Creighton vs. Nebraska: 2018-19 College basketball game preview, TV schedule
By Brett Renner
Creighton and Nebraska are set for their annual clash in another edition of the in-state rivalry. Can the Huskers end the seven-game losing streak to the Bluejays?
TV Schedule: December 8 at 6:00 PM EST (BTN)
Location: Pinnacle Bank Arena (Lincoln, Nebraska)
Every season this game is circled on each team’s calendar, but this year’s matchup is a bit different. In recent years, Creighton has been at the top of the Big East, and Nebraska has been at the bottom of the Big Ten. This year, Nebraska comes into this matchup ranked in the AP Top 25 for the first time since 2014.
Creighton, on the other hand, comes into this matchup on a seven-game winning streak against their in-state rival, but the Bluejays come in this year as an underdog. The Bluejays rely on a young core of freshman and sophomores to play the majority of their minutes, while the Huskers return their top to scorers from last year’s matchup.
Led by seniors Isaac Copeland and James Palmer, the Huskers look to rebound after a disappointing loss to Minnesota in a game that they led by as much as 14. This years matchup with Creighton is a big one for Nebraska, and more specifically, head coach Tim Miles. Miles comes into this matchup with an all-time record of 0-14 against Creighton’s head coach Greg McDermott.
On the other hand, McDermott and his Jays face tough matchups in this game. Huskers forward Isaiah Roby will cause problems for Creighton with his length and scoring ability down low. The biggest key in this game will be whether or not the Huskers can contain the Bluejays three-point attack. Creighton ranks in the top-5 for three-point and field goal percentage.
The key players to watch in this matchup will be Creighton’s leading scorer and sophomore sensation Ty-Shon Alexander and Husker’s guard James Palmer. Each of these guys can score anywhere on the court and they should be fun to watch on each side of the court.
Ultimately, I think the biggest stat that sticks out is the success that McDermott has had against Miles, he’s simply out-coached him in every aspect up to this point in their respective careers. The crowd inside Pinnacle Bank Arena will be a factor in this one, with the Huskers student section being one of the best in the nation.
dark. Next. Big East Power Rankings
This game will be an exciting one, and has potential to be one of the classics in the long-time rivalry. I think McDermott will prove the skeptics wrong and his Jays will continue to shoot hot from behind the arc to improve their winning streak to eight.