Nebraska Basketball: Huskers await word on Tim Miles after loss in NIT

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - MARCH 14: Head coach Tim Miles of the Nebraska Cornhuskers gives instructions to his team against the Maryland Terrapins at the United Center on March 14, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. Nebraska defeated Maryland 69-61. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - MARCH 14: Head coach Tim Miles of the Nebraska Cornhuskers gives instructions to his team against the Maryland Terrapins at the United Center on March 14, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. Nebraska defeated Maryland 69-61. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

Nebraska basketball lost out to TCU in the NIT Sunday night and now the wait for the official word on Tim Miles begins.

Nebraska basketball lost Sunday at TCU in the second round of the NIT, ending their season with a final record of 19-17.

But the Huskers didn’t lose for a lack of trying, that’s something every Nebraska fan can agree on. The shorthanded Huskers battled a tough TCU squad that many believed was going to get into the NCAA tournament.

The Horned Frogs then came out on their home floor and shot the lights out, making 50 percent of their attempts for the game and also hitting 10 shots from 3-point range. Nebraska, on the other hand, couldn’t hit anything — at least it seemed that way.

James Palmer went 7-for-25 in his final game as a Husker and Glynn Watson Jr. wasn’t much better at 7-for-19. Isaiah Roby was 2-for-2 but got tossed from the game for a flagrant foul. We will see if it was his final game in a Nebraska basketball uniform. Hopefully, it’s not.

It was the final game for senior Tanner Borchardt and boy, did he save his best for last. Truthfully, he allowed Nebraska basketball to have a chance in this game, as he finished 6-of-6 from the field for 16 points and 13 rebounds.

But as great as the effort was, it wasn’t meant to be and maybe that, more than anything, sums up the era of Tim Miles.

The Huskers battled hard and they always brought it. Yet, at the same time, it seemed like Nebraska could never find a way to win the games it needed to in order to get over the hump. That is what will be Miles downfall. He had to get this program back to the NCAA tournament and this year, he had the team to do it, they just couldn’t find a way.

Miles is a nice guy. He is a good recruiter and he’s a good coach. He will land on his feet somewhere. The moment after the NIT win where everyone was chanting Go Big Red was awesome. He deserved that.

But Nebraska basketball fans deserve a winner too and it seems like it’s time to give someone else a shot at trying to pull that off, especially if that someone is Fred Hoiberg.

But still, thanks for everything, Tim. At the very least, you made fans proud of Nebraska basketball and that means something.