Nebraska Basketball: 2019-20 season preview for Cornhuskers

By Bryan Mauro | Oct 6, 2019

LINCOLN, NE - DECEMBER 8: Glynn Watson Jr. #5 of the Nebraska Cornhuskers and Isaac Copeland Jr. #14 and James Palmer Jr. #0 and Dachon Burke celebrate the win against the Creighton Bluejays at Pinnacle Bank Arena on December 8, 2018 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images) /

4 of 5

INDIANAPOLIS, IN – MARCH 12: A general interior view of the empty court during the semifinals of the 2011 Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament at Conseco Fieldhouse on March 12, 2011 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

Schedule Overview

There have been countless years with Doc Sadler and Tim Miles as the coach that Nebraska won enough games to make the NCAA tournament, but their schedule was not strong enough. Even worse the team was on the fringe of the tournament and lost a key game in the non-conference that kept them out. Year one of the Fred Hoiberg era in Nebraska appears to be more of the same.

The Huskers currently have one of the easiest non-conference schedules among the major conference schools. Outside of a potential matchup with New Mexico State in the Cayman Islands Tournament they only play two formidable opponents on the non-league portion. Those are at Georgia Tech and the annual showdown against Creighton. Those teams were projected to be in the NCAA tournament conversation. Last week, the NCAA placed Georgia Tech on probation for their actions in the recruitment of Wendell Carter Jr. The Yellow Jackets were denied a chance to play in the postseason because of the probation. Those two games would be good for Nebraska to win.

It makes sense why Coach Hoiberg padded the schedule with teams Nebraska could beat. It’s a brand-new team full of players who have yet to play a meaningful game against a real opponent together. Wins build confidence even if you are beating up on lesser opponents. The more confidence a young team has the better they will be heading into conference play. Coach Hoiberg hopes that he can ride the momentum of some wins into conference play.

The conference schedule for Nebraska this year is difficult. As is the normal with life in the Big Ten. The Huskers play their two conference games before Christmas with one winnable game at Indiana and Purdue in Lincoln. When it resumes they have upstart Rutgers and Iowa in Lincoln, before heading out on the road to Northwestern and Ohio State. The double-plays for the Huskers are Indiana, Rutgers, Iowa, Wisconsin, Ohio State, Northwestern and Michigan.

Those double-plays are tremendously hard for Nebraska to gain any headway. They play what could be two of the top 4 teams twice. If Nebraska struggles to gain traction or struggles to score they will arrive at the 13th preseason ranking in the standings.

Home/Nebraska Cornhuskers