Nebraska Cornhuskers 'started pressing,' 'stopped trusting' in unimpressive win

While the Nebraska Cornhuskers basketball team is 2-0, there isn’t much to be happy about after a slim, 63-58 victory over Bethune Cookman. While NU didn’t play anywhere near a perfect game against UTRGV in its opener, it got stronger as the contest went on.

On Saturday night, it’s not clear the team did get any better as the game wound down, witnessed by the Wildcats finding a way to get within three points very late in the second half. After the game, NU head coach Fred Hoiberg talked about the victory and what he felt was the culprit.

The Nebraska Cornhuskers needed to find a way to gel and they need to do it soon. It’s clear the team knows they have two games against perennial NCAA Tournament contenders later this month. 

Nebraska Cornhuskers basketball coach sees struggles near the basket

“We missed so many plays at the rim,” Hoiberg said after the game. “I thought it affected our confidence. I thought we started pressing, we stopped trusting.  When we trust, when we make simple plays, we're a pretty effective team. It just couldn't buy one out there in the beginning, and you shoot, what, 25% I think, in the first half.

Hoiberg also talked about how his team went ice cold in the second half

“We get up 16, I think, in the second half, and then again, we let them back in. We missed some easy ones. We turned it over. Missed a couple wide open threes, and to their credit, they kept playing to close the gap, but we got to find a way to string it together.”

The Nebraska Cornhuskers basketball team takes on Farleigh Dickinson on Wednesday night. Then it’s Saint Mary’s on November 17 and Creighton on November 22. They’re going to need to find a way to trust their game by then.