Huskers Battle Hoosiers in Big Ten Tournament

The Nebraska men's basketball team looks to keep its season alive Wednesday evening, as the Huskers take on the Indiana Hoosiers in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament.  Tipoff at Bankers Life Fieldhouse is set for 25 minutes following the conclusion of the Big Ten Tournament opener between Minnesota and Northwestern which begins at 5 p.m. (central). The first-round game between the Huskers and Hoosiers will be carried nationally on BTN with Brandon Gaudin 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.

GAME 32: NEBRASKA vs. INDIANA (BTT) Date:     Wednesday, March 11 Time:     approx. 7:20 p.m. (CDT) Location:     Indianapolis, Ind. Arena:     Bankers Life Fieldhouse NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS 2019-20 Record: 7-24 (2-18 Big Ten) Head coach: Fred Hoiberg     Record at Nebraska: 7-24 (1st year)     Career NCAA Record: 122-80 (6th year) INDIANA HOOSIERS 2019-20 Record: 19-12 (9-11 Big Ten) Head coach: Archie Miller     Record at Indiana: 54-43 (3rd year)     Career Record: 193-105 (9th year) BROADCAST INFO Television: BTN     Play-by-play: Brandon Gaudin     Analyst: Stephen Bardo      Sideline: Mike Hall 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. 84 and 372

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.

Nebraska (7-24, 2-18 Big Ten) were short-handed in a 107-75 loss at Minnesota on Sunday. Down to just seven active players, the Huskers were unable to slow Minnesota down, as the Gophers shot 62 percent in the first half and 57 percent on the day. Haanif Cheatham led four Huskers in double figures with 17 points, while Jervay Green added 15 markers in a losing cause, as all seven Huskers who dressed played at least 20 minutes. 

Cheatham, the lone active senior on the Husker roster, is wrapping up his college career with some of his best basketball. Over the last eight contests, he is averaging 16.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 2.0 steals per game dating back to Feb. 11. He has a pair of 20-point games in that stretch and has reached double figures seven times in that span. 

Indiana (19-12, 9-11 Big Ten) fell into Wednesday's game after losing to Wisconsin, 60-56, on Saturday. The Hoosiers led 51-44 with 6:52 remaining before Wisconsin ran off 12 straight points to take the lead for good. Devonte Graham led the Hoosiers with 16 points, but was the only Indiana player in double figures, as the Hoosiers shot just 35 percent from the field.

The winner of Wednesday's contest will take on sixth-seeded Penn State Thursday evening. The game will start 25 minutes following the Purdue/Ohio State matchup.

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT
Thorir Thorbjarnarson averaged 10.6 points per game in conference play and finished in the top three on the team in field goal percentage (.455, 1st), 3-point percentage (.364, 1st), rebounding (5.5, 2nd) and assists (1.7, 3rd).

NUMBERS TO KNOW
15,605 - Nebraska's final average attendance this season at Pinnacle Bank Arena, an average which is 11th nationally as of March 9.

+2.1 - Nebraska leads the Big Ten in turnover margin at +2.1 per game. After averaging 21.0 turnovers per game against Northwestern and Michigan, the Huskers had just 11 at Minnesota on Sunday. 

4 - Overtime games this season for Nebraska, tying a school record set five times previously (also 2007-08, 1996-97, 1986-87, 1979-80 and 1955-66). The Huskers went 1-3 in those games, including a 96-90 loss at Indiana on Dec. 13. There have been 12 OT games by Big Ten teams this season.

11 - Number of 20-point games by Husker players this season following Haanif Cheatham's 20-point effort against Northwestern on March 1.

17 - Double-figure scoring runs that Nebraska has had in 2019-20. 

81.3- For the second straight game, Nebraska set a season best from the foul line, going 14-of-17 against Minnesota. Over the last two games, the Huskers are 26-of-32 from the foul line. That came off the heels of an 8-of-30 effort against Northwestern on March 1.

SCOUTING INDIANA
Archie Miller is in his third season at Indiana after guiding the Dayton program for six years, leading the Flyers to four straight NCAA Tournament appearances. Miller's first Indiana team went 16-15, and the Hoosiers improved to 19-16 and reached the 2019 NIT quarterfinals before falling to Wichita State.

This year's Hoosiers come into the Big Ten Tournament with a 19-12 record and tied with Purdue for 10th place, but the Boilermakers swept the regular-season series to get the tiebreaker. Indiana has five wins over ranked teams, including Michigan State and ACC regular-season champion Florida State, but is just 1-4 following a win over then No. 9 Penn State. Indiana's last three games have been decided by a total of 10 points.

Indiana comes into Wednesday's game with four players averaging double figures. Freshman Trayce Jackson-Davis leads the Hoosiers in scoring (13.6), field goal percentage (.568), rebounding (8.2 rpg) and blocked shots (1.7 bpg). Senior Devonte Green typically comes off the bench, but averages 10.8 ppg, including a team-high 57 3-pointers. Justin Smith averages 10.4 points and 5.1 rebounds per game, while Aljami Durham (9.7 ppg, 2.5 apg) and sophomore Rob Phinisee (7.2 ppg, 3.3 apg) give the Hoosiers and experienced backcourt. Indiana, which uses a nine-man rotation, leads the Big Ten by getting to the foul line 22.5 times per game. 

Series History: Nebraska and Indiana meet for the 22nd time on Wednesday night and the 13th since the Huskers joined the Big Ten in 2011-12. Indiana leads the all-time series, 14-7, but the teams have split 12 meetings since Nebraska joined the Big Ten. Indiana has been ranked in five of the 12 previous matchups since NU joined the Big Ten. It is the first time that the Huskers and Hoosiers have met in the Big Ten Tournament.
 
2019-20 MEETINGS
Jan. 18:  Nebraska's second-half comeback fell just short, as Indiana posted an 82-74 win over the Huskers.
Indiana used a fast start to the second half, as a 16-2 Hoosier run turned a 46-41 halftime lead into a 19-point bulge only to see Nebraska rally in the final 15 minutes. The Huskers slowed the Hoosiers on the defensive end and got to within six and had several chances to pull closer, but Indiana held on for a crucial road win. Cam Mack scored a game-high 20 points and dished out nine assists to lead the Husker offense. Mack was one of four Huskers in double digits, along with Thorir Thorbjarnarson (13 points), Dachon Burke Jr. (12) and Haanif Cheatham (10). Thorbjarnarson also added a season-high nine rebounds and three steals. Indiana's Trayce Jackson-Davis led the Hoosier offense with 18 points on 6-of-7 shooting from the field and 13 boards. IU also got double-digit efforts from Joey Brunk (16 points) and Justin Smith (15).

Dec. 13:  Dachon Burke Jr. poured in a team-high 25 points, including a 3-pointer with two seconds left in regulation to force overtime, but Nebraska fell 96-90 at Indiana on Dec. 13. Four of five Nebraska starters scored in double figures. Hannif Cheatham contributed 21 points on 7-of-15 shooting. Thorir Thorbjarnarson had a career-high 17 points and was 3-of-5 from 3-point range. Cam Mack scored 15 points and dished out a team-high 10 assists. Yvan Ouedraogo chipped in nine points and led the Huskers on the glass, collecting 10 rebounds. Overall, Nebraska shot 44 percent from the field, including 12-of-32 from behind the 3-point arc, while holding the Hoosiers to 5-of-25 shooting from long distance. The Hoosiers owned a 54 to 31 rebounding advantage, however, and rode freshman Trayce Jackson-Davis' 25 points and 15 rebounds to the overtime victory. For the game, Indiana shot 47 percent from the field and attempted 20 more free throws than the Huskers, making 27-of-38 from the charity stripe.
 
LAST TIME OUT
A red-hot Minnesota team made a season-high 18 shots from 3-point range and shot 56.9 percent from the field in posting a 107-75 victory on Sunday.

Senior guard Haanif Cheatham scored 17 points and junior guard Jervay Green added 15 to pace Nebraska, which played with only seven scholarship players, as guards Cam Mack and Dachon Burke Jr. were suspended for violation of team rules.

Nebraska shot 37.8 percent from the field and a season-high 82.4 percent on free throws. Since going 8-of-30 on free throws in a loss to Northwestern a week ago, the Huskers have shot 26-of-32 over their last two games.

Gabe Kalscheur tied his career high with 26 points to lead Minnesota and finished with a career high eight made 3-pointers, on 11 attempts. As a team, the Gophers were 18-of-35 on 3-pointers, or 51.4 percent, and surpassed their previous season high of 14 made 3-pointers, against Northwestern.
 
STORYLINES
• Nebraska Head Coach Fred Hoiberg returns to Indianapolis, the city where his NBA career began. Hoiberg was a second-round pick of the Indiana Pacers in 1995 and spent the first four seasons of his career in Indianapolis (1995-96 to 1998-99).

• While the Huskers have lost a school-record 16 straight contests entering Wednesday'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.

• The Huskers have played a challenging schedule, playing 15 Quad 1 games during the regular season.  In all, 19 of the Huskers' 31 games have been against Quad 1 or 2 opponents.  In all, 11 of the 14 Big Ten teams are in the top 50 of the NET as of March 9.

• Nebraska enters the Big Ten Tournament leading the conference in turnover margin at +2.1 per game. The Huskers lead the Big Ten in forcing turnovers (14.0 per game) and commit just under 12 turnovers per game despite playing at a fast tempo. 

• Nebraska has 245 3-pointers this year which ranks third in school history. Nebraska has hit 10-or-more 3-pointers seven times this season, including 12 against Northwestern on March 1.

• 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 started 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 finished in the top four three offensive categories entering the week, including turnover margin 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	8.0 (3rd)	6.8 (8th)	(3) 2011-12; 2012-13; 2014-15
Asst/GM	14.4 (4th)	11.7 (10th)	(2) 2013-14; 2014-15
Turnover Margin	+1.6 (2nd)	+2.0 (4th)	(0) None

as of March 9
 
• 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 sixth in the Big Ten in 3-pointers per game, are on pace to average 7.9 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	31	7.90
2.	2006-07	31	7.87
3.	2018-19	36	7.50

 
• Nebraska has used eight different starting lineups this season and have had limited numbers down the stretch. Matej Kavas suffered a season-ending injury against Wisconsin on Feb. 15. Kavas suffered a left (non-shooting) hand injury and had surgery. Kavas averaged 5.3 points per game and had totaled 23 3-pointers in 22 contests. NU had just seven players available against Minnesota, as Cam Mack and Dachon Burke Jr. were both suspended for a violation of team rules.
• Nebraska's Cam Mack is the only Big Ten player who ranks in the top five of the conference in both assists and steals entering the Big Ten Tournament. In fact, Mack joins Cassius Winston (MSU), Connor McCaffery (Iowa), C.J. Walker (Ohio State) and Geo Baker (Rutgers) as the only Big Ten players in the top 10 in both categories heading into postseason play.
• Cam Mack has made an impact in his first season at Nebraska. He is 14th nationally with 6.4 assists per game, which is on pace to be the most by a Husker since the 1985-86 season, and ranks 34th 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	179-74	2019-20

min. 3.0 assists/gm
 
• The Huskers were not only the only Big Ten team to hold Big Ten Player of the Year Luka Garza to under 20 points with his 16-point effort (on 15 field-goal attempts) in the Huskers' 76-70 win on Jan. 7.

• Haanif Cheatham's 20-point effort against Northwestern on March 1 marked the Huskers' 11th 20-point game of the season (Burke-4; Cheatham-4; Mack-2; Green-1).

• 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 24 of 31 games this year, including a trio of games with five double-figure scorers.

• Freshman Charlie Easley was put on scholarship for the spring semester on Jan. 10. Easley has played in 27 games as a backup guard, including all 20 Big Ten contests. A Lincoln native, Easley has started three times in Big Ten play, including the last two contests.

• 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 in more than a decade 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 fifth nationally in offensive tempo, as their average possession is 15.2 seconds per possession as of March 9.

• The only power conference school that plays at a faster pace is Alabama, which is fifth nationally. Penn State (48th) and Iowa (49th) and are the only other Big Ten teams 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.

• Nebraska, Gonzaga, Belmont and St. John's are the only teams nationally to currently rank in the top 30 nationally in both offensive pace and turnover percentage as of March 9.

• 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.
 
SIX NAMED TO ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT HONOR ROLL
Six members of the Husker men's basketball program were honored on Feb. 29, as they were named to the NU Athletic Department Honor Roll for the fall semester.
The group includes senior Matej Kavas, junior Thorir Thorbjarnarson, sophomore Cam Mack and freshmen Charlie Easley, Jace Piatkowski and Bret Porter. It is the third time that Thorbjarnarson has earned the distinction, while it is the first time for the other five student-athletes, all of whom completed their first semester at Nebraska in the fall.  To qualify for the honor roll, student-athletes must have a 3.0 GPA for the previous semester.
 
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 111 career appearances, including 104 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 (13.0 ppg) and field goal percentage (.469) and ranks third in assists (1.6 apg). He has been in double figures a team-high 23 times, including four 20-point contests.

• He is playing some of his best basketball in recent weeks, averaging 14.6 points per game on 46 percent shooting, including 36 percent from 3-point range, over the Huskers' last 11 games dating back to Jan. 28. He has been in double figures nine times in that stretch.

• Cheatham, who was Nebraska's nominee for the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award, is closing his career with a flourish, averaging 18.6 ppg and 3.0 spg in his last three games. He has topped NU in scoring in each of the last three contests.

• In Big Ten games, he paced NU and ranked 14th in scoring at 13.1 points per game while finishing third with 1.3 steals per game.

• 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 suffered at Iowa, had 18 points in
the second half, as Nebraska rallied back from a 14-point deficit.

• 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.

MACK DELIVERS AS HUSKERS' LEAD GUARD
Junior college transfer Cam Mack was the cornerstone of the Huskers' recruiting class, and has played at a high level in his first season at Nebraska.

Mack, who was listed as the top JC point guard recruit in the country, enters the Big Ten Tournament averaging 12.0 points per game while leading the Huskers in assists (6.4 apg) and assist-to-turnover ratio (2.4-to-1) and ranking second in steals (1.3 spg). He is 14th nationally in assists per game. His status for the Big Ten Tournament has not been determined. 

He garnered honorable-mention All-Big Ten honors earlier this week, as he finished conference play ranked second in the conference in assists per game (6.8 apg) and assist-to-turnover ratio (2.7-to-1).

• His 6.4 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 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.

• He will move into third place on NU's single-season assist list with his first assist vs. Indiana and needs 21 to become the second Husker with 200 assists in a season.

• Mack has reached double figures a team-high 22 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 in the first meeting with 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.
 
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 8.8 ppg, while shooting 46 percent from the field and 38 percent from 3-point range.

• Thorbjarnarson is 10th in the Big Ten in 3-point percentage (.384) after shooting just 21.4 percent (6-of-28) from 3-point range in his first two seasons.

• In conference play, he averaged 10.6 ppg while leading NU in field goal percentage (.455) and 3-point percentage (.364). He is also second in rebounding (5.5 rpg) and assists (1.7 apg) and fourth in steals (1.0).

• He finished eighth in the Big Ten in 3-pointers per game (1.8) and 20th in rebounding.

• His 9.1 ppg increase in conference play from last season is the third-largest jump in the Big Ten this season, trailing only All-Big Ten performers Luka Garza and Daniel Oturu.

• He has reached double figures 13 times in NU's last 24 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 comes off a 14-point performance at Minnesota over the weekend.

• He 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.

• Thorbjarnarson 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.
 
OUEDRAOGO IS YOUNGSTER WITH BIG ROLE
Yvan Ouedraogo became the first true freshman to start a season opener at Nebraska since 2013 and has put together a solid first-year at Nebraska.

• He is one of the youngest players in the country, as he won't turn 18 until March 22.

• Ouedraogo has made 29 starts and played in all 31 games, averaging 5.8 points and a team-high 6.5 rebounds per game in just over 21 minutes per game. He is third among Big Ten true freshmen in rebounding as of March 6.

• He is playing some of his best basketball over the last month, averaging 7.5 points on 52 percent shooting and 8.3 rebounds per game over Nebraska's last eight games dating back to Feb. 11. He had eight points and four rebounds in 21 minutes against Minnesota
on Sunday.

• He will become the third freshman to lead NU in rebounding in a season, joining Aleks Maric (6.3, 2005-06) and John Turek (6.2, 2001-02). 

• Ouedraogo's best performance of the year came against Northwestern on March 1, when he posted his third double-double of the season with season highs in points (11), rebounds (19) and minutes (38). His 19 rebounds were the most ever by a Husker freshman and most by any Husker since 2007.

• Ouedraogo became Nebraska's freshman leader in rebounds against Ohio State and now has 197 on the season, breaking the record of 169 by Aleks Maric in 2004-05. Maric eventually became a two-time all-conference performer under Doc Sadler and played for Australia in the 2012 Olympics.

• Ouedraogo's three double-doubles ties for the most ever by a Husker freshman, as he also had double-doubles against Illinois (11 points/10 rebounds) on Feb. 24 and vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (11 points/14 rebounds) on Dec. 29.

• 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 6.5 points and 3.8 rebounds per game.

• Cross is sixth on the team in 3-pointers (28) and fifth in assists (37) while playing just 18.0 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 sixth in rebounding as of March 9.

• Cross has reached double figures eight times, which is the most by a Husker freshman since Glynn Watson (15) in 2015-16. His most recent double-figure effort was a 10-point performance against Minnesota on March 8.

• 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.