Huskers Host Hawkeyes Thursday Night

Nebraska resumes Big Ten Conference action on Thursday, Dec. 29, as the Huskers welcome the Iowa Hawkeyes to Pinnacle Bank Arena.  Tipoff is set for 6 p.m., and tickets are available by visiting Huskers.com/Tickets, calling the NU Athletic Ticket Office at 800-8-BIGRED during business hours (8 a.m.-5 p.m., Mon.-Fri.) and at the Pinnacle Bank Arena Ticket Office 90 minutes before tipoff.   Thursday’s game will be televised nationally on BTN and carried on the Huskers Radio Network. It will be available on the Fox Sports app.

Nebraska (7-6, 0-2 Big Ten) used a strong start and a balanced attack in posting a 75-65 win over Queens on Dec. 20 as part of the Battle in the Vault. The Huskers, who never trailed, used a pair of 11-0 runs in the first half to take control and built a 17-point halftime. Queens got to within nine points midway through the second half, but could get no closer as the Huskers notched a 10-point win. Sam Griesel’s 16 points led five Huskers in double figures, as Nebraska shot 53 percent from the field and enjoyed a 41-35 advantage on the glass to snap a three-game losing streak.

Nebraska features a balanced attack with six players averaging at least 9.4 points per game, including three players in double figures. Senior forward Derrick Walker tops the Huskers in both scoring (14.0 ppg) and rebounding (8.0 rpg) and is second in assists (3.0 apg). Walker, who has been in double figures in seven of the last eight games, had 13 points, six rebounds and a career-high six assists against Queens. He is shooting 66.7 percent from the field.

Iowa (8-4, 0-1 Big Ten) has been off since a stunning 93-82 loss to Eastern Illinois on Dec. 21. The Hawkeyes were short-handed, as they were without starters Kris Murray and Connor McCaffery because of injuries. Filip Rebraca’s 24 points, eight rebounds and five steals led four Hawkeyes in double figures. Eastern Illinois shot 72 percent in the second half and outscored the Hawkeyes, 55-38, to earn the victory.

About Iowa

Iowa comes into Thursday’s game with an 8-4 record and has been off since a Dec. 21 loss to Eastern Illinois. Despite losing NCAA lottery pick Keegan Murray, the Hawkeyes enjoyed an impressive start before injuries hit in early December. Iowa was 6-1 with only a loss to nationally-ranked TCU on a neutral court before Kris Murray was injured in a loss to Duke on Dec. 6. Murray, who averages 19.4 points and 10.1 rebounds per game, has missed the last four games. Murray is expected back for Thursday’s game. Connor McCaffery also missed the Hawkeyes’ last game because of an injury.

Iowa features an explosive offensive attack that averages 83.8 points per game to lead the Big Ten and rank in the top-20 nationally. The Hawkeyes average nearly 24 free throws per game and has been to the line more than double their opponents. In addition to Murray, Iowa have three other players averaging double figures. Patrick McCaffery averages 14.3 points per game, while Filip Rebraca (14.0 ppg, 8.3 rpg) and Tony Perkins (11.5 ppg) also average double figures.

Series History: The Hawkeyes lead the all-time series, 24-13, in a series that dates back to 1907. It is NU’s third-oldest series against a Big Ten foe, as only NU’s series with Minnesota and Wisconsin have been around longer. The teams had not met since 1976 before NU joined the Big Ten in 2011-12. Nebraska is 6-12 against the Hawkeyes since joining the Big Ten. Iowa’s win last February snapped a streak of 10 straight wins by the home team dating back to 2016.

Last meeting: Alonzo Verge Jr. finished with a team-high 18 points to lead four Huskers in double figures, but No. 25 Iowa used an 11-0 second-half run to take control in an 88-78 victory at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Feb. 25, 2022. Nebraska was within 58-56 after a 3-pointer from C.J. Wilcher with 10:51 left, but Kris Murray keyed an 11-0 run, scoring seven of his 12 points in the spurt as the Hawkeyes stretched the lead to 69-56 with 6:34 remaining.

Nebraska pulled to within 81-74 after a Verge layup with 31 seconds left, but Iowa went 7-of-8 from the line to earn its third straight win.  Tony Perkins led six Hawkeyes in double figures with a career-high 20 points, while Nebraska limited Keegan Murray to just 15 points on 6-of-13 shooting. In addition to Verge, who had seven assists, five rebounds and matched his career high with four steals, Wilcher came off the bench and had 14 points, while Bryce McGowens (13) and Derrick Walker (10) also finished in double figures for Nebraska.

Numbers to Know

21 – Nebraska’s NET strength of schedule is 21st nationally and leads the Big Ten as of Dec. 27. Nebraska is the only Big Ten program with a NET SOS in the top-30 entering this week’s action.

.662 – Derrick Walker’s career field goal percentage at Nebraska. He is on track to set NU’s career record in that category. Larry Cox (.625, 1974-76) and Dave Hoppen (.600, 1983-86) are the only two Huskers with career field goal percentages above .600.

11.9 – Nebraska is allowing its opponents only 11.9 free throw attempts per game. The Huskers have held six opponents to 10 free throws or less, including five at Creighton and eight at Indiana. On the other hand, NU is getting to the line an average of 15.6 times per game.

4 – Nebraska’s Sam Griesel is one of only four Big Ten players averaging at least 10.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game, joining Penn State’s Jalen Pickett, Michigan State’s A.J. Hoggard and Indiana’s Jalen Hood-Schifino.

Worth Noting

• Nebraska has faced one of the nation’s toughest schedules so far in 2022-23. As of Dec. 27, Nebraska’s NET strength of schedule was 21st nationally. The Huskers have played seven opponents in either Quad 1 or Quad 2 in the first 13 contests, while Iowa is currently Quad 2 opponent. Currently, 16 of the Huskers’ remaining 18 games are against either Quad 1 or Quad 2 opponents.

• The Big Ten has a national-best nine teams in the top 50 of the NET as of Dec. 27, one more than the Big 12. In all, 13 of the 14 Big Ten schools are in the top-100 of the NET.

• Nebraska has shared the wealth during the first half of the season. The Huskers have six players averaging at least nine points per game, while seven different players have topped NU in scoring at least once.

• In the first 13 games, Nebraska has already totaled six double-doubles (Derrick Walker-3; Juwan Gary-1; Blaise Keita-1; Sam Griesel-1) and all six have been points/rebounds double-doubles. Last year, NU totaled 10 double-doubles in 32 games (6 pts./reb. and 4 pts./asst).

• One area where NU has made significant strides in recent weeks is at the foul line. Over the last four games, NU is shooting 73.9 percent from the line (41-56) after shooting 62.2 percent during the first nine contests. The Huskers have shot 70 percent or better in each of the last four contests.

• Derrick Walker is one of only three players nationally averaging at least 14.0 points and 8.0 rebounds per game while shooting at least 65 percent from the field. Walker bounced back against Queens with 13 points on 6-of-8 shooting. He has shot 60 percent or better in six of eight games this season.

• Juwan Gary’s 11 rebounds against Kansas State on Dec. 17 marked the ninth double-figure rebounding game by a Husker in 2022-23. Gary is now 12th in the Big Ten in rebounding at 7.0 per game entering Thursday’s game with Iowa.

• With more of an emphasis on positional size compared to previous Hoiberg-coached Husker teams, Nebraska has made significant improvement on the defensive end despite breaking in an entirely new starting lineup. The Huskers have held 10 of their 13 opponents to 70 points or less and have climbed nearly 120 spots in adjusted defense in KenPom compared to last season.  The Huskers have held nine of their 13 opponents to under 1.0 point per possession or less, including Purdue to a season-low 0.99 points per possession. NU will be tested against an Iowa team that is ninth nationally in offensive efficiency (114.9).

• Nebraska recently finished up a streak of three straight games against top-15 opponents (No. 7 Creighton, No. 14 Indiana and No. 4 Purdue), the first time that has happened for the Huskers since the 2020-21 season.

• Nebraska saw its three-game win streak against ranked opponents snapped in a loss at No. 14 Indiana on Dec. 10. It matched the second-longest streak in school history and was made more impressive that all three games were on the road. It marked the first time in school history that Nebraska had a three-game road win streak vs. ranked teams.

• The biggest strides Nebraska has made has been in rebounding. NU is currently ninth in the Big Ten in rebounding margin at +3.3 per game and has been out-rebounded just four times in its first 13 contests. Two of the teams which out-rebounded Nebraska rank in the top 20 nationally in that category (Purdue and St. John’s).  NU is 130th nationally in rebounding margin after ranking 344th last year.

• Nebraska has been balanced during the early portion of the season. Currently three Huskers are averaging double figures, led by Derrick Walker’s 14.0 points per game, while three other players are averaging at least 9.4 points per game. Since 2000-01, NU has had only four seasons with four players averaging double figures (2019-20, 2018-19, 2013-14, 2005-06). The last time NU had five players finish the season averaging double figures was the 1993-94 season.

• Nebraska has done an excellent job of not fouling. The Huskers are seventh nationally in fewest fouls per game (13.1) as of Dec. 27. Only three opponents – Florida State, No. 4 Purdue and Queens – have gotten to the line more than Nebraska in the 13 contests.

Last Time Out

Sam Griesel’s 16 points led five Huskers in double figures, as Nebraska closed out non-conference action with a 75-65 win over Queens in Campio’s Battle in the Vault. Griesel, who hit 6-of-9 shots and added three assists, keyed a balanced attack that saw the Huskers shoot 53 percent from the field, including 56 percent in the opening 20 minutes. Nebraska jumped to an 11-0 lead and never trailed in snapping a three-game losing streak.

In addition to Griesel, Keisei Tominaga added 15 points off the bench while Derrick Walker (13), Juwan Gary (11) and Emmanuel Bandoumel (10) gave NU five players in double figures. Walker also matched his career high with six assists, while Bandoumel grabbed eight boards, as the Huskers out-rebounded Queens, 41-35, and held the Royals to a season-low 33.8 percent shooting.

Walker vs. the Bigs 

Over a three-game stretch earlier this month, Nebraska’s Derrick Walker battled three of the nation’s top centers in Creighton’s Ryan Kalkbrenner, Indiana’s Trayce Jackson-Davis and Purdue’s Zach Edey. Kalkbrenner was the Big East Defensive Player of the Year in 2022, while Jackson-Davis and Edey are on the short list for National Player of the Year over the first month of the year. In the three-game stretch, Walker matched the trio’s performance as Nebraska squared off against a trio of teams in the top 15 of the Associated Press poll.

Centers of Attention

Hometown Kid Making Good

Senior Sam Griesel has enjoyed quite the homecoming, averaging 10.6 points, 4.3 assists, 5.1 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game from his point guard spot in replacing Alonzo Verge Jr., who led the Big Ten in assists per game last season. Griesel spent the last four seasons at North Dakota State, earning All-Summit League honors in 2021 and 2022 before returning to Lincoln for his senior year.

• • He ranks seventh in the Big Ten in assists per game and 15th in steals per game.

• • Griesel led NU with 16 points and added three assists and three rebounds in the win over Queens

• • The Huskers’ first scholarship recruit from Lincoln since Jake Muhleisen in the early 2000s, Griesel keyed NU’s win at No. 7 Creighton with 18 points, a season-high 12 rebounds and seven assists.

• • Against Maine, Griesel scored a season-high 22 points and grabbed nine rebounds while also chipping in 18 points in the win over Omaha.

• • Griesel’s 22-point effort against Maine in the season opener was one of the highest-scoring debuts by a Husker in the last 50 seasons.

Bandoumel Provides Steady Production for Big Red
Senior grad transfer Emmanuel Bandoumel has been a steadying force on both ends of the court for the Huskers this season. He enters the Queens game averaging 9.9 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.1 steals per game while also keying NU’s defensive attack. Before joining the Husker program, the Quebec City, Quebec, native was a three-year starter at SMU, averaging double figures in each of the last two years.

• • Bandoumel, who played off the ball for most of his time at SMU, has nearly a 1.2-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio and matched his career best with six assists against Boston College on Nov. 30.

• • He has reached double figures seven times, which is one off the team lead. Bandoumel tallied 18 points and five assists in the loss against Memphis on Nov. 15 and had 13 points and five dimes against Oklahoma on Nov. 24.

• • Bandoumel enjoyed his best game against Omaha with 18 points, including a pair of 3-pointers in NU’s game-opening 11-0 run

Walker Looks to Continue Efficient Shooting
Nebraska has been a much more efficient team since the return of Derrick Walker on Nov. 25. Walker, who missed NU’s first five games, has been a force in the paint, averaging 14.0 points on 67 percent shooting, 8.1 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game. The 6-foot-9 forward was NU’s only returning starter entering 2021-22 and has posted three double-doubles in his first eight games.

• • Walker is one of only six players – and the only one from a power conference – averaging at least 14 points, eight rebounds and three assists per game.

• • He is also one of three players averaging 14 points and eight rebounds per game while shooting 65 percent from the field as of Dec. 27.

• • His most recent double-double was a 14-point, 10-rebound effort against No. 4 Purdue on Dec. 10, his third double-double of the year and sixth of his career.  He also helped limit Zach Edey to a season-low 11 points, snapping his streak of eight straight 20-point games.

• • He keyed NU’s win over No. 7 Creighton with a career-high 22 points on 11-of-16 shooting and eight rebounds against Ryan Kalkbrenner, the reigning Big East Defensive Player of the Year. Walker’s efforts helped NU enjoy a 46-16 advantage in points in the paint.

• • Walker posted his first career 20-point game in a win over Florida State on Nov. 27, with 20 points on 10-of-12 shooting and matched his career high with 13 rebounds.

• • He made his 2022-23 debut against Memphis and had 15 points and 12 boards in a loss to the Tigers.

• • Walker averaged 9.5 ppg and 6.0 rpg in 2022, breaking NU’s single-season field goal percentage mark by shooting 68.3 percent from the field.

• • Last season, Walker was the only Big Ten player and one of just 14 players in Division I to shoot at least 65 percent and average at least eight points per game.

Gary is Huskers’ Junkyard Dog
Nebraska’s improvement in defense and rebounding is directly attributable to the arrival of Alabama transfer Juwan Gary. The 6-foot-6 forward is utilized in a number of ways, even playing center when the Huskers go a to a small-ball lineup. On the season, he is averaging 9.4 points, 7.0 rebounds and a team-best 1.8 steals per game, ranking fifth in the Big Ten in that category.

• • Gary already has seven double-figure scoring efforts this season, after recording eight in 29 games last season, including a season-high 17 points against Arkansas-Pine Bluff and 16 against Oklahoma.

• • He has picked up his rebounding in recent games, averaging 8.4 rebounds per game over NU’s last five games since Dec. 4, including 11 rebounds at Kansas State. His 11 boards against K-State matched his career best.

• • His three double-figure rebound games (Maine, St. John’s and K-State) ties for seventh in the Big Ten.

• • He nearly posted his second double-double of the year with 12 points on 5-of-5 shooting and nine rebounds in the win at No. 7 Creighton on Dec. 4.

• • Gary has more steals (23) than in either of his two seasons at Alabama.

• • He posted a double-double in his Husker debut with 14 points and 11 boards against Maine on Nov. 7

Tominaga Continues Strong Play
After a summer with the Japanese National Team, junior Keisei Tominaga continued his strong play this season.  Tominaga, a 6-foot-2 guard, has been a spark off the bench, ranking second on the team in scoring at 11.2 points per game while averaging just over 20 minutes per contest.

• • Tominaga leads the Huskers in both 3-pointers (23) and 3-point percentage (.397).

• • Of Tominaga’s 15 double-figure games at Nebraska, 11 have come off the bench, including 23-point efforts against Boston College on Nov. 29 and against South Dakota last season.

• • Tominaga’s eight double-figure games are a team high, including a 15-point effort against Queens on Dec. 20.

• • He enjoyed one of his best efforts of the year, a 19-point game, including four 3-pointers, in an overtime loss to Purdue on Dec. 10. He sent the game to OT with a 3-pointer with 9.1 seconds left in regulation.

• • Tominaga shined in NU’s win over Boston College on Nov. 30. He tied his career high of 23 points on just eight field goal attempts (7-8 FG, 4-5 3PT; 5-5 FT) for his second career 20-point game. He had 17 of his 23 markers in the first half, including 11 straight NU points.

• • Tominaga also had a team-high 15 points at St. John’s and a 19-point effort against Maine. In that game, he connected on 7-of-12 shots from the field, including a trio of 3-pointers, and added two rebounds and a blocked shot in 20 minutes.

• • Over the summer, Tominaga was with the Japanese National Team, making his debut in the FIBA World Cup Asia qualifier in early July and then starred for Japan in the 2022 Asia Cup. In seven games with the Senior National Team, Tominaga averaged 15.9 points per game while shooting 39.3 percent from the 3-point line. His best performance came against Australia in the Asia Cup quarterfinals, when he poured in 33 points on 12-of-20 shooting, including 8-of-15 from 3-point range.

Wilcher Breaks Out
Sophomore C.J. Wilcher was one of the Big Ten’s top scoring sixth men last year and has moved into the starting lineup in 2022-23. The 6-foot-5 guard is averaging 9.5 points per game. He is second on the team with 22 3-pointers.

• • Wilcher had a career-high 22-point effort at No. 14 Indiana on Dec. 7, scoring 17 second-half points to keep the Huskers in the game.

• • He scored all 14 of his points in the second half in the win over Boston College on Nov. 30, including a quartet of 3-pointers.

• • Wilcher was efficient in NU’s win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff with 15 points and three assists on just nine shots. Wilcher was 3-of-3 from 3-point range, the second time this season he had at least three 3-pointers.

• • He posted a then-career-high 21 points against Omaha on 8-of-12 shooting, including four 3-pointers. It marked the first 20-point game of his career.

• • Last season, he closed the season playing some of his best basketball, shooting 60 percent from the field, including 50 percent from 3-point range, over NU’s final five games. In Big Ten play last season, he shot a team-best 43.0 percent from beyond the arc.

Making Strides On Defense
Nebraska has been much improved on the defensive end this season, jumping nearly 120 spots in defensive efficiency despite facing five opponents who rank in the top 50 nationally in offensive efficiency as of Dec. 27.

• • Nebraska has held nine of its 13 opponents to 1.0 point per possession or less this year.

• • In the overtime loss to No. 4 Purdue on Dec. 10, Nebraska held the Boilermakers to a season-low 0.99 points per possession. Purdue came into the contest leading in the nation in offensive efficiency (118.0).

• • In NU’s win at No. 7 Creighton, the Huskers limited the Bluejays to 0.73 points per possession, the Huskers’ best performance in a road game in over a decade.