Nebraska basketball wants to make sure the tough stretch that saw them lose three games to Top 15 teams is officially over. In order to do that, head coach Fred Hoiberg said that on its first day back in the gym after the heartbreaking loss to No. 13 Purdue, the Huskers watched tape of all 21 of the Boilermakers' offensive rebounds in that game.
Hoiberg said that after watching what went wrong against Purdue, NU's Practice that Thursday morning was "hard and visceral." The Huskers' head coach lightened the intensity a bit the next day, but they still ensured there were some physical stretches. For Nebraska to beat anyone, he said, it must be better at finishing possessions.
While Purdue had an obvious size advantage, Hoiberg noted that it also "made first contact" on box outs after nearly every shot. He said Nebraska didn't have the size, length, or athleticism to overcome that.
How Nebraska plans to rebound after losses to Top‑15 opponents
They didn't just work on rebounding either. Hoiberg said there were far too many unforced errors.
Finally, Hoiberg knows that the team has to get off to a better start. NU opened the game 14-1. They also struggled out of the gate after halftime. That's why they eventually trailed by 22 points before they made an incredible comeback to send the game to overtime.
Even one basket earlier in the game, or earlier in the second half, and the Huskers might have toppled a very talented Boilermakers squad.
All that hard work needs to pay off. Now that the Cornhuskers are through their toughest stretch of the season, the opponents drop off, starting on Saturday at noon. Northwestern comes to Lincoln sporting a 10-15 record and a 2-12 Big Ten record.
Still, the Wildcats recently gave both Iowa and No. 2 Michigan all they could handle. They led the Wolverines 44-35 at the half. While they faded down the stretch, NU needs to be wary.
How Nebraska finishes up the regular season, with a schedule that doesn't include a current Top 25 team, will show a great deal about how good this Huskers team really is. If Hoiberg can get them back to their dominant selves, the season can still be one for the ages, even if the No. 1 seed dreams are all but dead.