Luke Mullin and Amie Just have the latest Life in the Red Podcast episode, which centers Big Ten Tournament hoops and football.
Nebraska learned its postseason path on Monday afternoon.
Nebraska will host Missouri State at 6 p.m. Wednesday in a first-round game at Pinnacle Bank Arena. All six rounds of the tournament are played at home sites.
Here are my initial thoughts.
1. Quick turnaround time
Nebraska is one of four teams in the entire 64-team field that has two days to prepare for the first-round game.
There are two first-round games on Wednesday: Kent State at Syracuse and Missouri State at Nebraska. Most of the remaining first-round games will be Thursday with nine contests on Friday.
Nebraska’s last game was nearly two weeks ago on March 2, while Missouri State’s last game was on March 10.
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Will that help Nebraska or hinder them? We’ll find out Wednesday.
2. What to make of Missouri State
Missouri State’s a tough draw for Nebraska to start out with.
The Bears went 20-11 this season, with a 14-6 record in the Missouri Valley — a conference that had four teams make the WNIT this season.
At last week’s Missouri Valley Conference tournament, Drake — a previous opponent for both Nebraska and Missouri State — stole the show as the No. 4 seed and upset both Illinois State and Belmont for the MVC’s automatic qualifier to the NCAA tournament. Drake also ended Missouri State’s quest for the MVC title — winning in a one-possession game that could have gone either way.
Drake is the only common opponent this season for Nebraska and Missouri State. The Huskers went 0-1 against the Bulldogs, while the Bears went 1-2.
Nebraska rides into the WNIT having lost five of its last seven games, while Missouri State is 3-4 over the last few weeks.
Two Missouri State players stand out as potential game-changers: Senior guard Aniya Thomas and freshman forward Jade Masogayo.
Thomas earned All-MVC second-team honors, in addition to making the All-Defensive and All-Newcomer teams. The former Kansas Jayhawk averaged 14.8 points and 4.7 rebounds in 2022-23.
Masogayo earned the MVC Freshman of the Year award. The 6-foot-3 Fort Worth native averaged 8.1 points and 5.4 rebounds this season while shooting at a 53% clip from the floor.
3. A region full of interesting matchups — if Nebraska can advance
Nebraska can’t afford to look ahead in the bracket.
Postseason tournaments, whether that be the NCAA tournament or the WNIT, have been quick outs for the Huskers as of late. Nebraska was bounced in the first round of the NCAA tournament last year and in 2018. The last time Nebraska made the WNIT, in 2016, they also lost in the first round.
The last time Nebraska won a game in either the NCAA tournament or WNIT was in 2014 when the Huskers beat Fresno State in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
With that history in mind, we can still take a glance at the potential path ahead.
If Nebraska beats Missouri State, the Huskers would play the winner of the Northern Iowa/Colorado State matchup.
The Panthers went 22-9 this season, while the Rams went 20-11.
Nebraska hasn’t faced either Northern Iowa or Colorado State since 2016. The Huskers lost to the Panthers in the first round of the 2016 WNIT for Connie Yori’s final season, and then beat Colorado State in the preseason WNIT in Amy Williams’ first season in 2016-17.
Other teams in Nebraska’s bracket group are former Big 12 Conference foes Missouri and Kansas. A potential matchup with either of those teams would be in the Great Eight round. Nebraska and Kansas faced off earlier this season in a triple-overtime thriller, while the Huskers and the Tigers haven’t played one another since 2019.
Looking farther ahead, if Nebraska were to advance to the Fab 4, a potential team waiting in the wings would be Oregon — Jaz Shelley’s old squad.
Top Journal Star photos for March 2023
Hastings St. Cecilia teammates embrace after losing to Centura in the Class D-1 girls state championship Saturday at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
Elkhorn North’s Britt Prince (2) walks onto court before facing Norris in a Class B girls state tournament first-round game Thursday at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
Centura (left) greets Cedar Catholic before a Class D-1 girls state tournament semifinal Friday at the Devaney Sports Center.
Elkhorn North’s Sydney Stodden (left) and Mallory Hansen celebrate the win against York during a Class B girls state tournament semifinal game on Friday at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
Adams Central’s Gracie Weichman (far right) embraces teammate Megyn Scott as the overtime draws to a close to win a Class C-1 girls state tournament semifinal game Friday at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
North Bend Central’s Kaitlyn Emanuel (23) and McKrae Muller (40) celebrate after defeating Adams Central in the Class C-1 girls state championship Saturday at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
Elkhorn North celebrates after defeating Omaha Skutt in the Class B girls championship game Saturday at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
Christ Lincoln Schools fourth grader Hudson Parr (right) rides the metal pig statue named Petunia as Gov. Jim Pillen watches on Wednesday.
Millard North’s Avril Smith (right) and Kayla Preston (back) fight for a rebound against Lincoln North Star’s Aleviah Anderson (left) during a Class A girls state tournament first-round game Wednesday at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
A bank employee was taken by ambulance to a local hospital after a woman drove her car through a window of LincOne Federal Credit Union near 48th and Vine streets on Wednesday.
Lincoln Southwest head coach Tim Barada hugs Brinly Christensen as the final seconds of the fourth quarter come to a close in the Hawks’ loss to Millard South in a Class A girls state basketball tournament first-round game Wednesday at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
Malcolm celebrates after defeating Wahoo in a Class C-1 girls state basketball tournament first-round game Wednesday at the Devaney Sports Center.
Millard West’s Maddie Wallor hits Lincoln High’s Briauna Robinson in the face while she scores a basket during a Class A girls state basketball tournament first-round game Wednesday at Pinnacle Bank Arena
the Sidney bench jumps for joy after defeating Beatrice during a Class B state girls basketball tournament first-round game on Thursday, March 2, 2023, at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
Omaha Skutt’s Molly Ladwig scores a layup over Waverly defenders in the first half during a Class B state girls basketball tournament first-round game at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
Pender’s Maya Dolliver (center) hugs Madalyn Dolliver as their team celebrates their win over Oakland-Craig in the the Class C-2 state girls basketball tournament championship game at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
Oakland-Craig player huddle up for a pregame prayer before taking on Pender in the Class C-2 state girls basketball tournament championship game at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
Lincoln High’s Briauna Robinson (center) celebrates with the Links’ student section after defeating Millard North in a Class A girls state tournament semifinal Friday at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
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