3 takeaways from Nebraska’s second-half blitz of Minnesota

Just when you think Nebraska basketball might be in trouble, the Huskers respond with a blitzkrieg.

Indiana was up 16 points on Nebraska, yet the Huskers won the game by six. On Saturday, as a 5.5-point favorite, Nebraska found itself trailing by eight points.

The Huskers weren’t shooting the ball well. Minnesota was on fire. Eventually, things return to the mean. Nebraska found its shooting stroke in the second half, connecting on seven 3-pointers. Minnesota didn’t make any after nine in the first half.

Pryce Sandfort delivered another big game with 22 points, 10 rebounds, four blocks, three assists, and two steals. Sam Hoiberg scored 14 points, dished out seven assists, four rebounds, and two turnovers. He also had a steal.

Jamarques Lawrence managed 14 points and five assists, too. Rienk Mast was off on the offensive end, but Nebraska gutted out another win, and will head to Ann Arbor for a top-10 showdown with Michigan on Tuesday for a matchup between teams with a combined record of 38-1.

Here are three takeaways from Saturday’s 76-57 win.

Sandfort should be in the Player of the Year conversation

Nebraska has the best record in the Big Ten, and for my money, Pryce Sandfort has been the Huskers’ best player. He’s the team’s leading scorer, but he does much more than that. On Saturday, he led Nebraska basketball in rebounds, blocks, and 3-pointers. He’s a terror from beyond the arc and in the paint. His defense has improved a lot, too.

There are some other incredible players in the Big Ten, but in Big Ten games, the Iowa transfer is scoring 19.6 points per game and shooting 45 percent from deep. He leads the league in 3-point percentage and also has a defensive rating of 98.

This team wouldn’t be anywhere close to 20-0 without him, and looking back, he was one of the best additions from the past transfer portal cycle.

Nebraska basketball guards dominated

Sam Hoiberg helped keep Nebraska in the game. When it was all said and done, the stat lines of Lawrence and Hoiberg, combined, tallied for 28 points, nine rebounds, 12 assists, and four turnovers.

The two guards made 50 percent of their shots. They were responsible for half of the assists (12 of 24). When you start putting together reasons why Nebraska can make a deep run in March, the guard play is near the top of the list.

Cale Jacobsen was a fine fill-in

Nebraska missed Braden Frager. However, Cale Jacobsen filled in admirably. He played 26 minutes. Jared Garcia got just six. Jacobsen scored seven points, grabbed three rebounds, dished out two assists, and was 3 of 4 from the field. His plus/minus ratio was +11.

Nebraska needs Frager back as soon as possible. Jacobsen held up well on Saturday, though.

For More Nebraska content, follow us on Twitter, like our Facebook Page, and Subscribe to the Husker Big Red YouTube Channel. You can also find our podcast on Apple or Spotify.