Big Ten Announces Men’s Basketball Conference Slate

For the second time in three seasons, the Nebraska men’s basketball team will open conference play at Indiana, as the Big Ten Conference announced its 2021-22 schedule Wednesday afternoon.
 
Nebraska’s two early December games feature a pair of Big Ten heavyweights, as the Huskers will open at Indiana on Saturday, Dec. 4, in the Big Ten debut for Hoosier Head Coach Mike Woodson.  It is the fourth time since the 2014-15 season that Nebraska has opened Big Ten play with Indiana (also 2014-15, 2016-17, 2019-20). The Huskers then open the home portion of their conference schedule on Tuesday, Dec. 7, against defending Big Ten regular-season champion Michigan in the first of two meetings between the schools in 2021-22.
 
In all, the 20-game conference slate features 14 games against teams which made the 2021 NCAA Tournament, including 10 of the Huskers’ first 12 B1G tilts.
 
The Huskers’ January slate features eight games against NCAA teams, including home matchups with Ohio State (Jan. 2), Big Ten Tournament champion Illinois (Jan. 11), Wisconsin (Jan. 25) and Rutgers (Jan. 29), as well as an MLK Day rematch with Indiana (Jan. 17).  Nebraska’s road games include a back-to-back trip at Michigan State (Jan. 5) and Rutgers (Jan. 8) along with visits to Purdue (Jan. 14) and Ohio State (Jan. 22).
 
In February, the Huskers open the month with a rematch with the Wolverines (Feb. 1) before returning home for games against Northwestern (Feb. 5) and Minnesota (Feb. 9). The month also includes a home-and-home series against Iowa (Feb. 13 and Feb. 25) with the game in Lincoln on Feb. 25 serving as Senior Night. Other games that month include trips to Northwestern (Feb. 22) and Penn State (Feb. 28) and a home game against Maryland (Feb. 18).
 
The Huskers close the regular season on Sunday, March 6 at Wisconsin before the 25th Big Ten MBB Tournament takes place at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis March 9-13.   Start times and network designations will be announced in the coming weeks.
 
The Huskers return three starters from last season, including Trey McGowens, Lat Mayen and Derrick Walker and welcomed a top-15 recruiting class to campus to fall, highlighted by five-star recruit Bryce McGowens. NU also adds a trio of Division I transfers, including Arizona State Alonzo Verge Jr., who averaged 14.0 points per game in 2020-21.