Postgame Notes and Quotes: Indiana

Nebraska Post-Game Notes

• Nebraska had an 11-0 run in a 1:19 stretch the first half, the Huskers’ 13^th double-digit run this season.
• Defensively, Nebraska held Indiana without a field goal for a stretch of 8:07 in the second half.
• Nebraska had eight steals, its most in a Big Ten Conference game this season.
• Cam Mack had 20 points and nine rebounds to lead the Huskers. It marked the second 20-point game of his career and first in Big Ten Conference play. In two games against Indiana this season, Mack had 35 points and 19 assists.
• Cam Mack has now reached double figures 16 times this season, including each of the last 11 games dating back to Dec. 4. Mack had nine assists, the sixth time this season he has had eight more assists in a game. He also has at least six assists in each of his seven Big Ten games.
• Thorir Thorbjarnarson narrowly missed his first career double-double, finishing with 13 points and a season-high-tying nine rebounds. Thorbjarnarson scored eight of his 13 points and pulled down six of his nine rebounds after halftime.
• Dachon Burke Jr. (12 points) and Haanif Cheatham (10 points) also scored in double figures, giving Nebraska four players in double figures for the 13th time this season.
• Charlie Easley scored a career-high eight points. He knocked down both of his 3-point attempts after entering the game 1-for-8 from beyond the arc this season.
• Nebraska’s 41-point first half is its highest in Big Ten play this season and the most since scoring 51 in the first half against South Dakota State

Nebraska Head Coach Fred Hoiberg
On today’s game, along with others of ups and downs throughout the game 
“Yeah it is. I talk all the time, I think every time I sit here with you guys I talk about how we have either a lull or we hit adversity and you go through a five or six-minute stretch. We just aren’t deep enough, talented enough right now to fight through those stretches. We certainly showed that we’re capable, but the overall consistency needs to get better and that’s where we have got to continue to grow and we’re going to teach and hopefully learn and get this thing to a point where we can give ourselves a chance by not going through those stretches. The overall consistency, some of that’s on me. Our guys got a little tired, that’s on me for not getting them out of there a little bit earlier to get a little bit of rest and then back on the floor. But we had such a good rhythm going, I kept that line up out there that was doing a great job. I thought Thorir (Thorbjarnarson) was phenomenal for us all game long, I thought he did a great job battling. He’s giving up size guarding the four position every night those three guys were unbelievably efficient with Smith, Jackson-Davis, and Bronk. Those guys are a load for us but I though Thor battled the heck out of them and Charlie [Easley] came in and made some big time hustle plays for us as well."
 
On being hesitant with shots 
“We were turning down some shots and that did lead to some turnovers. When you have the shot when the offense presents an open look, you have to rise up with confidence and take those. We missed some really good looks early in the second half, and again what costs us was not getting back in transition you’re not going to make all of those. I did, I thought we got a little hesitant especially when we were guarding them and cut that thing to eight and led to some of those turnovers."
 
On the value of Thorir’s contributions off the ball.
“Yeah that’s the thing I love about Thorir. when I look back to our spring workouts and this offense with the read and react system, he’s as good as we have. Dalono [Banton] is probably the other guy that has a great feel, but obviously he can’t play this year. Thor, he plays very well off of Cam [Mack] he cuts well off of him, he knows when to slash, he does a good job slipping out of screens to create open shots and he’s a great cutter to the basket. I’m really happy for him, I’m happy for Thor because again, he’s a really easy guy to cheer for because of how hard he works.”

 
Nebraska Junior Guard Thorir Thorbjarnarson
On the start
“We got off to a great start. I think we let them get too many points in the first half, but in the end they went on a little bit of a run to get the lead. The beginning of the second half we just came up too flat. I think that’s where we lost the game. At the beginning of the second half we were too flat, and Charlie [Easley] came in and helped us a lot. He got us on the good run and we had some good stops in the second half, but it wasn’t enough.”

On being too unselfish
“No, I think the ball was moving good. We weren’t getting a lot of open shots. I think overall we played good offensively and it was just on defense we [weren’t].”
 
Freshman guard Charlie Easley
On Indiana’s first-half shooting from 3-point range
“We tried to stick to the game plan. They came in not hitting many threes, but they came out shooting and that’s credits to them.”

Indiana Coach Archie Miller
Opening Statement
“A good win for our team. Finally had an opportunity here to breakthrough and win away from home in conference. It is very difficult, as it has been well documented. I thought our guys played really together, and I thought they played hard for the most part, especially defending their three-point line against a really tough cover. Those guys from Nebraska have gotten better. The first time we played them, we had no answers, but tonight I thought it was a little better defensively. Offensively, we were able to make a few shots, gave us some confidence. We then went from being a tight team to being a team that I thought played a little more free. Our bench was key in the first half. It was huge. In the second half, I thought our big guys did a great job of commanding the ball. We were able to play inside out for a good portion. We played as well offensively as we have in awhile. You can’t put a price on a game in this league if you are able to win it away from home. We’ll go home and get ready for the next one.”
 
On being able to respond to Nebraska’s 11-0 run in the first half
“We were hanging in there pretty good. Real early in the game, they were faster than us. Their transition attack was coming downhill. Their guards were at the basket. Their spacing is so key. I think there’s maybe one or two players in college with the ability to pass the ball like Cam Mack passes the ball. He’s not seeing the first read. He’s picking on your second and third guys with one-handed baseball passes on a dime. He’s a special passer. Once we got adjusted after those three straight 3s, one in transition. It was a great play underneath out of bounds. We lost sight of a guy in the corner. I think [Cam] Mack made one in front of me. That’s what they do. They go in bunches. You watch them play here against Iowa and Purdue, they can get in bunches. You just have to hang in there and weather the storm a little bit. I thought after the first six to eight minutes, like I said, our bench made some shots. Jerome [Hunter] and Armaan [Franklin] came up big. I think Devonte [Green] may have hit one. Justin [Smith] was really good around the basket. Justin was really key early. Once we got cooking a little bit, we scored 46 in the first half, that carried over into the second half. I thought we pushed the ball. We were able to go inside. We had 21 assists, which I don’t think we’ve had 21 assists in any of the Big Ten games combined. We made some shots.”
 
On how it feels to get a road win
“It goes without saying. It is very hard to win in this league on the road. I think every team is going to experience their ups and downs. We are no different. I am proud of our guys. They had a hard loss at Rutgers on Wednesday. Being able to come out with one tonight is really important for us moving forward. I know what we have coming up. Every team has to play everybody. The Big Ten is going to be one of the more jumbled leagues until somebody can start to get a few of these and hold serve at home. It’s a great league. Fred [Hoiberg] brings a lot to the table. This place is always one of the tougher places to play. We’re thankful. We are very happy to get out of here with a win.”
NU Athletic Communications