3 keys and a prediction for Nebraska basketball vs. Minnesota

The season may truly be on the line for the Nebraska basketball team on Saturday when Minnesota comes to town for an afternoon tip (1 PM CST, BTN).

The Huskers have work to do to make the NCAA tournament and also the Big Ten tournament. Losses to Iowa and Minnesota could put even that in jeopardy.

Nebraska basketball has dropped consecutive games at home and has been very beatable during conference play with a 4-4 home record. Michigan escaped with 49-46 because nobody could score the ball outside of Brice Williams.

You have to have some complementary pieces at some point. Juwan Gary, Connor Essegian, and others have to step up. Minnesota is 6-11 in conference and 14-14 overall.

Dawson Garcia is still around, but this is a team that struggles to score. They are last in the Big Ten in points per game. Their defense is the worst in the league defending the 3-point shot. The 2-point defense isn’t bad, and Minnesota is third in blocks per game, but Nebraska basketball is an 8.5-point favorite. This is a must-win, and here are three keys to a Huskers win.

Someone besides Brice Williams has to step up

Against Michigan, Williams had 26 of the 46 points for Nebraska. He scored 20 of the first 24.

Michigan changed its defense, and it worked like a charm. Sam Hoiberg went 2-for-2. Yet the rest of the team shot below 20 percent for the game.

That can’t happen again if Nebraska wants to get back on the winning track this weekend; some others will have to start knocking down shots.

Keep Dawson Garcia in check

This is easier said than done. Garcia averages 19.6 points per game. He also shoots 35 percent from 3-point range and is lethal on the glass. That’s in addition to being a shot blocker.

Garcia is one of the best players in the Big Ten. Minnesota relies on him heavily, and he’ll probably need to have a double-double for Minnesota to have a realistic chance of pulling the upset.

For Nebraska, it’s simple: make someone else beat you, sort of like Michigan did with Brice Williams.

Start fast

This might sound simple, but Nebraska needs to build some confidence early on Saturday. The Huskers scored just 46 points on Saturday, one game after a terrible offensive outing against Northwestern.

Nebraska basketball got off to a decent start against Michigan. But the Huskers couldn’t sustain it and wasted a superb defensive effort. Holding Michigan under 50 points was an impressive effort. Michigan shot below 20 percent from 3-point range, and Nebraska basketball still lost.

You hope this team isn’t running out of gas. Juwan Gary needs to make more than two shots on Saturday. Connor Essegian needs to do the same thing. A positive start is essential, though. Nebraska has had to rally in the last four games. They found a way against Penn State but lost to Maryland, Northwestern, and Michigan.

If the Huskers spot Minnesota an early lead, it could spell doom.

Prediction: Nebraska 69, Minnesota 62. 

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