The defense was flying all over the place
The defensive intensity was evident on Thursday. They looked alert, they looked alive, and they were not afraid to challenge the Maryland shooters. They managed to silence some of Maryland’s biggest weapons and that was certainly a key factor in Nebraska winning this ballgame.
Among those that were stifled by Nebraska’s defense was Maryland star forward Bruno Fernando. He was one of the players I was worried about coming into this game. He did manage to finish with eight rebounds on Thursday, but his scoring contributions were limited. He finished with three points on one-of-four shooting. He was a player that I had penciled in for another double-double. However over the course of 35 minutes he just was not able to get anything going. That is very much a credit to Nebraska’s defense. They were aggressive, they doubled Fernando at times, and they made life uncomfortable for Maryland’s top scorers.
They looked like they were ready to play, and the four blocks, including three by Isaiah Roby proved it. They played like their season was on the line and it is. Now, they will have to bring that same defensive intensity against Wisconsin Friday. It is going to be a difficult task, but it is one that I could see them accomplishing. The wear-and-tear of this tournament is undoubtedly getting to all teams involved, but it is the ones who play through it that will advance.