Nebraska vs. No. 21 Wisconsin

Nebraska Cornhuskers (4-10, 0-7) vs Wisconsin Badgers (14-6, 8-5)

Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2021 – 8:30 p.m.

Pinnacle Bank Arena

TV: BTN

Radio: Husker Sports Network

Internet: FOX Sports App

1. Make the simple plays

Nebraska’s offense has been dysfunctional all season, and as frustration continues to build with every loss, the Huskers have been making things even worse by forcing the issue with the ball.

Whether it’s been hoisting contested 3-pointers early in the shot clock or driving into a pack of defenders in the lane and getting shots blocked, NU has made life even more difficult with poor decisions.

After the Minnesota loss, head coach Fred Hoiberg talked about how he’s tried to get his team to focus on running a handful of “simple plays” to try and generate good, high-percentage looks without making things overly complicated.

When the Huskers executed those plays, they far more successful than not. When they tried to do too much, things often ended badly.

Stay within the framework of the offense, and good shots will come.

2. Stop turning it over

Scoring is already hard enough for Nebraska right now and turning it over 35 times in its first two games since the layoff hasn’t helped anything

The Huskers already have such a small margin for error, and they won’t stand a chance against anyone when they give the ball away 17 and 18 times like it did at Michigan State and Minnesota, respectively.

Ball security will be especially important tonight against a Wisconsin team that ranks fourth in the Big Ten in turnover margin (2.55) and third in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.44).

In the first meeting in Madison, NU couldn’t buy a bucket all night. But it kept itself in the game deep into the second half with relentless defense and only turned it over nine times.

In the loss to Indiana last month, Hoiberg said Nebraska played its best basketball of the year while erasing an 18-point deficit. By no coincidence, it only committed nine turnovers.

3. Get Teddy Allen going

Nebraska struggled offensively against Minnesota because it was without leading scorer Teddy Allen, who was benched per coach’s decision for disciplinary reasons.

While he’s been the Huskers’ top scorer this season at 17.2 points per game, Allen had one of his worst outings of the season in the return game at Michigan State. He scored just points on 1-of-10 shooting from the field with three turnovers and had five shots blocked.

Allen was benched midway through the second half, and there’s a chance that his frustration got the best of him during the following 48 hours before Minnesota.

The junior guard is expected to return to the lineup tonight, and the Huskers desperately need Allen to be “Teddy Buckets” once again.

He’s the one player on the team who can change a game offensively, and if Allen is locked in and playing with swagger, NU will have a chance.

Wisconsin (-11) 73, Nebraska 64

Robin’s season record: 12-2

vs. the spread: 9-5