Southern Utah(4-8) comes to Lincoln tonight, in a game that few will even notice as the football team preps for the Holiday Bowl.
It's just as well. Southern Utah comes in at 4-8 and last place in the Summit Conference. Their biggest win came against Southwest? As in airplanes? Never heard of em. Although facing a team that put up 111 points on the Southwest Airlines corporate squad, a well rested Husker team that was embarrassed against BYU a week ago, should roll easily.
Not much here in the way of stats for a preview. Just isn't enough competition in this game...in fact, it worked out great that the hoopsters play a couple of patsies during bowl week. Nebraska needs to, and should, rack up some good numbers in the next 3 games while getting ready for Texas A+M on Jan. 9th.
Meanwhile...
In other Husker basketball news, Freshman guard Adrien Coleman has left the team. Coleman has played in half the games for the Big Red, but averaged under 3 points per game. Coach Sadler didn't cite any reason, but if we look back at when he signed with the Cornhuskers...it's pretty obvious what happened. Coleman, one of the top Georgia prep players, was intent on playing for UAB and signed with them in 2008. He never enrolled however, as he didn't meet academic requirements. Apparently he met Nebraska's (that makes me wonder), and now has his eyes set elsewhere. Good luck Adrien, maybe we'll see ya down the road.
Nebraska sits in the middle of the pack in the Big 12 conference. With a 9-3 record, the Huskers are tied with ISU, A+M, and Mizzou before conference play starts. Iowa State has the toughest remaining non-con schedule having to face Duke on Jan. 6th, and will start the Big 12 season facing #2 Texas.
If Nebraska is to make a run in the Big 12, they will need to fine tune their transition defense, and offensive efficiency during these next 3 games. Tulsa and BYU exposed a few flaws that need to be fixed before facing conference opponents...namely our backcourt ball control, transition defense, and defensive rebounding. Senior guard Ryan Anderson is not expected to play as he rests the foot he injured aganist Tulsa.
The Big 12 season will give the Big Red plenty of chances to earn some power rating points and quality wins, but they need upsets and a winning record in the conference. It's hard to believe, but Nebraska has yet to post a winning record in the Big 12 this decade. The best we have been able to muster was a 8-8 conference record last season.
For now, let's just take care of business, watch the Husker football team destroy the Wildcats, and enjoy the start of what is hopefully a succesfull 2010 year for Nebraska sports.
Tipoff: Tuesday, Dec. 29th. 7pm CST
Radio: IMG Husker Sports Network / Kent Pavelka play-by-play - Andy Markowski color commentary
Internet Radio: www.Huskers.com
Television: None
Internet Video: HuskersNSide (subscription)
Gamethread: www.Cornnation.com