Indiana aims to run its winning streak to five games Friday night when Nebraska welcomes the Hoosiers to Lincoln, Neb.
Indiana (8-2, 1-0 Big Ten) has lost the past three meetings with Nebraska after winning seven straight. The Hoosiers are led by center Oumar Ballo, a transfer from Arizona who averages 13.2 points and 9.1 rebounds per game, and forward Malik Reneau (team-best 15.5 points and 6.4 rebounds).
Reneau, according to Indiana, is one of five major-conference players to average at least 10 points per game with a field goal percentage of at least 60 and 80 percent from the free-throw line.
Off Indiana’s 82-67 home win over Minnesota on Monday, head coach Mike Woodson said there are things to work on going forward.
“When you get a team down 15, 20 points, you got to remember how you got them down and continue to do the same things that got you the lead,” said Woodson, “and I don’t think we did that coming down the stretch.”
Nebraska’s best win this season was over then-No. 14 Creighton in an in-state battle last month. But the Cornhuskers (6-2, 0-1) haven’t played a very difficult schedule, and were blown out 89-52 by current No. 21 Michigan State on the road last weekend.
The Spartans became the first team in 25 games to make more than 50 percent of their shots against Nebraska, so improved defense will be key for the Huskers. Nebraska was also outrebounded 48-19.
“That hadn’t been us all year, and that was the disappointing thing,” coach Fred Hoiberg said.
“The physicality of the game in this league … we’re going to see it every night. I’ve been pleased with how they’ve responded, but we’ll see how they step up to the challenge Friday night.”
If Nebraska can turn things around on offense, it is 38-2 under Hoiberg when scoring at least 80 points, including 4-0 this season.
Brice Williams is Nebraska’s leading scorer at 17.5 points per game. Connor Essegian adds 13.0 ppg and shoots 42.6 percent from 3-point range.
–Field Level Media
