What a win for Nebraska Basketball! Nebraska went into the Breslin Center and squeaked out a one point win. Michigan State has one of the best home-court advantages in the Big Ten. Their crowd was into it all game but credit Nebraska. They were able to handle the tough environment and get a huge road win. Could this be a repeat of Nebraska's magical run in the 2013-2014 season? Remember, a win at Michigan State is what started that magical run that season. Only time will tell!
The Good
Nebraska was a 14.5 point underdog in this game. Everyone (including myself) didn't think Nebraska would win this game. Michigan State was coming off of a two game losing streak. I thought they were going to be mad coming into this game and win big. But I was wrong! Huge win for Nebraska! Shavon Shields played like a true senior leader. He led the team scoring with 28 points. He also left the first half with an injury but came back in the second half on fire. Just an incredible effort by Shavon.
Andrew White III had only 7 points. He was in foul trouble the entire game. But he's still a leader and helped the team when he could. Glynn Watson Jr. had 13 points. The true freshman is proving to be one of the best freshman in the league this season. Just a great effort by everyone in this game. And that's what it takes to win on the road, especially in tough environments like Michigan State.
The Bad
It's hard to find something bad in this game because it was such a huge win. Nebraska was out rebounded 38-32 but that's not that bad. Denzel Valentine had 24 points. He even had the game winning shot, but he couldn't make it. Michigan State is struggling right now. They are 16-4 on the season and have lost 3-in-a-row. They had a tough loss to Wisconsin last Sunday and they lost both of their games against Iowa. They were the number one team in the country in late December.
But don't count out Tom Izzo. There's a reason why he is one of the best coaches in College Basketball. He always gets his team to play better at the end of the season. So look for Michigan State to bounce back (no pun intended) and be much better throughout the rest of the season. Nebraska has also beat Michigan State three straight years. I see rivalry forming with Michigan State in basketball and football. The only bad thing is that Michigan State is in the East division and Nebraska is in the West division in football. But look for this rivalry to heat up in the next few years in both sports.
What's Next?
Nebraska has a huge game against Michigan in Lincoln up next. It is "AveryStrong" day. So fans can donate to the Bone Marrow Doner Drive. (See huskers.com for more information) The crowd is going to be insane on Saturday. Fans will be fired up and it should be a great game against Michigan. Nebraska then plays at Purdue and is home against Maryland after that.
These next three games are huge for Nebraska's NCAA Tournament résumé. Nebraska's schedule is also front-loaded. In other words, their last half of their schedule is much easier. Nebraska is currently on a 4 game winning streak. Let's see if the Huskers can keep it going. Nebraska's next game vs Michigan is on Saturday January 23rd. Tip-off is at 1:00 P.M. at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
Tweet of The Day
Yeah yeah yeah. I know. Little balls'd it on them free throws.. Still dubs though
— Tai Jack Webster I. (@Tjawtherula) January 21, 2016