Connor Essegian has been the perfect find for Nebraska basketball

You don’t always learn much in buy games. But over the past two buy games, Nebraska basketball has learned that it has a sharpshooter in Connor Essegian.

During the first few games of the 2024-25 season, Nebraska was struggling to shoot the ball. As a team, the Huskers entered Sunday’s non-conference game against North Florida shooting 28.9 percent from 3-point range (322nd in college basketball).

That’s not what you expect from a Fred Hoiberg-coached team. However, many of last season’s best 3-point shooters transferred, went pro, or are out due to injury (Rienk Mast).

In seven games, including the win 103-72 win over North Florida Sunday, the Huskers have made 50 3-pointers. 20 of them (40 percent) have been made by Essegian including 12 in the past two games. As a team, the Huskers have 24 of their 50 triples in their last two wins, so things are trending in the right direction.

Connor Essegian makes sense in the starting lineup

You hope that’s a trend that continues. Hoiberg moved Essegian into the starting lineup and he responded by shooting 6-of-8 from deep. He shot the ball well against Creighton scoring 15 points. The Wisconsin transfer only hit one three in that game but it obviously triggered some confidence.

After scoring 37 points in the first four games of the season, Essegian has scored 66 points in his last three. He’s shot 13-of-25 from beyond the arc in that stretch and it’s clear that Essegian has found his role in the offense.

The lineup of Braxton Meah, Rollie Worster, Essegian, Juwan Gary, and Brice Williams is probably my favorite. Gary has to play up to the four, but he and Brice Williams are capable if needed.

Nebraska basketball has the depth in the frontcourt to play two bigs if needed, but this startling lineup gets the three best shooters and scorers on the floor. Essegian is providing that spacing and with him shooting the ball as well as he has been, the offense is finding its flow.

Essegian looked like a solid addition after the first few games but after the past three, it looks like he’s the 3-point specialist the Huskers so badly needed.

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.