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Nebraska Cornhuskers (7-16, 2-10) vs Maryland Terrapins (19-Four, 9-Three)
Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2020 – 7:30 p.m. CT
XFINITY Heart
TV: BTN
Radio: Husker Sports activities Community
Web: Fox Sports activities App
1. All palms on deck
The highway was already tough sufficient for Nebraska to snap an eight-game dropping streak and earn its first true highway win over a top-10 Maryland crew that hasn’t misplaced at house all season. But issues may get even tougher for the Huskers, who may very well be with out two starters tonight in senior guard Haanif Cheatham and junior guard Dachon Burke. Cheatham suffered a calf contusion throughout Saturday’s loss at Iowa and wasn’t in a position to do a lot of something the previous two days. He traveled to School Park and will probably be a game-time resolution, however his probabilities to play appear skinny at finest. On high of that, Burke got here down with the flu following the Iowa loss and didn’t follow on Monday. Ought to one or each gamers be out, the Huskers would doubtless flip to Jervay Inexperienced – who was one of many solely vibrant spots at Iowa – and true freshman Kevin Cross to fill within the beginning lineup. They might additionally solely have eight scholarship gamers obtainable if each Cheatham and Burke are out.
2. Make layups and free throws
Some of the baffling facets of Nebraska’s irritating season has been the lack to transform seemingly the only factors with so many missed layups and free throws. The Huskers rank 351st out of 353 Division I groups in free-throw proportion (59.9). They’ve additionally made simply 50 % of their layup makes an attempt, lacking 51 whole, over the previous 4 video games. Head coach Fred Hoiberg had no solutions on Monday for why his crew has struggled a lot to attain on the highest-percentage alternatives this season. He mentioned his gamers continuously labored on layups and free throws in follow, and for probably the most half, they’ve transformed at a excessive charge. But with regards to doing it in video games, Nebraska has been as dangerous as there may be in faculty basketball. That is a problem of psychological toughness as a lot as something.
Three. Discover a solution for Jalen Smith
Maryland presents a slew of challenges on each ends of the ground, however the participant who is perhaps one of the crucial tough all-around particular person matchups for Nebraska is middle Jalen Smith. The 6-foot-10 sophomore not solely presents one other mismatch together with his measurement, however he possesses pretty much as good of an inside-out sport offensively as any huge within the convention. A Wood Award finalist, Smith has posted six straight double-doubles coming into tonight’s sport and averages 15.zero factors and 10.1 rebounds, together with hitting 25 Three-pointers at a 40-percent clip on the 12 months. Even worse for the Huskers, Smith ranks third within the Large Ten in blocked photographs at 2.Four per sport. No crew within the nation will get its photographs blocked greater than NU, which ranks useless final in DI with an offensive block proportion of 13.5. Smith might fully dominate this sport on each ends of the ground if the Huskers do not discover some solutions for him.
Maryland 88, Nebraska 65
Robin’s 2019-20 document: 14-9
vs. the unfold: 10-13
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