A nightmare in Chicago leaves this Nebraska team’s future uncertain

CHICAGO — Sam Griesel’s icy blue-eyed gaze seemingly looked through his name placard in front him, his eyelids heavy, likely the result of postgame tears.

As Nebraska’s beloved senior stared into the abyss with a Gatorade towel draped around his neck, one can only wonder what thoughts entered his mind.

Did he focus on the penultimate play — the one where the ball bounced out of his right hand and out of bounds with 1.3 seconds remaining?

Did he think about the offensive foul from roughly a minute earlier, knowing Nebraska could have at tied the game on that possession?

Did his mind wander to either of his missed threes from down the stretch — either one of which could have propelled Nebraska back in front?

Was it all of it? Does he blame himself?

If he does, he shouldn’t.

For all the catalysts preventing Nebraska from walking out of the United Center victorious Wednesday night, there wasn’t one defining miscue stemming from one specific person. It was a multitude of things entangled into one overarching first-round nightmare.

Minnesota shredded Nebraska’s defense — shooting 51.9% from the floor and 41.7% from three. The Gophers crashed the glass, grabbing six more rebounds than the Huskers. You wonder what that number would be if center Blaise Keita were healthy.

Collectively, Nebraska missed six free throws: two from Griesel, one from freshman Jamarques Lawrence, three from senior Derrick Walker. C.J. Wilcher’s costly foul on a desperation, three-point attempt from Jaden Henley. He made them all.

There’s Nebraska’s two moving screens in the final 90 seconds. One Hail Mary of a prayer shot from halfcourt from Keisei Tominaga at the final buzzer that bounced off the back of the rim.

The list continues, but the picture is vivid enough.

Nebraska clawed back from Minnesota’s one-time 11-point lead, bringing it as close as one point on three separate occasions.

Griesel’s hook shot with 6:04. After Minnesota missed on the following possession, Griesel’s following three-pointer went amiss.

Tominaga’s driving layup with 20 seconds remaining. Freshman Sam Hoiberg intentionally fouled on the in-bounds, sending Ta’lon Cooper to the line, where he made both. On NU’s next possession, Minnesota followed suit and intentionally fouled Griesel. He made both, putting Nebraska at a one-point deficit for the third and final time.

“Unfortunately, we just could not quite get over the hump,” coach Fred Hoiberg said, later adding: “We just could not get the lead. You find a way to get the lead to get over the hump and then who knows what the end result is.”

If ifs and buts were candy and nuts, we’d all have a Merry March Madness.

There is no consolation prize for losing in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament, especially not when that loss is delivered at the hands of the worst team in the conference.

Instead of remaining in Chicago for an encore, Nebraska’s bags are packed for their return trip to Lincoln.

There is no date with Maryland, but rather a date with the tape to see the recorded version of where it all went wrong.

The future now is uncertain.

Nebraska, at 16-16, is far from a surefire lock for the NIT.

Instead, the Huskers will wait with bated breath for Selection Sunday in hopes their entertaining season doesn’t come to a close with this emotional thud.

If Nebraska misses out on the postseason, what an agonizing way for this season, especially the last month, to end.

It’s been quite the ride as of late.

The win over Penn State to turn the tides after four straight losses. The overtime wins over Wisconsin and Maryland. The previous win over Minnesota. The shocking wins at Rutgers and Iowa. Then, turning back the calendar to December, the upset of all upsets over then-No. 7 Creighton.

Were those all for naught?

If the season ends here, what does it all mean?

The existentialist can answer that question in myriad ways.

For Griesel, the initial thought is sadness, but then he pivots to a more positive, while still crestfallen, outlook.

“With what this group did, just for me personally, like why I came here, it’s more of a ‘smile because it happened,’” Griesel said. “Right now, it sucks. It hurts. If it is the end, it hasn’t really sunk in.

“Obviously we’re gonna wait and prepare like we’re gonna play in the postseason, but we’ll see what happens Sunday. But, I guess if it is, smile because it happened.”

While the rest remains unwritten, all Nebraska can do is wait and wonder.