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| GAME 28: NEBRASKA vs. OHIO STATE Date: Thursday, Feb. 27 Time: 8 p.m. (CT) Location: Lincoln, Neb. Arena: Pinnacle Bank Arena Tickets: Huskers.com/Tickets NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS 2019-20 Record: 7-20 (2-14 Big Ten) Head coach: Fred Hoiberg Record at Nebraska: 7-20 (1st year) Career NCAA Record: 122-76 (6th year) NO. 23/23 OHIO STATE BUCKEYES 2019-20 Record: 18-9 (8-8 Big Ten) Head coach: Chris Holtmann Record at Ohio State: 62-32 (3rd year) Career Record: 176-118 (9th year) BROADCAST INFO Television: ESPN2 Play-by-play: Jason Benetti Analyst: Robbie Hummel Online Broadcast: ESPN.com and ESPN 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. 976 XM: Ch. 386 |
The Nebraska men's basketball returns to Pinnacle Bank Arena Thursday night as the Huskers take on No. 23 Ohio State. Tipoff is at 8:05 p.m. and any returned tickets will go on sale at the Pinnacle Bank Arena box office beginning at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
Thursday's game will be televised on ESPN2 with Jason Benetti and Robbie Hummel on the call. The game with the Buckeyes will also be available on the ESPN app and on ESPN.com with authentication.
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.
Thursday's game is the annual Red Cross night, as volunteers will be collecting cash donations from fans at the PBA entrances prior to Thursday's game to support disaster relief throughout the heartland.
Nebraska (7-20, 2-14 Big Ten) was short-handed and battled Illinois before falling 71-59 on Monday night. Haanif Cheatham led four Huskers in double figures with 14 points, as Nebraska was down to just eight players because injuries and illness. Nebraska limited Illinois to 39 percent shooting, but allowed 19 offensive rebounds which led to 14 second-chance points for the Fighting Illini.
One encouraging development is the play of freshman Yvan Ouedraogo, who finished with 11 points and 10 rebounds against Illinois for his second double-double of the season. He joins Ron Taylor (1973-74), Andre Smith (1977-78) and Aleks Maric (2004-05) as the only players in school history with multiple double-doubles as freshmen. Ouedraogo, who doesn't turn 18 until after the Big Ten Tournament, has been playing some of his best basketball in the last two weeks, averaging 9.0 points on 62 percent shooting and 7.7 rebounds over the last four games.
Ohio State (18-9, 8-8 Big Ten) comes off an impressive 79-72 win over No. 7 Maryland on Sunday, snapping the Terrapins' nine-game win streak. Luther Muhammad had a game-high 22 points to lead five Buckeyes in double figures. The Buckeyes, who have won six of their last eight games, jumped to 23rd in both national polls this week.
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT
Dachon Burke is averaging 14.7 points per game since missing the Huskers' game at Maryland because of illness. He is shooting 47.2 percent from the field in that stretch and has been in double figures all three contests. His 21-point effort against Michigan State last Thursday was the most points by a Husker reserve since Jack McVeigh had 21 in a win over No. 20 Purdue on Jan. 29, 2017.
NUMBERS TO KNOW
3 - Yvan Ouedraogo enters the Ohio State game needing three rebounds to tie Aleks Maric's freshman record of 169 set in 2004-05. Ouedraogo is averaging a team-high 6.1 rebounds per game.
1.27 - Nebraska's assist-to-turnover ratio is on pace to rank fifth in school history. The Huskers are currently fourth in the Big Ten in assist-to-turnover ratio, including tied for first in Big Ten action. In addition, NU's 14.3 assists per game is on pace to be the Huskers' highest total since the 2006-07 season.
Best Assist-to-Turnover Ratios in School History
| No | Year | Ratio |
| 1. | 1984-85 | 1.81 |
| 2. | 1985-86 | 1.64 |
| 3. | 1983-84 | 1.34 |
| 4. | 2018-19 | 1.32 |
| 5. | 1981-82 | 1.29 |
| 6. | 1979-80 | 1.28 |
| 7. | 2019-20 | 1.27 |
8 - Cam Mack is one of just eight players in Division I - and just four in power conferences - averaging at least 12.0 points, 6.0 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 1.0 steal per game as of Feb. 25. The other power conference players include Tre Jones (Duke), Tyrese Haliburton (Iowa State) and Markell Johnson (NC State).
50 - Returning point total from last season, all by Thorir Thorbjarnarson. That is the lowest by any power conference team in the last decade.
SCOUTING OHIO STATE
Under the direction of third-year coach Chris Holtmann, Ohio State comes to Lincoln with an 18-9 mark, including an 8-8 mark in the Big Ten. Holtmann is looking to guide OSU to its third straight NCAA appearance after the Buckeyes won 25 and 20 games in his first two seasons. Holtmann spent the previous three seasons at Butler, guiding the Bulldogs to three straight NCAA Tournament appearances, including a Sweet 16 appearance in 2017.
This year's Buckeyes were one of the best teams in the country in the first two months of the season with wins over Villanova, Cincinnati, Penn State, Kentucky and North Carolina. OSU hit a rough patch in January where the Buckeyes lost four of six games before rebounding over the last month. OSU has won six of its last eight games, highlighted by a 79-72 win over No. 7 Maryland on Sunday.
The Buckeyes are a balanced attack, with six players averaging at least 6.9 points per game. OSU is one of the best shooting teams in the Big Ten, topping the Big Ten in 3-pointers per game (8.7) and 3-point percentage (.379), while ranking second in scoring margin (+9.3). The Buckeyes rank in the top four of the Big Ten in both scoring defense (62.6 ppg) and field goal defense (.392).
Junior center Kaleb Wesson anchors a balanced Buckeye attack with 14.0 ppg and 9.3 rpg. Duane Washington Jr. averages 10.9 points per game and is one of five active Buckeyes shooting at least 36 percent from 3-point range.
SERIES HISTORY
Ohio State leads the all-time series, 17-4, in a series that dates back to 1936. The Buckeyes are 13-2 against the Huskers since Nebraska joined the Big Ten with Nebraska's wins coming in 2014 (Lincoln) and 2017 (Columbus). Nebraska looks to snap a three-game losing streak to the Buckeyes, while Thursday's game is the 11th time in the 16 meetings that OSU has been ranked since Nebraska joined the Big Ten.
Last Meeting: The Huskers could not overcome a strong shooting performance from No. 21 Ohio State, as the Huskers fell to the Buckeyes 80-68 on Jan. 14. Ohio State shot 54.5 percent on the night, including 10-of-22 from the 3-point line. CJ Walker, who scored 14 second-half points, paced six Buckeyes in double figures with a game-high 18 points. Kaleb Wesson added a double-double for Ohio State with 13 points and 14 rebounds.
Nebraska, which topped the 60-point mark for the first time in seven trips to Value City Arena, fell to 7-10 overall with the loss and dropped to 2-4 in Big Ten play. The Huskers shot 42.4 percent from the field and were 9-of-22 from the 3-point line. NU knocked down eight threes and shot 54.8 percent in the second half. It was a balanced scoring night for the Big Red, as six Huskers had at least nine points. Thorir Thorbjarnarson led Nebraska with 15 points while knocking down a career-high five 3-pointers. He also led NU with six rebounds. Jervay Green, Cam Mack and Yvan Ouedraogo each added 10 points for the Huskers, with Mack adding six assists.
LAST TIME OUT
A shorthanded Nebraska team rallied from a double-digit deficit to force a tie game early in the second half, but Illinois responded with an 11-1 run to regain control and defeat the Huskers 71-59 on Monday night at the State Farm Center.
Nebraska trailed by six points at halftime and faced the same deficit three minutes into the second half when senior guard Haanif Cheatam made a free throw and junior guard Thorir Thornbjarnarson scored in the paint. Illinois responded with a layup, but Thornbjarnarson made a 3-pointer and junior guard Jervay Green scored in transition on an assist from Cheatham to force a 46-46 tie with 15:12 remaining.
Illinois (18-9, 10-6) outscored the Huskers by 10 points over the next four minutes to assume control. The Illini went on to lead by as many as 14, while Nebraska drew within no closer than eight.
Nebraska played without sophomore point guard Cam Mack, who remained in Lincoln because of an illness. Without him, the Huskers counted on Cheatmam, who scored 14 points to pace four Nebraska players in double-figure scoring. Dachon Burke Jr. finished with 13 points, Thornbjarnarson scored 11 and freshman center Yvan Ouedraogo had 11 points to go with 10 points for his second double-double this season.
STORYLINES
• Thursday's game features four of the top five shooters in the Big Ten based on field goal percentage. Nebraska's Thorir Thorbjarnarson is fifth at 41.7 percent while OSU's Andre Wesson (44.6, second), Justin Ahrens (42.6, third) and Kaleb Wesson (41.9 fourth) all rank in the top five in the conference entering Tuesday's action.
• While the Huskers have lost 12 straight entering Thursday's game, NU Head Coach Fred Hoiberg experienced a similar double-figure losing streak during his first season at Iowa State. That year, the Cyclones were short-handed with four sit-out transfers en route to going 3-13 in the Big 12. The next season, the Cyclones put together the largest turnaround in Big 12 history and went 12-6 on their way to the first of four straight NCAA Tournament appearances under Hoiberg.
• NU's game against Ohio State, which is 19th in the NET as of Feb. 25, will mark the 10th straight opponent in the top 40 of the NET. In all, 11 of the 14 Big Ten teams are in the top 45 of the NET as of Feb. 25.
• Cam Mack is in fourth place on NU's single-season assist list with 170 and needs just nine assists to tie Charles Richardson Jr. (179, 2006-07) for third place. Mack and Michigan State's Cassius Winston are the only Big Ten players in the top five in both assists and steals as of Feb. 22.
• Dachon Burke's 21-point effort against Michigan State on Feb. 20 marked the Huskers' 10th 20-point game of the season (Burke-4; Cheatham-3; Mack-2; Green-1).
• Nebraska has 221 3-pointers this year to tie for fifth in school history. The Huskers' first 3-pointer on Thursday will push the 2019-20 squad into sole possession of fifth on the single-season chart. The Huskers have hit 10-or-more 3-pointers six times this season
• Nebraska enters Thursday's game leading in the Big Ten in turnover margin with +2.8 per game. The Huskers lead the Big Ten in forcing turnovers (14.1 per game) and fourth in taking care of the basketball (11.3 per game). NU is 26th nationally in fewest turnovers per game as of Feb. 25. 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.
• 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. In Big Ten games only, NU is in the top three in four offensive categories after Monday's game, including assist-to-turnover ratio and 3-pointers per game.
Big Strides in Conference Play
| Category | 2019-20 (B1G) | 2018-19 (B1G) | Times ISU Led Big 12 Under Hoiberg |
| 3-Pt./GM | 8.4 (3rd) | 6.8 (8th) | (3) 2011-12; 2012-13; 2014-15 |
| Asst/GM | 15.1 (3rd) | 11.7 (10th) | (2) 2013-14; 2014-15 |
| Asst-to-TO Ratio | 1.4-to-1 (2nd) | 1.2-to-1 (5th) | (2) 2013-14; 2014-15 |
| Turnover Margin | +2.7 (1st) | +2.0 (4th) | (0) None |
as of Feb. 22
• 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 fourth in the Big Ten in 3-pointers per game, are on pace to average 8.2 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 | 27 | 8.18 |
| 2. | 2006-07 | 31 | 7.87 |
| 3. | 2018-19 | 36 | 7.50 |
• Cam Mack has made an impact in his first season at Nebraska. He is 11th nationally with 6.5 assists per game, which is on pace to be the most by a Husker since the 1985-86 season, and ranks 27th nationally with his 2.50-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 |
| - | 2.50 | Cam Mack | 170-68 | 2019-20 |
min. 3.0 assists/gm
• Nebraska has relied on its balance with four double-figure scorers in conference play. NU has had at least three players reach double figures in 22 of 27 games this year, including a trio of games with five double-figure scorers.
• Nebraska has used seven different starting lineups this season. At Illinois, Nebraska had just eight eligible players, as Cam Mack did not play because of illness while Matej Kavas suffered a season-ending injury against Wisconsin on Feb. 15. Kavas suffered a left (non-shooting) hand injury and had surgery last week. Kavas averaged 5.3 points per game and had totaled 23 3-pointers in 22 contests. Of the 13 scholarship players that began the year, NU now has only eight available, as three players (Derrick Walker, Shamiel Stevenson and Dalano Banton) are sitting out this year, while Samari Curtis transferred to Evansville at the semester.
• Freshman Charlie Easley was put on scholarship for the spring semester on Jan. 10. Easley has played in 23games as a backup guard, including all 15 Big Ten contests, and has played double-figure minutes in 12 of the Huskers' last 14 contests. Easley is currently eighth in the Big Ten in steals (1.1 spg) in conference play despite averaging just 13.3 minutes per game.
• 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 returned 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 the 2008-09 season according to noted statistician Ken Pomeroy. That team was the 2008-09 Indiana Hoosiers, who went 6-26 overall (1-17 in Big Ten) and had two double-figure losing streaks. The Big Ten had seven teams reach the NCAA Tournament this season.
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 10th nationally in offensive tempo, as their average possession is 15.3 seconds per possession as of Feb. 25.
• The only power conference school that plays at a faster pace is Alabama, which is sixth nationally as of Feb. 25. Iowa, which is 48th, is the only other Big Ten team in the top-50 nationally.
• Over the last five years (2014-15 to 2018-19), only two Big Ten teams - Ohio State (16th, 2014-15) and Minnesota (20th, 2014-15) - ranked in the top 20 nationally in possession length.
• Of the top-25 teams in terms of pace nationally, Nebraska has the lowest turnover rate as of Feb. 23. Nebraska, Gonzaga, Belmont and St. John's are the only teams nationally to currently rank in the top-25 in both offensive pace and turnover percentage as of Feb. 25.
• 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 this season. Mack, who was listed as the top JC point guard recruit in the country, enters the Ohio State contest averaging 12.0 points per game while leading the Huskers in assists (6.5) and assist-to-turnover ratio (2.5-to-1). He missed the Illinois game because of Illness.
• He is third in the Big Ten in assists per game and second in assist-to-turnover ratio as of Feb. 24.
• Mack is third nationally with four games with at least 10 points and 10 assists. In fact, only eight players in Division I have at least four double-doubles with points and assists this season as of Feb. 24.
• His 6.5 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 and 6.7 assists per game in 1985-86.
• Mack has been even better in Big Ten play, as he leads the Big Ten in assists (7.1) and is second in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.9-to-1) in conference games only.
• Mack has four of his five double-doubles in Big Ten action, including the first triple-double in school history against Purdue on Dec. 15 with 11 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists in the Huskers' 70-54 win.
• Mack ranks fourth on NU's single-season assist list with 170 and needs just nine assists to move into a tie for third place.
• In his last three games, Mack has a 22-to-3 assist-to-turnover ratio, including 14-to-0 ratio against Wisconsin and Michigan State.
• He's reached double figures 20 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.
• He shined against Michigan on Jan. 28 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. 25, 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 106 career appearances, including 100 starts during a career which has seen him play at Marquette and Florida Gulf Coast before coming to Nebraska. He was the first player to commit to Nebraska following the hiring of Fred Hoiberg, and has been a steady performer in 2019-20.
• Cheatham has been one of NU's most consistent offensive threats, as he leads NU in scoring (12.5 ppg) and field goal percentage (.484) and ranks third in assists (1.4 apg). He has been in double figures a team-high 20 times, including a trio of 20-point contests.
• He is playing some of his best basketball in recent weeks, averaging 13.9 points per game on 50 percent shooting, including 37 percent from 3-point range, over the Huskers' last
seven games dating back to Jan. 28. He has been in double figures six times in that stretch, and the only game he wasn't was the Iowa game where he played 15 minutes before suffering a calf injury.
• Cheatham had 14 points and seven rebounds against Illinois and also had 14 points and a career-high five steals on Feb. 20 against Michigan State. His five steals matched the season high by any Husker in 2019-20.
• Cheatham had one of his best performances of the season at No. 9 Maryland on Feb. 11. In that game, he finished with 20 points on 7-of-11 shooting and six boards. Cheatham, who was questionable for the game with a calf injury, had 18 points in the second half, as Nebraska rallied back from a 14-point deficit.
• 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. The 6-foot-6 guard is fourth on the team in scoring at 8.9 ppg, while shooting 47 percent from the field and 42 percent from 3-point range.
• Thorbjarnarson is fifth in the Big Ten in 3-point percentage (.417) after shooting just 21.4 percent (6-of-28) from 3-point range in his first two seasons.
• In conference play, he is averaging 11.2 ppg while leading NU in field goal percentage (.471) and 3-point percentage (.402). He is also second both rebounding (5.5 rpg), assists (1.7 apg) and steals (1.1).
• He is second in the Big Ten in 3-pointers per game (2.1) and 11th in 3-point percentage (.402) in Big Ten games only.
• His 9.7 ppg increase in conference play from last season ties for the fourth-largest jump in the Big Ten this season.
• He has reached double figures 12 times in NU's last 20 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 Jan. 25.
• Thorbjarnarson had 11 points, including a trio of 3-pointers, and seven rebounds in Monday's loss at Illinois.
• He nearly had a double-double in the win over Iowa on Jan. 7, 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 nearly helped NU knock off No. 9 Maryland with 15 points seven rebounds and a pair of assists in a 72-70 loss on Feb. 11.
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 shown the skills to flourish in Fred Hoiberg's attack, averaging 11.8 points, 3.6 rebounds per game and 1.3 steals per game.
• He is second in the Big Ten in steals and paces the Huskers in blocked shots (16).
• Since missing the Maryland game with an illness, he is averaging 14.7 points per game on 45 percent shooting, including 43 percent from 3-point range.
• He posted his fourth 20-point game of the season against Michigan State on Feb. 20, finishing with 21 points on 7-of-15 shooting and tied his season high with four 3-pointers.
• His other 20-point efforts this season include a season-high 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 nine 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 IS YOUNGSTER WITH BIG ROLE
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 for most of the season.
• 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 made 25 starts and played in all 27 games, averaging 5.8 points and a team-high 6.1 rebounds per game in just under 21 minutes per game. He is third among Big Ten true freshmen in rebounding as of Feb. 23.
• He is playing some of his best basketball over the last two weeks, averaging 9.0 points on 62 percent shooting and 7.7 rebounds per game over Nebraska's last four games.
• 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 is now second all-time among Husker freshmen in rebounding and needs four rebounds to pass Aleks Maric for first place on NU's freshman list. Maric eventually became a two-time all-conference performer under Doc Sadler and played for Australia in the 2012 Olympics.
• Ouedraogo became just the fourth Husker freshman to record multiple double-doubles, as he had 11 points and 10 rebounds at Illinois on Feb. 24, and 11 points and 14 rebounds against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Dec. 29. He is one of only 10 Husker freshmen to have a double-double.
• He has reached double figures in scoring five times including each of the last two games.
• Ouedraogo also has five double-figure rebounding efforts, including 10 against Wisconsin on Feb. 15 and 10 at Illinois on Feb. 20.
• 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.
• 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 for most of 2019-20, averaging 7.0 points and 3.9 rebounds per game.
• Cross is fourth on the team in both 3-pointers (26) and assists (34) while playing just 18.3 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 seventh among Big Ten true freshmen in scoring and fifth in rebounding as of Feb. 25.
• Cross has reached double figures seven times, which is the most by a Husker freshman since Glynn Watson (15) in 2015-16.
• 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 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.
HUSKERS LOOK FOR FIRST RANKED WIN
Nebraska enters the Ohio State game with an 0-5 mark against ranked opponents this year - all coming in Big Ten action. The Huskers are 5-7 all-time playing against the No. 23 team in the AP poll, most recently a 72-52 win over No. 23 Michigan during the 2017-18 campaign. Nebraska's five wins vs. teams ranked No. 23 matches its highest total vs. any ranking (also 16th and 20th).
FROM COLLEGE TO THE NBA AND BACK AGAIN
Nebraska's Fred Hoiberg is in an exclusive club, as he is one of just 10 current Division I coaches to coach in Division I and in the NBA. He spent three-plus seasons with the Chicago Bulls, guiding the Bulls to the NBA Playoffs in 2016. Hoiberg's 270 regular-season NBA games are the most of the 10 former NBA coaches in the collegiate ranks. Hoiberg also brings five years of NBA front office experience, as he worked with the Minnesota Timberwolves from 2005 to 2010.
| Coach, School | NBA Head Coach, Years |
| Fred Hoiberg, Nebraska | Chicago, 2015-18 |
| Larry Krystkowiak, Utah | Milwaukee, 2007-08 |
| Terry Porter, Portland | Milwaukee, 2003-05; Phoenix 2008-09 |
| Lon Kruger, Oklahoma | Atlanta, 2000-03 |
| Eric Musselman, Arkansas | Golden State, 2002-04; Sacramento, 2006-07 |
| Mike Dunlap, Loyola Marymount | Charlotte, 2012-13 |
| Darrell Walker, Ark. Little Rock | Toronto, 1996-98; Washington, 1999-2000 |
| John Calipari, Kentucky | New Jersey, 1996-99 |
| Leonard Hamilton, Florida State | Washington, 2000-01 |
| Lindsey Hunter, Miss. Valley State | Phoenix, 2013 |
PINNACLE BANK ARENA SOLD OUT FOR 2019-20 SEASON
Since moving into Pinnacle Bank Arena in 2013-14, the Huskers have ranked in the top 15 in attendance nationally in each of the past six seasons. The streak will continue into 2019-20, as all available season tickets were sold out in August.
• Last season, Nebraska averaged 15,341 fans per home game to rank 10th nationally in attendance, matching the highest rank in school history.
• Nebraska is one of nine schools in the country to average 15,000+ fans per contest in each of the last six seasons, joining Kentucky, Syracuse, Louisville, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Indiana, Kansas and Creighton.
• The Big Ten Conference has led NCAA Basketball in attendance for 43 straight years, dating back to the 1976-77 season. Last season, Big Ten schools drew more than a combined three million fans for the fifth straight year.
Filling Up Pinnacle Bank Arena
| Season | Average | NCAA Rank |
| 2013-14 (1st year of PBA) | 15,419 | 13th |
| 2014-15 | 15,569 | 10th |
| 2015-16 | 15,430 | 11th |
| 2016-17 | 15,427 | 11th |
| 2017-18 | 15,494 | 11th |
| 2018-19 | 15,341 | 10th |
| 2019-20 | 15,587 | 11th |