Busting Brackets
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Big Ten Basketball: Ranking each team’s league schedule for 2021-22 season

By Trevor Sinodhinos

Feb 13, 2021; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Tom Izzo during the first half against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Jack Breslin Student Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 13, 2021; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Tom Izzo during the first half against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Jack Breslin Student Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports /
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Big Ten Basketball Nebraska Cornhuskers Trey McGowens Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports
Big Ten Basketball Nebraska Cornhuskers Trey McGowens Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports /

7. Nebraska Cornhuskers

Home & Away – Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Northwestern, Ohio State, Rutgers, Wisconsin
Home Only – Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota
Away Only – Michigan State, Penn State, Purdue

If you are a fan of Nebraska basketball it is difficult to get excited about any season forecast. As their 5-34 conference record over the past two years is proof that they will continue to disappoint. The exciting part of that record is that 18 of those losses were by fewer than 10 points and the 2021-22 Cornhuskers’ roster is their best since their 2017-18 season when they were led by James Palmer and Isaiah Roby, plus they have a schedule that is decent.

With nine guys that can contribute offensively, Coach Fred Hoiberg is positioned to have the Cornhuskers maintain their Big Ten leading pace of playstyle. A style that will help them when they play Michigan and Ohio State twice. Those four games will be difficult as the three-guard line-up Nebraska is going to run out onto the court is going to have trouble guarding Caleb Houston and Justice Sueing. Arizona transfer Alonzo Verge Jr. will supply the offensive punch, but Trey McGowens will be saddled with guarding the bigger men.

The home and away games versus the lesser talented teams in Northwestern, Iowa, and Wisconsin is what really props this schedule up. Iowa and Nebraska will have no interest in a fast-paced game, but neither Iowa nor Wisconsin is good enough to dictate the pace in their favor. Northwestern on the other hand can pick up the pace with Boo Buie or work Ryan Young versus the smaller Derrick Walker for a slower pace.

Their home-only game versus Illinois will be a loss anywhere, but the home court will be valuable to prevent an upset at the hands of Minnesota, as well as help come away with a surprise win versus Maryland. The earlier the better for Nebraska as Maryland will eventually find their groove, and similar to how Young will hurt Nebraska in the paint, Qudus Wahab will do so even more, but the Terrapins three-guard offense will be easier to stop.

Michigan State and Purdue on the road are losses that are easier to take when it means playing Maryland at home instead, but the trip to Penn State could cost them a spot in the standings if Kobe Webster does not win the point guard battle versus All-Big South selection Jaheam Cornwall.

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