Nebraska basketball can’t overcome terrible start in loss to UCF

The Nebraska basketball team had another horrendous start and couldn’t come all the way back in the second half against UCF.

Anyone who thought the Nebraska basketball had finally found their offensive footing against North Dakota were probably more than a little disappointed by the Huskers first-half showing on Thanksgiving night. The Cornhuskers came out in a game it had to win in order to prove the team is on the way up and laid an egg.

Shooting less than 30 percent from the field in the first half, the Huskers trailed UCF 36-20 at the break. While Tim Miles’ crew played quite a bit better in the second half, they put themselves in too big a hole to climb out of and they ended up losing the game 68-59.

The loss showed that Miles still hasn’t found the chemistry that is needed to get a talented squad that is missing a true shooter going against even mediocre opponents. In five games this season, the Huskers have managed to handle the cupcakes on their schedule, but have looked like cupcakes themselves when they play a team with a pulse.

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The biggest problem, aside from a general inability to put the ball in the basket consistently, is that the team is still looking for a third scorer. When Glynn Watson and James Palmer can’t get going, isn’t a consistent man to turn to.

Against North Dakota, it looked as though Isaac Copeland was auditioning for the job as he scored a career-high 30 points. Against Central Florida, Copeland was just 3 for 10 from the floor and 1 for 4 from beyond the 3-point arc.

Against Central Florida, only James Palmer played particularly well. Palmer played very well, scoring 22 points and hitting 8 of 13 shots taken. Unfortunately, no one else on the Cornhuskers were hitting their shots.

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Friday night, the Nebraska basketball team will take on the loser of the Marist/ West Virginia game going on right now. Even against a Marist team that hasn’t won a game yet this season, the Huskers are going to need to put up a more consistent effort in order to win.