Nebrasketball: Michigan scored a lot, Nebraska did not, Game Recap

The Michigan Wolverines came to town with a weakened roster and lots of question marks as a team early in the season. The Nebraska Cornhuskers responded with one of the worst performances of basketball I have had the displeasure of watching, allowing UM to break its own record as the highest scoring opponent in Pinnacle Bank Arena history previously set in a 93-57 victory on March 5, 2017. There really isn’t a single positive thing to be said about this game.

Dare we take a deep dive into the stats on this one?

The Huskers ended the game 5-for-35 from deep. Split by the half, the team went 3-for-18 in the first half and 2-for-17 in the second half from behind the arc. All told, that was an embarrassing 14.3 percent from behind the three point line. Nebraska managed just .905 points per possession to Michigan’s 1.342. The Wolverines scored 11 points all game off Nebraska turnovers and shot 46.9 percent from deep. This was a team averaging 32.9 percent on the season coming into the road matchup.

The offense for Nebraska was nonexistent if you were looking for any sign of order, let alone even a feeble stirring of last gasps of life. Two players for UNL hit double figures, Alonzo Verge Jr. with 31 points, and Keisei Tominaga with 11. Verge rarely passed the ball out in a controlled manner while driving the basket, though, which is reflected in his three assists out of the team’s mere six total on the night. Hell, the Huskers only even managed to go 14-for-25 on layup attempts. The fact the game was at one point early in the first tied for 1:24 of game action seems quite stunning now that it has ended.

Now contrast that with five Wolverines having scored in double figures out of a roster where only two averaged double digits. I suppose one might say at least Hunter Dickinson was only slight above his season average tonight with 15 points (averaged 14.9 ppg), but given the outside shooting production for Michigan, why waste possessions on a post? Though, Michigan managed 42 points in the paint, lots of it on drives by guards. Even when Michigan missed shots, the Wolverines outrebounded the Huskers 54-38. UM’s defensive rebounds (39) actually totaled more than all of Nebraska’s boards in the game.

This was a harsh recap, but that sorry excuse for basketball was just downright pathetic. This is supposed to be a Power Six program and the product on the court looked like a bunch of junior high kids out there on the court at times. Hopefully this can serve as a low point of the season and some good can come out of it by ceremoniously burning the game tape tomorrow and then immediately working on remembering how to run an offense.

Coach Hoiberg sums it up far better than my poor power to add or detract. The Huskers return to action this Saturday, Dec. 11 at 10:30 a.m. CST against Auburn in Atlanta, Georgia. The game will be broadcast on ESPN2.