Nebraska heads into Saturday’s game at Penn State with the toughest strength of schedule in the nation through Thursday’s games in the Men’s College Basketball Power Index (BPI) that is published by ESPN.
Penn State (12-6, 3-4 Big Ten) will be another Quad 1 opponent for the Cornhuskers (10-9, 3-5) because the Nittany Lions are rated No. 51 in the NCAA’s NET rankings as of Friday. A team rated No. 1-75 that is hosting is considered a Quad 1 opponent.
Nebraska, No. 89 in the NET rankings, will try to earn consecutive Big Ten wins for the first time this season.
The Cornhuskers prevailed 63-60 at home against Ohio State on Wednesday.
Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg was given his first technical foul since his hire there in 2019.
Hoiberg became heated over a missed foul on a layup attempt by Sam Griesel and a moving-screen call on Wilhelm Breidenbach.
“I obviously don’t lose my mind a lot, but I wanted to go out there and fight for them,” Hoiberg said. “I’ve had times where I’ve tried to get technicals and they don’t give them to me. Tonight, I went out and was a little bit heated and (referee) D.J. (Carstensen) gave me one from across the floor.
“Probably well-deserved. But it got the guys going, got the crowd going.”
Nebraska was shooting 35 percent from the field before the technical foul and went on to shoot 53.8 percent in the second half.
Griesel led the Cornhuskers with 15 points and seven rebounds, Keisei Tominaga added 11 points and Derrick Walker finished with eight points and 10 rebounds.
Penn State is also coming off a 63-60 score, a loss at Wisconsin on Wednesday.
The Nittany Lions have lost three of their last four games.
“There’s no chance to take a deep breath,” Penn State coach Micah Shrewsberry said of playing in the Big Ten. “Every single game, you’ve got to be ready to play or you’re going to get beat. It’s fun as a competitor but it sucks as a coach.”
Jalen Pickett led Penn State against Wisconsin with 19 points, 12 rebounds and six assists for his fifth double-double of the season. Andrew Funk had 16 points while Myles Dread added 11.
–Field Level Media
