Nebraska Basketball: Huskers have collapsed in Big Ten play
Nebraska basketball fans were optimistic that the 2018-2019 season could lead to the program’s first ever NCAA Tournament win. Instead, they’ve been let down once again, as the Huskers have fallen apart in conference play.
Oh how things have changed since January 14th. That was when Nebraska basketball last tasted victory and it came on the road against a ranked Indiana team. The win put the Huskers at 3-3 in conference play and 13-4 overall, which was a thrill for this starved fanbase.
Little did the Big Red faithful know that would be the last time Nebraska would win a game. They’re on a six-game losing streak now, with the most recent one coming in embarrassing fashion to Maryland.
Losing by double digits is embarrassing enough, but losing at home by double digits and it being the team’s sixth straight loss is even more humiliating. Nebraska is now 3-9 in conference play, good for 13th in the standings. They only sit ahead of Penn State, who is 1-10. At least there’s that.
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Long gone are the hopes of making the tournament (even making the NIT is unrealistic at this point) and Nebraska fans have grown accustomed to being out of postseason conversation by this time of year. The difference this season is that this team was supposed to be different. This team has talent, but that hasn’t shown over the past three weeks.
The offense has been nearly non-existent over this losing streak and Wednesday night’s loss to the Terrapins set records in the “bad offense” category. Chris Basnett of the Lincoln Journal Star wrote that the 45 points scored in this game (60-45 was the final score) were the fewest amount of points the Huskers have ever scored at Pinnacle Bank Arena. That’s embarrassing.
Nebraska started the 2018-2019 season with promise. They ripped off wins against respectable non-conference opponents such as Seton Hall, Clemson, and in-state foe Creighton. Fans felt good about the team’s chances heading into conference play at the end of 2018.
When the calendar turned to 2019, however, that’s when things went south for the Cornhuskers. This isn’t the lousy Big Ten conference that we all watched Nebraska mostly beat up on last season. No, this is a conference that has rebounded nicely and has several teams ranked in the top 25.
Outside of that road victory over Indiana a few weeks ago, Nebraska has failed to do any kind of damage against ranked opponents, or against anyone for that matter. Ranked wins are the most important wins when it comes to making the NCAA Tournament, but we all know the hopes of going dancing in March are non-existent now.
You can’t go to the dance if you’re 3-9 in your own conference.
Looking ahead, it really doesn’t look promising for the Cornhuskers to finish the season on a high note. Five of their eight remaining match-ups are against ranked opponents. The non-ranked teams are Minnesota, Northwestern, and Penn State with two of the third being played in Lincoln.
dark. Next. NCAA Tournament History for Nebraska Basketball
It’s a shame that the season went south as quickly as it has for the Huskers This appeared to be a season that had real potential and the program hasn’t had much hype surrounding it since… Well, ever really.
Hopefully some changes are made to program this offseason because Nebraska basketball hasn’t given its fanbase much to cheer about in its entire existence. That needs to change.