March has officially arrived, which signifies that the NCAA Tournament is approaching. With Nebraska men’s basketball on the verge of qualification, they required a win against Minnesota; nevertheless, the Golden Gophers had different intentions.
Minnesota, entering this matchup as an 8.5 point underdog, outperformed the Huskers for the majority of the game and held a lead as large as 16 in the second half. Nebraska rallied and briefly led with nine seconds remaining, but a 3-pointer from senior guard Brennan Rigsby clinched the Golden Gophers’ 67-65 win in the final moments.
Here are three key points from the devastating loss:
Yet another sluggish beginning, the outcome leads to defeat.
Slow beginnings have doomed Nebraska on numerous occasions this season, and today was no exception. The Huskers let Minnesota score first, and while they managed to make the game close, it ultimately contributed to their defeat.
“I’m not sure what exactly caused the sluggish beginning; we just need to figure out how to put an end to it,” senior guard Brice Williams stated. “If we perform as we do at the end of the game, we’ll win 70% to 80% of the games we lost.”
Nebraska’s extended periods without scoring enabled the Golden Gophers to establish a significant lead midway through the first half. The Huskers appeared to be merely going through the motions and seemed demoralized by the slow beginning.
Nebraska clawed back to within single digits before halftime, but Minnesota responded with an even stronger blow. The Huskers finished the game well, but playing a good half of basketball doesn’t suffice at this level.
“Suddenly, we feel the urgency we required right from the start.” “You simply can’t act that way in this league,” stated head coach Fred Hoiberg. “You can’t find yourself down 18 or 20 and then suddenly choose to change your approach.” “We aren’t sufficient for that.”
Perimeter game requires improvement.
Nebraska faced challenges from the three-point line on both sides of the court today. It enabled Minnesota to hit 10-of-21 from three-point range, while responding with a weak 4-of-16 shooting percentage.
3-pointers have not been the strength of the Huskers. Nonetheless, when facing a physical team like the Golden Gophers, they must make some three-point shots. Junior guard Connor Essegian hit three of the team’s four three-point shots. Nevertheless, he hasn’t demonstrated that he is sufficiently consistent as a deep shooter, nor has any other player on the squad.
Nebraska had difficulty defending against Minnesota’s 3-point shots. The Huskers permitted the Golden Gophers to get open shots in sync, and they made them.
Nebraska is a team that allows its rivals to score from long range, but they lack the offensive strength to respond.
The moment to solve problems is now.
The time is running out in the regular season, and the Huskers must quickly sort things out before Selection Sunday. At one time, Nebraska appeared to be secure in the tournament, but its recent downturn has cast doubt on that position.
“We have two additional chances to wear the uniform for sure.” “Beyond that, nothing is guaranteed,” Hoiberg stated.
The Huskers have showcased some impressive stretches this season, but have yet to consistently perform at a high level in basketball. They appear fine one evening and then go out and ruin everything the following day.
“Unless we solve it, it will keep happening over and over,” Williams stated.
Nebraska’s upcoming regular season matchups with Ohio State and Iowa are approaching must-win status. This year, it has faced both of these teams and must demonstrate that it can learn from its mistakes. Even though the odds appear against the Huskers, they still have the power to shape their fate.
“It’s available, but we need to venture out and seize it,” Williams stated. “No one is going to hand it to us, especially in this league.”
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