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After a week off, the Nebraska men's basketball team begins a two-game road trip this Saturday, Feb. 8, as the Huskers travel to Iowa City to take on the Iowa Hawkeyes. Tipoff from Carver-Hawkeye Arena is slated for shortly after 5 p.m. (central) and will be carried on BTN with Kevin Kugler and Stephen Bardo on the call. The game can also be streamed via the web, smartphones, tablets and connected devices through the Fox Sports app.
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.
| GAME 23: NEBRASKA AT NO. 17 IOWA Date: Saturday, Feb. 8 Time: 5:01 p.m. (CT) Location: Iowa City, Iowa Arena: Carver-Hawkeye Arena NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS 2019-20 Record: 7-15 (2-9 Big Ten) Head coach: Fred Hoiberg Record at Nebraska: 7-15 (1st year) Career NCAA Record: 122-71 (6th year) NO. 17/17 IOWA HAWKEYES 2019-20 Record: 16-7 (7-5 Big Ten) Head coach: Fran McCaffery Record at Iowa: 190-139 (10th year) Career Record: 440-316 (23rd year) BROADCAST INFO Television: BTN Play-by-play: Kevin Kugler Analyst: Stephen Bardo 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. 974 XM: Ch. 384 |
Nebraska (7-15, 2-9 Big Ten) continues a stretch against three straight ranked opponents to begin the month of February with Saturday's matchup against the No. 17 Hawkeyes. The Huskers look to bounce back following a 76-64 loss to No. 24 Penn State on Feb. 1. In that game, the Nittany Lions used a 22-6 second-half spurt to break open a five-point contest. Penn State held Nebraska to 38 percent shooting and put four players in double figures.
For Nebraska, one of the highlights was the play of senior guard Haanif Cheatham, who finished with team highs in both scoring (15) and rebounding (eight) against the Nittany Lions. Cheatham, a fifth-year senior, is making the most of his lone season at Nebraska, averaging 12.4 ppg on 49 percent shooting. In two games last week, he averaged 16.0 points on 57 percent shooting and 5.0 rebounds per game.
Iowa (16-7, 7-5 Big Ten) was unable to slow down Purdue on Wednesday, falling 106-68 in West Lafayette. The Boilermakers used an early 17-0 run to take control and shot 63 percent from the field, including 19-of-34 from 3-point range. Junior forward Luka Garza led Iowa with 26 points, but was the only Hawkeye in double figures.
The Hawkeyes feature one of the nation's top big men in Garza, who was one of six Big Ten players on the final Wooden Award list this week. He enters Saturday's game leading the Big Ten in scoring (23.2 ppg) and ranking third in rebounding (10 rpg). In conference play, Garza is averaging 26.4 points and 9.8 rebounds per game.
Nebraska won the first meeting in Lincoln, 76-70, on Jan. 7, and look to beat a Hawkeye team that is 11-1 at home, including 10 straight wins.
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT
Junior guard Thorir Thorbjarnarson is shooting 46.3 percent from 3-point range, which would rank fourth in school history in 3-point percentage. In Big Ten play, Thorbjarnarson is the only player currently in the top five both in 3-point percentage and 3-pointers per game.
NUMBERS TO KNOW
2.42 - Cam Mack's assist-to-turnover ratio, which is second in the conference. Saturday's game against the Hawkeyes features the players with the top two assist-to-turnover ratios in the Big Ten in Mack and Iowa's Connor McCaffery.
5 - The Penn State loss marked just the fifth time all season where Nebraska has had more turnovers than assists, including the only time in Big Ten play. The Huskers are fourth in the Big Ten in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.3-to-1), including first in conference games only (1.5-to-1).
7.7 - Kevin Cross has been one of the Big Ten's top scoring reserves this season. He ranks fifth 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 as of Feb 6.
| No. | Name | School | PPG |
| 1. | Micah Potter | Wisconsin | 9.2 |
| 2. | Izaiah Brockington | Penn State | 9.1 |
| 3. | Jacob Young | Rutgers | 8.5 |
| 4. | Alan Griffin | Illinois | 8.3 |
| 5. | Kevin Cross | Nebraska | 7.7 |
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 in the last decade.
SCOUTING IOWA
Iowa comes into Saturday's game with a 16-7 record following Wednesday's loss at Purdue. In that game, Purdue raced out to a 61-36 lead and cruised to a 36-point win. The Boilermakers shot 63 percent and put five players in double figures. For Iowa,
Luka Garza had 26 points on 10-17 shooting, but no other Iowa player had more than nine points. The Hawkeyes shot 42 percent, including 6-of-25 from 3-point range.
Iowa has been solid since consecutive road losses at Penn State and Nebraska to open 2020. Since then, Iowa is 6-2, including wins over Maryland, Wisconsin, Michigan and Illinois in that stretch. The Hawkeyes put together a solid non-conference
campaign with wins over Texas Tech, Syracuse, Iowa State and Cincinnati, all of those away from Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
Iowa is an explosive offensive team, as the Hawkeyes lead the Big Ten in scoring offense at 78.2 points per game. The Hawkeyes are among the conference leaders in assists (17.7, second), assist-to-turnover ratio (1.5-to-1, first) and 3-point shooting (.349, second).
Garza is one of the frontrunners for Big Ten Player of the Year, as he leads the Big Ten in scoring 23.2 points per game and ranks third in rebounding. He has scored 20+ points in eight straight games dating back to Jan. 10. Sophomore Joe Weiskamp is at 14.8 points and 6.1 rebounds per game and leads the Hawkeyes with 46 3-pointers. Redshirt freshman CJ Frederick also averages double figures with 11.5 points per game and is shooting 48.3 percent from 3-point range.
SERIES HISTORY
The Hawkeyes lead the all-time series, 20-13 in a series that dates back to 1907. It is NU's third-oldest series against a Big Ten foe, as only NU's series with Minnesota and Wisconsin have been around longer. The teams had not met since 1976 before NU joined the Big Ten in 2011-12. Nebraska is 6-8 against the Hawkeyes since joining the Big Ten and the home team has won the last seven meetings dating back to 2016. The Huskers are just 2-16 all-time in Iowa City. Nebraska's last road win in the series was on Jan. 26, 2012, a 79-73 win in Carver-Hawkeye Arena, which was its first road win since joining the Big Ten.
Last Meeting: Cam Mack had his fourth double-double of the season, while Thorir Thorbjarnarson tied his career high with 17 points to lead Nebraska to a 76-70 victory over Iowa on Jan. 7. Mack poured in 15 points and dished out 10 assists for Nebraska, as the Huskers put five players in double figures in posting their fourth straight win over the Hawkeyes in Lincoln.
In addition to Mack and Thorbjarnarson, who grabbed a team-high nine rebounds, Haanif Cheatham added 14 while Dachon Burke Jr. and Kevin Cross also netted double figures with 13 points and 11 points, respectively.
Nebraska led by as many as 12 in the first half, only to see Iowa take a 51-50 lead with 12:41 remaining. The Hawkeyes' lead would last just 38 seconds, as Cross sparked a significant run with six points in an 8-2 spurt, as Nebraska took a 58-53 lead
with 7:25 left. Iowa chipped away, pulling even at 59-all after a Joe Wieskamp basket with 5:20 remaining, but Thorbjarnarson's two 3-pointers keyed an 8-2 run to push the lead to back to 67-61.
Wieskamp finished with a game-high 21 points, while Luka Garza added 16 points and 18 rebounds. The Huskers also limited Iowa to just 4-of-33 from 3-point range, while hitting 10 3-pointers.
LAST TIME OUT
Haanif Cheatham had 15 points and eight boards to lead three Huskers in double figures, but Nebraska could not sustain a strong start in a 76-64 loss to No. 24 Penn State on Feb. 1.
Nebraska raced out to an early 9-2 lead and hit its first five field goals, as Cheatham scored 10 of the Huskers' first 13 points, as Nebraska built a 13-7 lead. The Huskers led 20-18 after a Thorir Thorbjarnarson 3-pointer, but the Nittany Lions ran off nine straight points to take a 27-20 cushion. The Huskers kept fighting, as Dachon Burke Jr. scored seven straight points as part of a 9-2 run, as the Huskers pulled within 31-30 with 4:21 left in the half. NU, which shot 38 percent in the first half, was within striking distance, as Thorbjarnarson's 3-point play with 46 seconds left in the half made it 38-33.
Penn State took control by scoring the first eight points of the second half and used a 22-6 spurt in the first 7:12 to build a 60-39 lead. Lamar Stevens and Mike Watkins combined for 13 of the Nittany Lions points
Stevens and Myreon Jones had 13 points each to lead four Nittany Lions in double figures, while Watkins had 11 points and a game-high 17 rebounds for the winners, who picked up their second win in 10 games in Lincoln.
In addition to Cheatham, Thorbjarnarson had 12 points, while Burke Jr. added 11 markers for the Huskers.
STORYLINES
• Nebraska is going for its first-ever season sweep of the Hawkeyes since joining the Big Ten in 2011-12, while a win on Saturday would also mark the Huskers' first-ever three-game win streak against Iowa in men's basketball. NU is just 2-16 all-time in Iowa City with the last win coming in 2012.
• Nebraska Head Coach Fred Hoiberg and Iowa Coach Fran McCaffery have squared off six times, including five times when Hoiberg coached at Iowa State, Hoiberg-coached teams are 5-1 in those matchups.
• Iowa is the Huskers' fourth ranked opponent this season, as NU looks to snap a four-game losing streak against ranked foes dating back to last season's Big Ten Tournament. All-time Nebraska is 2-13 against teams ranked No. 17 in the AP poll with the wins coming against Iowa State (1957) and Marquette (1958). In all, Nebraska is in the middle of a stretch of five ranked opponents in six games (Penn State, at Iowa, at Maryland, Michigan State, at Illinois).
• Saturday's matchup features the two top 3-point shooters in the Big Ten in Iowa's C.J. Frederick (1st, .482) and Nebraska's Thorir Thorbjarnarson (2nd, .463).
• ESPN's BPI has Nebraska with the second-hardest strength of schedule remaining as of Feb. 6. In fact, the top eight toughest schedules are from the Big Ten.
• Senior Haanif Cheatham comes into the Iowa game after putting together two of his best Big Ten performances last week. In NU's games against Michigan and No. 24 Penn State, the senior guard averaged 16.0 ppg on 57 percent shooting and 5.0 rpg. Saturday's game will be his 95th career start at the college level.
• Cam Mack enters Saturday's game needing just five assists to be the fourth player in school history with 150 assists in a season (Brian Carr-3x; Charles Richardson Jr. and Tyronn Lue).
• With 188 3-pointers this year, the Huskers are just six 3-pointers away from cracking the top-10 list for most 3-pointers in a season. NU is also just 12 3-pointers from reaching 200 in a season for the 10th time in school history.
• 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 55 of the NET as of Feb. 6.
• Nebraska enters Saturday's game leading in the Big Ten in turnover margin with +3.0 per game. The Huskers are second in the Big Ten in forcing turnovers (14.2 per game) and second in taking care of the basketball (11.2 per game). NU is 24th nationally in fewest turnovers per game as of Feb. 6. 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, NU is in the top three in six 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 ISU Led Big 12 Under Hoiberg |
| 3-Pt./GM | 9.3 (1st) | 6.8 (8th) | (3) 2011-12; 2012-13; 2014-15 |
| 3-Pt. Pct. | .348 (3rd) | .322 (9th) | (2) 2011-12; 2012-13 |
| Asst/GM | 15.5 (3rd) | 11.7 (10th) | (2) 2013-14; 2014-15 |
| Asst-to-TO Ratio | 1.5-to-1 (1st) | 1.2-to-1 (5th) | (2) 2013-14; 2014-15 |
| Turnover Margin | +2.9 (2nd) | +2.0 (4th) | (0) None |
| Turnovers/Gm | 10.1 (2nd) | 9.6 (3rd) | (1) 2014-15 |
as of Feb. 6
• 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 22 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.
• 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 | 22 | 8.54 |
| 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 15th nationally with 6.6 assists per game, which is on pace to be the most by a Husker since the 1984-85 season, and ranks 37th nationally with his 2.42-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 |
| - | 2.42 | 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 |
• 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 18 games as a backup guard, including all 11 Big Ten contests, and has played double-figure minutes in eight of the Huskers' last nine contests. Easley had eight points against Indiana on Jan. 18 and seven points in the loss to No. 24 Rutgers on Jan. 25.
• 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 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 11th nationally in offensive tempo, as their average possession is 15.3 seconds per possession as of Feb. 6.
• The only power conference school that plays at a faster pace is Alabama, which is sixth as of Feb. 5. Penn State 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 Feb. 5. Nebraska, Gonzaga, St. John's and Green Bay are the only teams nationally to currently 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 Iowa contest averaging 13.0 points per game while leading the Huskers in assists (6.6) and assist-to-turnover ratio (2.4-to-1).
• He is third in the Big Ten in assists per game and second in assist-to-turnover ratio as of Feb. 6.
• Mack is second nationally with four games with at least 10 points and 10 assists. In fact, only 14 players in Division I have at least three double-doubles with points and assists this season as of Feb. 6.
• His 6.6 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, leading the conference in assists (7.5 apg) and ranking third in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.8-to-1) in conference games only. He has four of his five double-doubles in Big Ten action. He is also tied for first in Big Ten action in 3-pointers per game (2.3).
• 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 sixth on NU's single-season assist list with 142 and needs just seven assists to climb into the top five.
• 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 102 career appearances, including 94 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 (12.4 ppg) and field goal percentage (.488) and third in assists (1.4 apg). He has been in double figures 16 times, including a pair of 20-point contests
• Over the last 18 games, he is averaging 13.7 points per game while shooting 49 percent from the field and 38 percent from 3-point range.
• Since Nov. 22, he has scored nine-or-more points in 17 of the last 18 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 fourth on the team in scoring at 8.9 ppg, while shooting 51 percent from the field and 46 percent from 3-point range.
• Thorbjarnarson is second in the Big Ten in 3-point percentage (.463) after shooting just 21.4 percent from 3-point range in his first two seasons. He is now 14th 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 (5.9), field goal percentage (.522) and 3-point percentage (.463). Thorbjarnarson is also second in steals (1.0 spg) and assists (1.7 apg).
• He is tied for first in 3-pointers per game (2.3) and fourth in 3-point percentage (.463) 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 three 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 10 times in NU's last 15 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.
• 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, 3.9 rebounds per game and 1.4 steals per game.
• He leads NU and ranks second 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 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.
• 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 22 games for the Huskers, averaging 5.4 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 Feb. 6.
• 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), as his 131 rebounds already ranks 10th all-time among Husker freshmen.
• He reached double figures for the third time this season at Ohio State, finishing with 10 points and five boards.
• Ouedraogo 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. It is one of three double-figure rebounding efforts in 2019-20, as he also had 12 against South Dakota State on Nov. 15.
• His other double-figure effort was an 11-point peformance against Southern on Nov. 22, including six in overtime.
• 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 7.7 points and 4.1 rebounds per game.
• Cross is third on the team with 24 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 Feb. 6, while also ranking fifth in 3-pointers (1.0 per game).
• Cross has reached double figures seven times, which is the most by a Husker since Glynn Watson (15) in 2015-16.
• Cross has flourished in recent action, averaging 10.8 points per game on 42 percent shooting over the Huskers' last four 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.
• Against Iowa on Jan. 7, 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.