Huskers Host No. 24 Penn State Saturday Night

The Nebraska men's basketball team continues its two-game homestand Saturday night, as the Huskers host Penn State. Tipoff is at 6:01 p.m. and any returned tickets will go on sale at the Pinnacle Bank Arena box office beginning at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday. 

Saturday's game will be televised on BTN with Cory Provus and Shon Morris on the call. The game can also be streamed via the web, smartphones, tablets and connected devices through the Fox Sports app.
 

GAME 22:  NEBRASKA VS. NO. 24/23 PENN STATE Date:     Saturday, Feb. 1 Time:     6:01 p.m. (CT) Location:     Lincoln, Neb. Arena:     Pinnacle Bank Arena NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS 2019-20 Record: 7-14 (2-8 Big Ten) Head coach: Fred Hoiberg     Record at Nebraska: 7-14 (1st year)     Career NCAA Record: 122-70 (6th year) NO. 24/23 PENN STATE  2019-20 Record: 15-5 (5-4 Big Ten) Head coach: Patrick Chambers     Record at Penn State: 142-145 (Ninth year)     Career Record: 184-173 (11th year) BROADCAST INFO Television: BTN     Play-by-play: Cory Provus      Analyst:  Shon Morris  Online Broadcast: FOX Sports App Radio: Learfield IMG College Husker Sports Network, including 590 AM (Omaha), 1400 AM (Lincoln) and 880 AM (Lexington)     Play-by-play: Kent Pavelka     Analyst: Jake Muhleisen Online Radio: Available on Huskers.com, Huskers App, TuneIn.com/Huskers and TuneIn App.  SiriusXM (Internet): Ch.  372        XM: Ch. 372 Halftime: The Amazing Sladek

Fans can follow all of the action across the state of Nebraska on the Learfield IMG College Husker Sports Network with Kent Pavelka and Jake Muhleisen on the call. The game will also be available on Huskers.com, the Huskers app and TuneIn radio. The pregame show begins one hour prior to tipoff.

Saturday's game is the Huskers' annual Coaches vs. Cancer Suits and Sneakers Game to support the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) and the American Cancer Society.  Fans are encouraged to join the Husker coaches and staff by wearing suits and sneakers to Saturday's game. In addition, the Huskers will also partner with Bethematch.org to continue to raise awareness for the National Bone Marrow Registry. Volunteers will be on hand around PBA to provide information on how to join the registry.

Nebraska (7-14, 2-8 Big Ten) looks to snap a six-game losing streak following a 79-68 loss against Michigan on Tuesday. In that game, Nebraska led 52-50 before Michigan used a 19-3 run to take the lead for good. Cam Mack led three Huskers in double figures with 19 points, nine assists and seven rebounds, while Kevin Cross and Haanif Cheatham each added 17 points in the loss. 

While Mack is third in the Big Ten and 11th nationally in assists at 6.8 per game, he has also become a more prolific scorer in recent games. The 6-foot-2 guard is averaging 18.0 ppg on 51 percent shooting over the Huskers' last four contests, including 51 percent from 3-point range.

Penn State (15-5, 5-4 Big Ten) comes to Lincoln riding a three-game win streak following a 64-49 win over Indiana on Wednesday. In that game, the Nittany Lions forced 18 Indiana turnovers that led to 21 points and held the Hoosiers to 33 percent shooting. Lamar Stevens had 17 points and nine rebounds, while Curtis Jones came off the bench for 12 points, including a pair of 3-pointers.

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT
Thorir Thorbjarnarson is averaging 13.0 points on 51 percent shooting, a team-high 6.8 rebounds and 1.2 steals  per game over the Huskers' last five contests. The 6-foot-6 guard had a team-high eight rebounds in Tuesday's game with Michigan. 

NUMBERS TO KNOW
3.00 - Cam Mack is one of just eight power conference players with a 3.0-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio in conference play through Jan. 29. 

No.	Name	School	Conf Asst-to-TO
1.	Jordan Goldwire	Duke	4.29
2.	Tyger Campbell	UCLA	4.29
3.	Collin Gillespie	Villanova	3.36
4.	Quincy McKnight	Seton Hall	3.31
5.	Wabissa Bede	Virginia Tech	3.12
6.	Tre Jones	Duke	3.11
7.	Cam Mack	Nebraska	3.00
	Marcus Garrett	Kansas	3.00

Min. 3.0 asst/gm

7.8 -  Kevin Cross has been one of the Big Ten's top scoring reserves this season. He ranks fourth among players who have exclusively come off the bench in 2019-20, and is the only freshman in the group. Cross ranks sixth among Big Ten true freshmen in scoring this season. 

No.	Name	School	PPG
1.	Izaiah Brockington	Penn State	9.2
2.	Jacob Young	Rutgers	8.5
3.	Alan Griffin	Illinois	8.4
4.	Kevin Cross	Nebraska	7.8
5.	Curtis Jones	Penn State	7.6

Min 50 percent of games played; 0 starts

50 - Returning point total from last season, all by Thorir Thorbjarnarson. That is the lowest by any power conference team since the 2009-10 season.
 
SCOUTING PENN STATE
Under ninth-year coach Patrick Chambers, Penn State comes into Saturday's game with a 15-5 mark, the school's best 20-game start in more than a decade. The Nittany Lions, who returned four starters from last season, are ranked 24th in the AP and 23rd in the coaches poll this season. 

Penn State won 13 of its first 15 games to open the season, including wins over nationally ranked Maryland and Iowa as well as Georgetown, Syracuse and Alabama. After a three-game losing streak, the Nittany Lions have bounced back and won three straight with wins against Ohio State, at Michigan and Indiana.  PSU, which leads the Big Ten in steals (8.7) and blocked shots (5.7) has been stout on the defensive end, holding 13 of its 20 opponents to 70 points or less this season. 

Penn State plays a nine-man rotation and features one of the Big Ten's premier players in senior forward Lamar Stevens, who averages 16.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game. Myreon Jones is the only other PSU player in double figures at 13.9 ppg, while also hitting on a team-high 44 3-pointers. Fifth-year senior Mike Watkins averages 9.8 points, and team-bests in both rebounding (7.8 rpg) and blocked shots (2.9 bpg). Jones, along with Myles Dread and Curtis Jones account for 108 of the Nittany Lions' 156 3-pointers this season.

Series History: Saturday's game is the 20th meeting with Penn State holding a 10-9 advantage. Since Nebraska joined the Big Ten, the Huskers are 8-8 against the Nittany Lions (8-6 in regular season; 0-2 in Big Ten Tournament).  The teams played three times before Nebraska joined the Big Ten, a home-and-home series in 1980 and 1981 and in the second round of the 1995 NIT. Nebraska is 8-1 all-time in Lincoln against the Nittany Lions, including 5-0 in Pinnacle Bank Arena. This is the only meeting of the two teams in 2019-20.

LAST TIME OUT
Cam Mack had 19 points and nine assists, but a second-half lull proved costly as Michigan posted a 79-68 win over the Huskers.

Mack continued his strong shooting, going 7-of-14 from the floor, including a career-high five 3-pointers for the Huskers. He was one of three Huskers to finish in double figures, as Haanif Cheatham had 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting, while Kevin Cross
came off the bench to add 17 points, including a trio of 3-pointers for the Huskers (7-14, 2-8 Big Ten).

Trailing 48-41, Cross keyed an 11-2 Husker run, scoring seven of his 17 points to help the Huskers erase the deficit and a 52-50 lead on a Cross jumper with 13:49 left. The Huskers' lead would be short-lived, as Michigan responded with a decisive 19-3 surge to regain control. 

Brandon Johns Jr. and Franz Wagner combined for 12 of the Wolverines' 19 points in the run, while Nebraska missed 11 of 12 shots in that stretch. Eli Brooks led three Wolverines in double figures with 20 points and nine rebounds while Wagner (18) and Johns (16) both finished in double figures for the victors. 

STORYLINES
• Saturday's game will mark the seventh straight year that NU has partnered with the National Bone Marrow Registry, as part of its Coaches vs. Cancer game. The partnership began in 2014 to recognize the fight of Avery Harriman, who was battling leukemia at the time and encouraging fans to join the National Bone Marrow Registry. While Harriman's leukemia now has been in remission for several years, the program has continued, and has accounted for at least seven matches for bone marrow donations.  To learn more about the National Bone Marrow Registry, visit bethematch.org.  As part of the in-game activities, the Huskers will also honor several families fighting cancer during Saturday's matchup. 

• Penn State will be the Huskers' third ranked opponent this season, but first at Pinnacle Bank Arena. NU is 0-2 vs. ranked foes with losses at No. 21 Ohio State and No. 24 Rutgers. Prior to Saturday, Nebraska's last six games against ranked teams have been away from home.  All-time, the Huskers are 4-11 against teams ranked No. 24 in the AP poll with wins over Kansas State (2008), Missouri (1999), at Kansas (1999) and Oklahoma (1995).

• ESPN's BPI has Nebraska with the fifth-hardest strength of schedule remaining as of Jan. 29. In fact, 11 of the top 13 are from the Big Ten, while all 14 conference teams are in the top 35.

• Nebraska is in a stretch where it will play 14 straight games against teams currently ranked in the top 50 of the NET. In all, 12 of the 14 Big Ten teams are ranked in the top 50 of the NET as of Jan. 29.

• Despite being undersized and having just one player who had played in a Big Ten game entering the season, Nebraska's play in Big Ten action is starting to resemble the team's that Coach Hoiberg had at Iowa State, especially with ball movement and limiting turnovers. NU is in the top three in five offensive categories entering the weekend, including assist-to-turnover ratio and 3-point shooting. 

Big Strides in Conference Play

Category	2019-20 (B1G)	2018-19 (B1G)	Times Leading Big 12 during Hoiberg's tenure
3-Pt./GM	9.4 (1st)	6.8 (8th)	(3) 2011-12; 2012-13; 2014-15
3-Pt. Pct.	.346 (3rd)	.322 (9th)	(2) 2011-12; 2012-13
Asst/GM	15.9 (3rd)	11.7 (10th)	(2) 2013-14; 2014-15
Asst-to-TO Ratio	1.6-to-1 (2nd)	1.2-to-1 (5th)	(2) 2013-14; 2014-15
Turnover Margin	+2.9 (2nd)	+2.0 (4th)	(0) None
Turnovers/Gm	9.8 (4th)	9.6 (3rd)	(1) 2014-15

as of Jan. 29

• Nebraska has relied on its balance during the 2019-20 season. NU has put at least four players in double figures 15 times in the first 21 contests. The Huskers put five players in double figures three times, most recently against Iowa on Jan. 7. The Huskers currently have three players averaging double figures overall, including four in conference games.

• Sophomore Cam Mack has made an impact in his first season at Nebraska. He is 11th nationally with 6.8 assists per game, which is on pace to be the most by a Husker since the 1984-85 season, and ranks 28th nationally with his 2.49-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio. Mack's assist-to-turnover ratio is on pace to be one of the best in school history.

Best Assist/Turnover Ratios (Since 1979)

No.	Ratio	Player	Asst.-TO	Year
1.	3.05	Brian Carr	201-66	1985-86
2.	2.73	Jamar Johnson	123-45	1993-94
3.	2.58	Brian Carr	237-92	1984-85
4.	2.54	Jack Moore	109-43	1981-82
5.	2.52	Charles Richardson Jr.	179-71	2006-07
-	2.49	Cam Mack	142-57	2019-20

min. 3.0 assists/gm

• Cam Mack is the only Husker in the last 30 years to have multiple points-assists double-doubles in the same season as he has four this season, including three in Big Ten play. From 1989-90 to the end of the 2018-19 season, it had happened just five times. Mack's consecutive points-assists double-doubles against Indiana and Purdue were the first since Brian Carr in December of 1985 (vs. UC-Irvine and Creighton).

Husker Points/Assists Double-Doubles (Last 30 years)

No.	Pts.	Asst.	Opponent
Cam Mack	15	10	vs. Iowa, 1/7/20
Cam Mack	11	12	vs. Purdue, 12/13/19
Cam Mack	15	10	at Indiana, 12/13/19
Cam Mack	13	11	vs. Southern Utah, 11/11/19
Glynn Watson Jr.	10	10	vs. Cal State Fullerton, 12/20/18
Lance Jeter	10	10	vs. Kansas, 2/5/11
Lance Jeter	12	12	at Kansas State, 2/7/10
Sek Henry	11	11	at TCU, 11/21/09
Tom Wald	11	11	vs. Appalachian State, 12/31/94

• Nebraska enters Saturday's game leading in the Big Ten in turnover margin with +3.0 per game. The Huskers are third in the Big Ten in forcing turnovers (14.1 per game) and second in taking care of the basketball (11.1 per game). NU is 20th nationally in fewest turnovers per game as of Jan. 29.  During his tenure at Iowa State, Hoiberg's teams ranked in the top three in the Big 12 in fewest turnovers per game in four of his five seasons at the school.

• It is not surprising that Nebraska has relied on its 3-point shooting, as Hoiberg's Iowa State teams led the Big 12 in 3-pointers in four of his five seasons at the school. The Huskers, who are second in the Big Ten in 3-pointers per game, are on pace to average 8.6 3-pointers per game, a total which would rank second in school history and be the most since the 2001-02 campaign.

Most 3-Pointers/Game in School History

No.	School	Games	3-Pointers/Game
1.	2001-02	28	9.54
-	2019-20	21	8.57
2.	2006-07	31	7.87
3.	2018-19	36	7.50

• With 180 3-pointers this year, the Huskers are just 14 3-pointers away from cracking the top-10 list for most 3-pointers in a season. 

• Freshman Yvan Ouedraogo leads the Huskers in rebounding at 6.0 per game, which would be the highest season average by a Husker freshman in 15 years (Aleks Maric, 6.3 rpg in 2004-05). Ouedraogo's 14 rebounds vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Dec. 29 were the most by a Husker freshman since 2004 (15, Maric vs. UAB) and tied for the third-highest total by a Husker freshman in the last 20 years. 

• Freshman guard Charlie Easley was put on scholarship for the spring semester. Easley has played in 17 games as a backup guard, including all 10 Big Ten contests, and has played double-figure minutes in seven of the Huskers' last eight contests. Easley had eight points against Indiana on Jan. 18 and seven points in the loss to No. 24 Rutgers on Jan. 25.

• Nebraska returns a national-low 1.9 percent of its scoring from last season and the 50 returning points is the lowest by any power conference team since 2009 according to noted statistician Ken Pomeroy.

Fewest Returning PPG from 2018-19

No.	School	Returning PPG	Pct. of Scoring
1	Nebraska	2.0 PPG	1.9%
2.	Tulane	10.8 PPG	12.2%
3.	South Dakota St.	15.8 PPG	16.9%
4.	Virginia Tech	13.3 PPG	18.1%
5.	Washington	13.9 PPG	19.8%

Courtesy: Virginia Tech SID office

SETTING A FAST PACE
Not only are the Huskers adjusting to a whole new roster, but playing at a significantly faster pace than in previous years. The Huskers are 13th nationally in offensive tempo, as their average possession is 15.3 seconds per possession as of Jan. 29.

• The only power conference schools that play at a faster pace are Alabama (sixth) and St. John's (10th). Penn State (36th) is the only other Big Ten team in the top 50 in offensive pace.

• Of the top 25 teams in terms of pace nationally, Nebraska is second only to Gonzaga in lowest turnover rate as of Jan. 29. Nebraska, Gonzaga and Green Bay are the only teams nationally to rank in the top-25 in both offensive pace and turnover percentage.  

• In his five full seasons as a college coach, Hoiberg's teams have ranked in the top 20 in offensive tempo four times, including top-10 rankings in both 2014 and 2015.

• Hoiberg's first Iowa State team in 2010-11 jumped from 67th to 20th nationally in offensive pace and ranked in the top 40 nationally in adjusted tempo in four of his five seasons in Ames, including top-15 nationally in his last two campaigns.

• In the KenPom era (1997-present), only one Husker team has ranked among the top 100 nationally in adjusted tempo - the 1999-2000 Huskers under Danny Nee. The Huskers' quickest offensive tempo in the last decade was in 2017-18 when the Huskers were 140th in offensive tempo.

MACK DELIVERS AS HUSKERS' LEAD GUARD
Junior college transfer Cam Mack was the cornerstone of the Huskers' recruiting class, and has lived up to the billing in his first season at Nebraska.  Mack was the No. 3 JUCO recruit in the country last year at Salt Lake CC and has been one of the Big Ten's top newcomers. Mack, who was listed as the top JC point guard recruit in the country, enters the Penn State contest averaging 13.6 points per game while leading the Huskers in assists (6.8) and assist-to-turnover ratio (2.5-to-1).

• He is third in the Big Ten in assists per game, second in assist-to-turnover ratio and 11th in steals.

• Mack is tied for the national lead with four games with at least 10 points and 10 assists. In fact, only 12 players in Division I have at least three double-doubles with points and assists this season as of Jan. 29.

• His 6.8 assists per game is on pace to rank third in school history, trailing only Brian Carr, who averaged 7.9 assists per game in 1984-85.

• Mack has been even better in Big Ten play, leading the conference in assists (7.0 apg) and assist-to-turnover ratio (3.0-to-1) in conference games only.  He has four of his five double-doubles in Big Ten action.

• He recorded the first triple-double in program history against Purdue on Dec. 15 with 11 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists, setting season bests in both rebounds and assists in NU's 70-54 win. 

• He's reached double figures 19 times, including a season-high 24-point performance against South Dakota State on Nov. 15 and a 20-point, nine-assist effort against Indiana on Jan. 18.

• Mack ranks ninth on NU's single-season assist list with 142 and needs just 10 assists to climb into the top five. He is eight assists from becoming just the fourth player in school history with 150 assists in a season (Brian Carr-3x; Charles Richardson Jr. and Tyronn Lue).

• He shined in Tuesday's game against Michigan with 19 points, including a season-high five 3-pointers, nine assists and seven rebounds.

• Mack nearly led the Huskers to a comeback win at No. 24 Rutgers on Jan. 26, scoring 16 of his 19 points in the second half as Nebraska rallied back from 14 points down to take the lead before falling 75-72.

• Last season at Salt Lake CC, Mack averaged 19.1 points, 7.6 assists and 5.9 rebounds per game, ranking fifth nationally in assists per game. He totaled nine double-doubles and three triple-doubles as a freshman and dished out 10-or-more assists nine times.

CHEATHAM MAKES IMPACT ON BOTH ENDS
Fifth-year senior Haanif Cheatham has been one of the leaders for a young Husker team. The guard from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., has made 101 career appearances, including 93 starts during a career which has seen him play at Marquette and Florida Gulf Coast before coming to Nebraska. 

• After a slow start, Cheatham has been one of NU's most consistent offensive threats, ranking second on the team in scoring (12.3 ppg) and field goal percentage (.487) and third in assists (1.3 apg). He has been in double figures 15 times, including a pair of 20-point contests

• Over the last 16 games, he is averaging 13.6 points per game while shooting 49 percent from the field and 36 percent from 3-point range. 

• Since Nov. 22, he has scored nine-or-more points in 16 of the last 17 contests, highlighted by a 21-point, six-rebound performance at Indiana on Dec. 13.

• He went over 1,000 career points with a 17-point performance against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Dec. 29.

• Cheatham posted his first career double-double with 14 points and a career-high 11 rebounds at Georgia Tech on Dec. 4.

• He was in double figures all three games of the Cayman Islands Classic, averaging 19.0 ppg including a career-best 26-point effort against South Florida to garner all-tournament honors.

A former top-100 recruit out of high school, he was named Marquette's top defensive performer in each of his two full seasons at Marquette.

THOR EMERGES AS SCORING THREAT
Junior Thorir Thorbjarnarson emerged as a vital part of the Huskers' offensive attack and one of the most improved players in the Big Ten. On the season, the 6-foot-6 guard is fifth on the team in scoring at 8.7 ppg, while shooting 50 percent from the field and 46 percent from 3-point range.

• Thorbjarnarson is second in the Big Ten in 3-point percentage (.459) after shooting just 21.4 percent from 3-point range in his first two seasons. He is now 15th in the Big Ten in 3-pointers per game (1.7).

• In conference play, he is averaging 12.2 ppg while leading the Huskers in rebounding (6.0), field goal percentage (.518) and 3-point percentage. Thorbjarnarson is also second in steals (1.1 spg) and assists (1.8 apg).

• He ranks third in 3-pointers per game (2.3) and fourth in 3-point percentage (.451) in conference play. 

• His 10.7 ppg increase in conference play from last season is the second-highest jump in the Big Ten, and he is one of four players who have increased their conference scoring average by at least 10 ppg this season.

• He has been on a roll as of late, reaching double figures nine times in NU's last 14 games after not reaching double figures in his first 41 contests at Nebraska. Since Dec. 4, he has tied or set a career high in points five times, including 17 points at No. 24 Rutgers on Saturday.

• He nearly had a double-double in the win over Iowa, finishing with 17 points, including three 3-pointers, and a season-high nine rebounds. He tied his season high originally set at Indiana on Dec. 13.

•Thorbjarnarson played one of his best all-around games against Indiana on Jan. 18, finishing with 13 points, nine rebounds, three steals and three assists in 37 minutes of work.

BURKE SHOWS SCORING TOUCH
The other returnee from the 2018-19 season, Dachon Burke Jr. waited in the wings after transferring from Robert Morris. A 6-foot-4 guard, Burke has quickly shown the skills to flourish in Fred Hoiberg's attack, averaging 11.4 points, 4.0 rebounds per game and 1.4 steals per game. 

• He leads NU and ranks third in the Big Ten in steals and paces the Huskers in blocked shots (14).

• Burke has three 20-point efforts this year, including a 25-point effort against Indiana on Dec. 13, a 21-point performance against South Florida on Nov. 27 and a 20-point, eight-rebound outing at Wisconsin on Jan. 21.

• He has eight games with at least two steals, including a five-steal effort against George Mason on Nov. 25.

Two years ago, Burke was one of the best players in the Northeast Conference, averaging 17.6 points per game while adding 5.8 rebounds and a conference-best 2.1 steals per contest to earn second-team all-conference recognition.

OUEDRAOGO ADDS NAME TO SHORT LIST OF TRUE FROSH
Freshman Yvan Ouedraogo became the first true freshman to start a season opener at Nebraska since 2013 and has been a mainstay of the Husker lineup. 

• He is one of the youngest players in the country, as he won't turn 18 until after the 2020 Big Ten Tournament. 

• Ouedraogo has started all 21 games for the Huskers, averaging 5.3 points and a team-high 6.0 rebounds per game in just over 21 minutes per game. He is third among Big Ten true freshmen in rebounding as of Jan. 29.

• He is on track to be the third freshman to lead NU in rebounding in a season, joining Aleks Maric (2005-06) and John Turek (2001-02).

• Ouedraogo has averaged 6.7 rebounds per game over the last 12 games dating back to Dec. 13. He grabbed seven or more rebounds eight times in that stretch.

• He reached double figures for the third time this season at Ohio State, finishing with 10 points and five boards. 

• He picked up his first career double-double against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Dec. 29 with 11 points and 14 rebounds. His double-double was the first by a Husker freshman since Shavon Shields in 2013 and Ouedraogo became just the 10th NU freshman to ever record a double-double. 

• His 10 rebounds against Indiana on Dec. 13 marked the second-highest rebounding total for a Husker freshman in his first conference game, trailing only Dave Hoppen in 1983.

• He enjoyed his best offensive effort of the season with 11 points, including six in overtime, and four rebounds against Southern on Nov. 22. He snared a team-high 12 rebounds against South Dakota State on Nov. 15.

• He is just the 11th true freshman and 13th freshman overall to start a season opener in the last 25 years at Nebraska, joining a group which includes 1,000-point scorers Tai Webster, Ryan Anderson, Cookie Belcher and Tyronn Lue. 

• Ouedraogo played for the French U-18 squad at the 2019 European Championships in July, as France went 6-1 and finished fifth in the competition.

CROSS LIFTS BENCH PRODUCTION 
Freshman Kevin Cross has been a key contributor for the Huskers. The 6-foot-8 freshman from Little Rock, Ark., has been Nebraska's sixth man in 2019-20, averaging 7.8 points and 4.0 rebounds per game. 

• Cross is third on the team with 22 3-pointers and fifth in assists (24) while playing just 18.5 minutes per game. Because of the Huskers' lack of interior size, Cross has played center as a true freshman after being a forward during his high school career. 

• He ranks sixth among Big Ten true freshman in scoring and fifth in rebounding as of Jan. 29, while also ranking fifth in 3-pointers (1.0 per game). 

• Cross has been in double figures seven times off the bench, which is the most by a Husker since Glynn Watson did it 15 times in 2015-16.

• Cross has flourished in recent action, averaging 12.7 points per game on 47 percent shooting over the Huskers' last three contests

• He matched his conference high in points (17) and 3-pointers (three) while dishing out a pair of assists against Michigan on Jan. 28.

• Cross enjoyed one of his best efforts of the season at Wisconsin on Jan. 21, finishing with 17 points on 6-of-11 shooting in 20 minutes. He also had a season-best three steals against the Badgers.

• He has improved his rebounding in recent weeks, averaging 4.4 rebounds per game over the Huskers' last 12 contests dating back to Dec. 13. He has grabbed five-or-more rebounds 11 times this season.

• Against Iowa, Cross had eight of his 11 points in the second half and added five rebounds.

• He played a complete game in the win over Washington State on Nov. 25, scoring 14 points, grabbing a season-high eight rebounds and blocking two shots in 27 minutes.

• Against Southern Utah on Nov. 9, Cross had a season-high 19 points, which is the most by a Husker freshman since the 2016-17 season. It was also the most by a Husker freshman since Shavon Shields also had 19 against Michigan State in 2013.