At 22-4 on the season and 11-4 in Big Ten play, it feels like any grievance to be had with the Nebraska Cornhuskers would be nitpicking. We are talking about arguably the best season in program history up to this point. However, Fred Hoiberg's team has lost four of its last six games after getting off to a blistering 20-0 start. This includes a frustrating one on the road vs. Iowa earlier in the week, 57-52...
Of the many strengths working in Nebraska's favor this season, they are exceptional at shooting the rock from distance. The Huskers have attempted the 15th most 3-pointers in the sport this season, connecting on a strong 35.6-percent of them. Where Nebraska has issues is on the glass. They are 209th in the nation in rebounding. They are especially bad on the offensive glass at 341st this year.
Fortunately for the Huskers, they are about to play a Quad 3 opponent at home vs. lowly Penn State. The Nittany Lions are among the worst teams in the Big Ten this year. More importantly, they do not do much in terms of rebounding either. Penn State ranks 359th in the nation in both defensive and total rebound. They are not much better along the offensive glass with a disastrous 332nd rating.
So maybe there might be a few second-chance opportunities Nebraska can take advantage of here?
Nebraska gets the perfect medicine in Penn State to correct biggest flaw
Simply put, Nebraska needs to get a little more physical moving forward. The Big Ten slate can be unforgiving. While Nebraska is never out of a game because of its ability to score points in bunches, what happens when there seems to be a lid on the cylinder from distance? The name of the game come NCAA Tournament time is to survive and advance. Rebounding will elevate this entire team.
Look. Even though Nebraska has never won an NCAA Tournament game before, that should not matter in this. ESPN's Joe Lunardi has the Cornhuskers as a No. 4 seed going up against projected Ivy League winner Yale in the first round. They have been as high as a No. 2 seed in Bracketology updates, but have hit their first downward tick of the season over the course of the last week or so.
There is no other way around it than Nebraska must improve its greatest weakness as a team before the NCAA Tournament arrives. The best about going up against Penn State and lowly Maryland in back-to-back games is these persistent issues can be rectified. If Nebraska can even remotely attempt to be league-average in rebounding, that will go along way on their anticipated tourney run.
For now, let's hope that the tough road loss to Iowa ingnites a passion in this team vs. Penn State.