Coming off a bad loss to UCLA in Nebraska basketball's latest game, some Husker fans and analysts showed some serious concern over whether this dream season might end with an NCAA Tournament disaster. However, ESPN analyst Nick Bahe believes the Huskers can still make a lot of noise in the Big Dance, mainly because of how hard they are to play against with very little time to prepare.
"I think Nebraska's going to benefit immensely when they play a team that has not seen Nebraska before," Bahe told Hurrdat Sports hosts Damon Benning and Ravi Lulla. "I'm telling you guys, if you have not gone against that no middle defense. It is tricky."
"Nebraska runs some of that, like it's some Princeton stuff where, you know, two guys come to an elbow, one back. Cuts one pops," Bahe continued. "They wrap it and pop. They do a bunch of different things that are a little unconventional. And if you've not seen it and you're not from Iowa, who is just supremely disciplined defensively ... you're like, 'Oh, my God.' All this stuff is totally different than what you're used to."
ESPN analyst Nick Bahe says Nebraska basketball is a nightmare to prepare for in 24 hours
"For Husker fans, you're looking for some optimism and reason to be excited. Nebraska is a nightmare to prepare for in 24 hours."
"One of the things I really am high on is the unique nature of how Nebraska plays on both ends of the floor, greatly benefiting them. They step out and are playing teams for the first time in the NCAA tournament. Good luck with Fred Hoiberg's dry erase board. Good luck with Nate Linzer and how he diagnoses and diagrams things and how they're going to load to the ball and trap and scramble. Have fun with that because it is really hard."
Granted, all of this assumes that the Huskers can do something the program has never done in its history by winning a first-round game. Should they do that, though, Bahe thinks everyone after that might be in trouble.
The ESPN personality's words do offer reason for optimism, no matter what happens in Nebraska's regular-season finale against Iowa on Sunday.