Indiana’s first road game is Friday night in Lincoln against Nebraska at Pinnacle Bank Arena. The Huskers are 6-2, coming off an 89-52 loss at Michigan State.

Friday’s game is at 8:00 p.m. ET on FOX:

Indiana’s struggles last season are well documented. The Hoosiers lost to the Huskers three times and none of the games were contested. Nebraska won 86-70 in Lincoln on Jan. 3, 85-70 in Bloomington on Feb. 21 and 93-66 in the Big Ten Tournament on March 16. That’s an average lead of 18.

Both teams underwent a roster overhaul in the offseason. Still, Fred Hoiberg’s ability to distribute Indiana and average 88 points in three easy wins was a key reason the Hoosiers didn’t play in the NCAA Tournament a season ago.

The Hoosiers have won four straight games (all by 15 points or more), but a win on Friday would be a sure sign that the Hoosiers are trending in the right direction after a shaky performance in the Bahamas last month.

MEET THE HUSKERS

After reaching the NCAA Tournament for the first time under Hoiberg last March, the Huskers are in a transition phase in his sixth season. Keisei Tominaga has graduated, Rienk Mast is out for the season with a knee injury, and the offense has taken a significant step backwards statistically.

According to KenPom.com, Nebraska had the 32nd best offense in the country last season, but is currently ranked 99th after eight games this season.

Three Huskers average double figures – seniors Brice Williams, Juwan Gary and junior Connor Essegian.

This wing-heavy offensive attack poses problems for an Indiana rotation, as the frontcourt doesn’t protect well from the field (Oumar Ballo and Malik Reneau) and has difficulty blocking moves and executing transitions (Mackenzie Mgbako).

Williams is a 6-foot-7 fifth-year winger who excels at getting to the finish line and converting at elite speed. He leads the Huskers with 17.5 points per game and is shooting 92.5 percent (53 attempts) from the line. He is also a capable 3-point shooter and has connected on 11 of his 29 attempts from long range.

The 6-foot-3 Gary, another fifth-year player, is an undersized foursome who averages 10.6 points and 4.4 rebounds in 25 minutes per game. Gary is just 7 of 27 (25.9 percent) on 3s.

A native of Indiana, Essegian was one of the Big Ten’s top freshmen two seasons ago at Wisconsin. After coming off the regular roster in Madison last season, Essegian entered the transfer portal and landed in Lincoln, where he returned to form in his third season. Essegian is Nebraska’s second-leading scorer with 13 points per game. He made a team-high 20 3-pointers and is shooting 42.6 percent from distance.

Utah transfer Rollie Worster has taken over the starting point guard spot for the Huskers. The 6-foot-2 Worster, another fifth-year player, averages 2.6 assists and is second on the team with 1.5 steals per game.

Ahron Ulis, who missed last season due to a gambling investigation, and Sam Hoiberg provide most of the backup minutes in the backcourt. The 6-foot-3 Ulis is just 2 of 13 on 3s and is shooting 33 percent from the field. Hoiberg is a high-energy player who attacks fearlessly offensively and is a huge liability on defense. His 1.8 steals per game leads the Huskers.

On the wing, Rutgers transfer Gavin Griffiths hasn’t made a 3-pointer since Nov. 13 and is 3-for-19 from distance this season. The 6-foot-2 sophomore was considered one of the best shooters in the country coming out of high school.

With Mast out this season, Hoiberg has assembled a frontcourt that includes three transfers: Braxton Meah, Andrew Morgan and Berke Buyuktuncel.

Meah, who previously played at Fresno State and Washington, gives the Huskers legitimate size in the post at 7-foot-1 and 264 pounds. He averages 3.7 points and four rebounds in 15 minutes per game.

Morgan is a 6-foot-1, 245-pound freshman from North Dakota State who is the team’s second-leading rebounder. Morgan grabbed 5.3 rebounds in 17 minutes per game off the bench and averaged 8.4 points on 45 percent shooting.

Buyuktuncel transferred from UCLA and started the first six games for Nebraska. He is the leading rebounder at 5.9 per game, makes 75 percent of his 2s and has a team-best six blocked shots.

SPEED-FREE PREVIEW

Both teams play at pace, with Nebraska ranking 88th in adjusted pace and Indiana ranking 39th, according to KenPom.com.

However, the Huskers handle the ball much better than the Hoosiers and force more turnovers. Through 10 games, Indiana has committed 140 turnovers and forced just 121, while Nebraska has committed 90 turnovers and forced 130.

The free throw line will also be key for both programs. The Huskers are excellent at drawing fouls and then converting them at the line. With a free throw rate of 76.6, Nebraska ranks 51st in the country and 30th in free throw percentage (FTA/FGA).

While 3-point shooting was Nebraska’s greatest offensive strength last season, that’s not the case this season. The Huskers are taking fewer threes – their 3PA/FGA is 38.2 percent this season compared to 44.3 percent last season. Nebraska shot 35.7 percent from deep last season and is just 29.8 percent from deep this season.

What matters

The KenPom prediction is Nebraska by one, with a 47 percent chance of an IU win. Bart Torvik’s ratings favor the Huskers by two, with a 43 percent chance of a Hoosier win.

Indiana played one of its best games of the season on Monday against Minnesota, but still struggled in the second half.

The Hoosiers will have to take care of the ball and limit Nebraska’s free throw attempts to prevail in what should be a hostile environment in Lincoln. Nebraska has one of the better home field advantages in the league and has dominated Indiana of late.

The Huskers will also look to rebound from an embarrassing 37-point loss in East Lansing and avoid an 0-2 start in Big Ten play. For Indiana, the road trip represents an opportunity to secure its fifth straight win and build clear momentum heading into its final two non-conference games later this month in Bloomington.

Submitted to: Nebraska Cornhuskers