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Rutgers vs. Nebraska: 2019 Big Ten Tournament game preview

By Robert Kennedy

NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 04: Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman #12 of the Michigan Wolverines celebrates after defeating the Purdue Boilermakers 75-66 during the championship game of the Big 10 Basketball Tournament at Madison Square Garden on March 4, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 04: Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman #12 of the Michigan Wolverines celebrates after defeating the Purdue Boilermakers 75-66 during the championship game of the Big 10 Basketball Tournament at Madison Square Garden on March 4, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) /
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LINCOLN, NE – FEBRUARY 6: Head coach Tim Miles of the Nebraska Cornhuskers talks with Isaiah Roby #15 during a break in the game against the Maryland Terrapins at Pinnacle Bank Arena on February 6, 2019 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images)
LINCOLN, NE – FEBRUARY 6: Head coach Tim Miles of the Nebraska Cornhuskers talks with Isaiah Roby #15 during a break in the game against the Maryland Terrapins at Pinnacle Bank Arena on February 6, 2019 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images) /

Nebraska’s Upside Down Season

Hopes were high among Cornhusker Nation that this year was going to be the year. Coming off last season’s NCAA Tournament snub and a subsequent NIT appearance, Tim Miles’ team started out hot in the non-conference slate, rattling off four straight OOC wins, followed by a loss to a red-hot Texas Tech squad. They then went on a three-game win streak, which included a Big Ten Conference opening win against the Illinois Fighting Illini. Fourteen games into the season, the Huskers were 12-2, with the other loss coming at the hands of Minnesota. Nebraska climbed as high as No. 24 in the AP poll on December 31st. The squad even defeated 25th-ranked Indiana, on January 14th. That peak, however, was followed a brutal decline, which included a season-ending knee injury to senior Isaac Copeland against Ohio State on January 26th.

Into The Abyss

Nebraska suffered through a seven-game skid after the Indiana win. The team rallied for a two-game win streak against Minnesota and Northwestern, but that was followed by another four-game descent. During that stretch, they played 8th ranked Purdue extremely tough, only to lose by three points. The other three losses were harsh defeats by Penn State (24 points), Michigan (29 points) and Michigan State (15 points). At that point, the Cornhuskers sported a 5-14 conference record and badly needed a win, for the sake of their sanity, leading into the Big Ten Tournament.

Senior Day

Friday, March 10th was Senior Day, in Lincoln. James Palmer Jr., Glynn Watson Jr. and Isaiah Roby scored a combined 73 points, to upend Iowa 93-91, in overtime. They have a 6-14 conference record.

This victory could provide the spark the Cornhuskers need, to survive and advance, in Chicago

Next. Cinderella hopefuls in the 2019 Big Dance. dark

So…which team wins?

That’s what is so exciting about the Big Ten Tournament. Every team can play its best basketball of the season, one game at a time. Pomeroy has the Huskers as a three-point favorite. Rutgers is coming into the tournament with a two-game losing streak. I’m sure that coach Pikiell has addressed his teams lack of motivation against the Hoosiers, in the practices since that loss. It will be interesting to see how his young team responds.

On the other hand, Nebraska has tasted one victory in its last five contests. Is that enough to turn the trend?  Will Tim Miles’ players rally for their coach, who is on a very hot seat?

My pick: Rutgers. I think that coach Pikiell will get his players’ minds right. Besides, I’m a Penn State fan…I love underdogs. Survive and Advance!

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