3 reasons Nebraska basketball fans should be invested in College Basketball Crown

Nebraska basketball wanted to be playing in the NCAA tournament. Instead, the Huskers are headed to the College Basketball Crown.

Some fans are wondering why the Huskers didn’t play in the NIT. Well, the top two teams from the Big Ten that don’t play in the NCAA tournament are required to play in the College Basketball Crown, so the Huskers didn’t have a choice.

They could have declined an invite. But I am glad that Nebraska is headed to the postseason. It’s only the second time under Fred Hoiberg, but it is the second year in a row.

Some Nebraska basketball fans might not care about The College Basketball Crown, but here are some thoughts and why Huskers fans should care.

It’s a chance to end on a positive note

Brice Williams is one the best players Nebraska basketball has ever had. He at least had one of the best seasons in program history. It would be great to see that end with a tournament victory, instead of five straight losses.

The Crown isn’t the NCAA tournament. There are even four teams below .500 in the field, including Nebraska’s first-round opponent, Arizona State, which won 13 games overall and just four in the Big 12. Even so, the Sun Devils’ Kenpom ranking is 70th.

There are also some quality teams in the field including 12 that are ranked in the top 100 of the Kenprom rankings, as well as numerous with 20 wins.

Nebraska basketball can still reach that milestone, which would be significant. That and bringing home the first postseason trophy since 1996 is all the motivation the Huskers should need.

Nebraska basketball has a legit chance to win the tournament

The field is more difficult than the NIT by far. But Nebraska basketball is still the second-highest-rated team in the bracket according to Kenpom.

Boise State is 50th followed by Nebraska basketball at 54th. Cincinnati is 55th, followed by Villanova (56th), USC (63rd), UCF (69th), Arizona State (70th), Utah (76th), Butler (77th), Colorado (81st), Oregon State (85th), and Georgetown (87th).

Washington State (124th), George Washington (113th), DePaul (118th), and Tulane (138th) aren’t that far behind and all have winning records outside of DePaul.

Still, Nebraska probably has the best team. The Huskers won four games against ranked teams this season and notched six quad-1 wins. It might take four straight wins over top-100 teams in the Kenpom to win it, but the Huskers can easily capture the College Basketball Crown.

Winning would be a great end to an impressive three-year run for Nebraska

Fred Hoiberg is on the hot seat according to some fans, but they are crazy. Nebraska just put together three non-losing seasons for the first time in 17 years (2006-08).

I know this team should have reached the NCAA tournament. If that would have happened, it would have been the first time Nebraska got consecutive berths since 1993 and 1994 (31 years).

If the Huskers can win three games at the College Basketball Crown, they will clinch consecutive 20-win seasons for the first time since 1999 (26 years).

Winning the College Basketball Crown would also be the first postseason title since the 1996 NIT. That was one of my best memories as a Husker basketball fan. That’s sad, of course, but it shows the state of the program.

Hoiberg can help Nebraska win and reach new heights. But with a few more wins this season, this team can also achieve a few things Nebraska basketball hasn’t in decades, which is a worthwhile goal in my book and also why fans should quit being so negative about the College Basketball Crown, although trust me, I get it.

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