Nebraska Basketball: Amir Harris injury shatters remaining depth of team
Nebraska Basketball received some bad news Monday.
It seems like the injury bug just keeps on biting Nebraska basketball, and some news on Monday would do nothing to shake that notion. Freshman guard Amir Harris suffered a knee injury in Sunday’s regular season finale victory over Iowa. Now, it looks like he may be out for the foreseeable future.
Per a report from Michael Bruntz of 247Sports, head coach Tim Miles said Monday that Harris would likely miss the Big 10 Tournament after injuring the meniscus in his left knee. For a team already struggling with a lack of depth, this is a huge injury that could have major implications. Already without Issac Copeland, Nebraska basketball is now extremely shorthanded off the bench.
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His season statistics are not eye-opening, but Harris was able to get into a groove at the tail end of the season. Sunday’s game against Iowa was a good example. In that contest, Harris recorded eight points, 10 rebounds, and two assists. Those numbers were significantly higher than his season averages. On the season, he recorded 2.2 points per game and 2.5 rebounds per contest. Arethose numbers going to make front-page headlines? No, but they are a good start. Especially as a freshman, Harris has shown that he can be a big part of Nebraska basketball moving forward.
What does this mean for Nebraska basketball heading into the tournament? This is undoubtedly going to put more pressure on the starters. That means guys like James Palmer, Isaiah Roby, and Glynn Watson Jr. are going to have to bring their A- game every night. Not only will they have to perform well every night, they will also have to perform well for extended periods of time.
In some instances, they may have to play long stretches of the game. This will definitely test their stamina and ability to last. However, they could be playing their last game of their careers every time they step on the floor. If they aren’t willing to go all out, (and I believe they will be ready to go), then they have a problem.
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Harris was just another option in the bag of tricks that is Nebraska basketball’s bench. Without him, the options are significantly limited. This is not the news that the Huskers wanted to hear, but as they have all season, they will just have to adapt. At times this season, Nebraska basketball has shown tremendous resiliency. They will certainly have to show some, beginning on Wednesday.