Juwan Gary got snubbed despite best Nebraska basketball all-conference haul in decades

Debating postseason honors teams will always be a favorite of fans. Everyone thinks their favorite player should be first-team all-league. That will never change. Nebraska basketball fans are feeling that on Tuesday despite a historic haul for the Huskers — at least the best in decades.

Nebraska basketball with multiple All-Big Ten selections

For the first time this century, since the 1998-99 season, Nebraska basketball had multiple players earn second or third-team all-conference. Keisei Tominaga who averaged 14.6 points per game and shot 37 percent from 3-point range was named second-team All-Big Ten.

2⃣nd team: pic.twitter.com/wPP9QOvUAY

— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) March 12, 2024

Rienk Mast also earned a third-team All-Big Ten selection after averaging 12.7 points per game, 7.8 rebounds, and three assists. Mast and Tominaga were each former transfers to Nebraska basketball and a reminder that Fred Hoiberg’s evaluation skills are off the charts.

That’s the same Fred Hoiberg who was named Big Ten Coach of the Year (co-coach). Hoiberg did that after leading Nebraska to a third-place finish after being predicted 12th in the preseason. He also did it with one second-team All-Big Ten player.

While I have a hard time seeing how Mast didn’t get second-team, the biggest snub belongs to Juwan Gary, who was left off the Big Ten All-Defensive team.

Gary helped Nebraska have the No. 26 adjusted defense according to the Kenpom rankings. The Huskers were also third in points-per-possession allowed in the Big Ten and they were more than two points better with Gary on the floor.

All-Defensive Team 🔒#B1Gtoday pic.twitter.com/5cItDyXXpg

— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) March 12, 2024

Gary is an elite on-ball defender on the wing and averaged 1.1 steals per game this season along with 0.8 blocks. Andy Katz included him on his ballot and Gary seemed like a no-brainer.

Reink Mast, Juwan Gary, Coach Hoiberg getting some love. 👀 pic.twitter.com/0Z3sHD1tcJ

— Blackshirts (@blvckshirts) March 11, 2024

Nothing is ever a surprise when it comes to the Big Ten, but the ramifications should be a motivated Juwan Gary, which is a good thing for Nebraska basketball as the postseason starts Friday for he Huskers. 

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.