3 keys and a prediction for Nebraska basketball against Ohio State

Nebraska basketball has turned its season around with three straight wins, just like the six-game losing streak before that seemed to doom it.

Give credit where credit is due though. Many Nebraska basketball fans were frustrated with Fred Hoiberg. Some even called for him to get fired or be on the hot seat.

Hoiberg responded with one of the best three-game runs he’s had with the Huskers, with two games on the road and knocking off two quad-1 opponents. Juwan Gary and Brice Williams have been special. The rest of the Huskers have been scrappy and the defense found what made it so effective early on.

Nebraska basketball needs that junkyard-dog mentality. Juwan Gary encapsulates that perfectly. Williams has been the driving force on offense, but Gary is the engine that makes this team go.

Ohio State isn’t a joke. The Buckeyes have won four of their last five games including wins at Purdue and home against a ranked Maryland squad. Bruce Thorton is scoring over 17 points per game and is one of the three Buckeyes making at least 1.7 3-point field goals per game (in Big Ten play). The others are John Mobley Jr. and Micah Parrish.

Ohio State is 14-9 overall and 6-6 in the league. Nebraska basketball enters 15-8 with a 5-7 record in the Big Ten. The Huskers have been trending up in bracketology projections, along with Ohio State, and the winner on Sunday takes another big step toward the NCAA tournament.

Here are three keys and a prediction for Nebraska basketball (-2.5) vs. Ohio State (1 PM CST, BTN).

Defend the 3-point line

The 3-point defense has been an issue for Nebraska all season. The Huskers allow more 3-pointers and 3-point attempts than any other team in the Big Ten. They are also 12th in 3-point percentage defense.

Ohio State hasn’t been spectacular shooting the three. The Buckeyes have three high-volume shooters but are 10th in the Big Ten in 3-point makes and 8th in percentage (33.6).

Yet, Washington wasn’t a great shooting team by the numbers and started the game 7-for-7 from deep on Wednesday. Nebraska basketball did force a 3-of-18 finish, but if Ohio State shoots 40 percent from deep like the Huskies did, that’ll be a bad sign.

Stay scrappy

Nebraska is going to give up some 3-point attempts. It just is what it is at this point, but when this team is playing scrappy and contesting shots with a purpose, things feel a lot different.

Nebraska basketball is also fourth in the Big Ten at steals during conference play and in this three-game winning streak, the Huskers have forced 19 steals — just over six per game.

That’s something that needs to continue against Ohio State. The Buckeyes average 11.3 turnovers per game, which is eighth in the conference. If Nebraska wants to win, it will have to disrupt that offense, and forcing some steals, getting to loose balls, etc. is a way to do it.

Don’t make Brice Williams do too much

Williams has been spectacular. He’s averaging 19.1 points per game for the season but scoring 26 points per game during the Huskers three-game win streak.

Juwan Gary has also played a key role. Connor Essegian also made four 3-pointers out in Seattle. That’s the kind of effort Nebraska needs on Sunday. Williams can’t carry the offense by himself.

Ohio State is a solid defensive team but they aren’t great defending the paint. They don’t have a ton of size, rank ninth in the Big Ten in blocks per game, as well as 2-point defense (52.4 percent allowed).

This feels like a game where Gary can attack the paint. Andrew Morgan should also get some post-up opportunities. Williams will need to be special, but he can’t win the game by himself. There are weaknesses Nebraska can take advantage of, they just need to execute.

Prediction: Nebraska 78, Ohio State 71

Nebraska barely snuck past Illinois in the Vault, although they had a big lead at one point. The past three games at home have all been tight. This will be no different. Ohio State won at Purdue, which is the toughest place in the Big Ten to win. However, the Huskers have momentum on their side. A switch has been flipped and they add another quad-1 win over the Buckeyes (26th ranked in NET).

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