On March 16th, Nebraska's men's basketball team takes on Troy in the first round of the NCAA tournament. The Huskers enter as 13.5-point favorites with a projected run to the Final Four. They've been the top defensive squad in Big Ten play, forcing turnovers on nearly one-fifth of opponents' possessions. Earlier this week, Troy dealt with a big setback when their starting center, 6'9", Theo Singh, suffered a knee injury and missed the last six.
Games Coach Scott Cross adapted by turning to senior Jarrell Bellamy, who averaged 15.3 points per game as the Trojans win 5-1. They've shot 61% inside the arc during that stretch. Fans see this as a make-or-break moment for Nebraska. The Huskers boast the best start in school history, the longest winning streak ever, and tied records for conference and road wins.
A loss here could overshadow all those achievements. Nebraska also held opponents to just 30% from three-point range, and has key wins over Illinois and Michigan State. Leading scorer, Price Sanford, averages 17.9 points per game and shoots 40% from deep. This matchup puts Nebraska's stellar regular season on the line, with the wins cementing their place in Husker history.