3 takeaways from gut-wrenching loss for Nebraska basketball to Michigan

Gut-wrenching is the perfect way to describe the Nebraska basketball loss to Michigan on Monday night.

The Huskers had every opportunity to win the game. Nebraska basketball held Michigan to 19 percent from 3-point range and 30 percent from the field. Hell, the Huskers limited the Wolverines to fewer than 50 points and still found a way to lose, 49-46.

It was the first time since 2008 that Michigan has won a game without reaching 50 points. To make it happen, Nebraska had to shoot 21 percent from the field. The Huskers missed three open looks in the final minute to take the lead, including two shot attempts from Brice Williams, as well as a wide open 3-pointer from Connor Essegian.

The bubble hasn’t burst yet for Nebraska but it’s getting closer. Here are three takeaways from the 49-46 loss.

Brice Williams couldn’t carry Nebraska basketball to a win

Just imagine how bad things would have been for Nebraska without Williams, who had 26 points and made 9-of-21 attempts from the field. Williams made four 3-pointers in the first half, scoring 20 of the first 24 points for the Huskers.

After that, Williams wore down. He’s been one of the top scorers in the Big Ten all season but had two point-blank chances in the final minute to give Nebraska the lead and missed both.

That’s what makes this loss so gut-wrenching. Despite everything that went wrong, Nebraska had the ball in the hands of its best player, with a clean look at the lead twice in the final minute.

You can’t draw it up better than that. Sometimes, the ball just won’t go down.

The offense let down, not the defense

You couldn’t ask for more from the Nebraska defense. Danny Wolf had to scratch and claw just to score 10 points. Vlad Goldin finished with eight. If you had told me before the game that Michigan’s 7-footers scored a combined 18 points, I wouldn’t have believed it.

Nebraska held Michigan to 19 percent from 3-point range. The Wolverines shot just 30 percent from the field and turned the ball over 14 times. Nebraska even limited U-M to just eight offensive rebounds.

Defensively, the Huskers did everything right. It was a masterpiece. The problem is that everyone outside of Sam Hoiberg (2-for-2) and Williams (9-of-21) Nebraka went 5-of-39 from the field (12 percent). Williams made more field goals (nine) than the rest of the team combined (7).

That’s why Nebraska lost.

At some point, baskeball is about making shots and Nebraska didn’t make enough to win, wasting an elite effort on the defensive end.

Back against the wall

For weeks, I’ve written that Nebraska baskeball needs 20 wins to make the NCAA tournament. I still feel that way. The Huskers need to sweep their last three regular-season games or beat Iowa/Minnesota at home, combined with at least one win in the Big Ten tournament.

It’s doable, but things are getting scary. Nebraska basketball has to win two of its next three or this team is headed to the NIT.

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