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Nebraska Basketball: NCAA Tournament seems unlikely despite recent run

By Leigh Oleszczak

MADISON, WI - JANUARY 29: Nebraska guard Evan Taylor (11) knocks down and fouls Wisconsin guard Brad Davison (34) during a college basketball game between the University of Wisconsin Badgers and the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers on January 29, 2018 at the Kohl Center in Madison, WI. (Photo by Lawrence Iles/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
MADISON, WI - JANUARY 29: Nebraska guard Evan Taylor (11) knocks down and fouls Wisconsin guard Brad Davison (34) during a college basketball game between the University of Wisconsin Badgers and the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers on January 29, 2018 at the Kohl Center in Madison, WI. (Photo by Lawrence Iles/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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Despite a nice run by Nebraska basketball over the past few weeks, it doesn’t look very likely that the Cornhuskers will get to put on their dancing shoes come March.

A weak Big Ten and a lack of quality wins could be the death of Nebraska basketball when it comes to a tournament bid next month. The best chance that the Huskers have at partaking in the NCAA Tournament is to win the Big Ten Tournament, but taking that title over the likes of Purdue or Michigan State seem unrealistic.

Chris Basnett of The Lincoln Star Journal points out that the Huskers are on just two brackets out of the 105 total on a bracket specialty site. That is not a good sign for Nebraska as the regular season nears the end.

What has killed Nebraska’s chances this year is how awful the Big Ten is. Sure, the conference has Purdue, Michigan State, Ohio State, and Michigan (whom the Huskers beat already), but it also has some really bad and underwhelming teams this season.

If the Huskers win out, they might be able to squeak into March Madness.

Wisconsin is a big downer in the Big Ten this year and Nebraska actually swept the Badgers. Too bad this isn’t a year in which Wisconsin is a contender or that’d surely be a resumé booster.

The only “quality win that Nebraska basketball has to show for at the moment is its victory over Michigan last month. Not only did Nebraska win that game, but they straight up blew the Wolverines out. Unfortunately, that in itself won’t be enough to propel the Cornhuskers into the tournament talks.

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With just two road games left on the year, Nebraska has a chance to up the ante. One game is against the lowly Illinois hoops program and another will come against Minnesota.

The Gophers are normally pretty competitive in basketball, but this has been a disappointing season for them (which seems to be a recurring theme in the Big Ten). Nebraska has a chance to get a win against both Minnesota and Illinois.

If the Huskers win out (it is entirely possible with their schedule), they might be able to squeak into March Madness. It’ll all depend on what the committee decides to go off of and if Nebraska impresses enough down the stretch.

Losing to the Kansas Jayhawks in December had bigger ramifications than we all thought at the time. Nebraska had a chance to knock off a top 25 opponent and barely lost. That win along with the big victory over Michigan and winning their remaining games probably would have been enough to get the Cornhuskers into the dance. Instead, fans will look back on that game and wonder what could have been.

The season isn’t over yet and the tournament bracket hasn’t been announced, but it seems pretty unlikely that the Nebraska Cornhuskers will get to put on their dancing shoes in 2018. It’s too bad too, as this season has had a special feel to it.

Hopefully Husker hoops does its part and the committee surprises everyone and decides to give Nebrasketball a chance in March. Go Big Red!

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