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The Nebraska Cornhuskers got some momentum with another win on Saturday afternoon. Every time the Illinois Fighting Illini went on a run, Nebraska was able to answer with a run of their own. There wasn't really any doubt in this game as Nebraska was leading much of the game. After 3 straight conference wins, Nebraska has a lot of momentum going into the meat of their tough Big Ten Conference schedule.
The Good
Andrew White III led the way with a double-double. He had 21 points and 13 rebounds. He is really turning into a special player and a true leader for Nebraska. Shavon Shields had 14 points and 5 assists. Shields has also become a true leader. Any time Nebraska needed a bucket inside, Shields was able to answer the bell. True freshman Glynn Watson Jr. had 17 points. The Illinois native was on the floor to prove something and he definitely did that. If Watson can continue to develop, he will be an incredible point guard for Nebraska for years to come.
The Bad
This is more towards Illinois. They shot 37 three pointers in this game. You read that right, 37. That is seriously an awful stat. I know they have some good three point shooters, but you can't just shoot threes all the time. This is why their offense struggles so much. Sure if you make 20+ you win, but you can't count on that. Illinois was 11-37 from beyond the arc. That is 29.7%. Wow that is awful. Illinois was also out rebounded by Nebraska 24-42. This team just isn't going to win many games playing like that. Sure, they are better than Minnesota and Rutgers. But I think Illinois is really going to struggle in Big Ten play this season.
What is next?
The heart of Nebraska's Big Ten schedule is coming up. This is the toughest stretch Nebraska will have this season. @ Michigan State, vs Michigan, @ Purdue and vs Maryland. If Nebraska could some how go 2-2 during that stretch, they would feel pretty good about that. Nebraska plays at Michigan State on Wednesday, January 20th. Tip-off is at 5:30 PM Central Time.
Tweet of The Day
"Benny was sicker than crap," Tim Miles said.
— Brian Rosenthal (@HuskerExtraBR) January 16, 2016