid State With a Team That’s On Fire

Minnesota may be the hottest team in the Big Ten. They feature a talented backcourt with the likes of Nate Mason, Amir Coffey and Dupree McBrayer. All players average in double figures and Mason leads the team with 15.2 points per game.

Richard Pitino is making a push for Big Ten Coach of The Year, and with a 22-7 overall record and a 10-6 conference record, the Gophers are looking pretty stellar.

Minnesota is in good shape, and they’ll be looking to become the number one overall seed in The Big Ten tournament. However, they still have to get past Nebraska at home and Wisconsin in Madison on Sunday. If they can do that, things will be well set up for them to earn that coveted top seed.

Prediction

Look, it’s hard to be optimistic given Nebraska’s last two performances, but they’ve surprised us before. Minnesota is playing its best basketball and with a top seed in the Big Ten tournament up for grabs, they should be laser-focused. It’s hard to pick against arguably the conference’s best team right now.