One of the last remaining unbeaten teams will face its toughest test of the season when No. 7 Nebraska visits No. 3 Michigan in a Big Ten Conference game on Tuesday night in Ann Arbor, Mich.
The visiting Cornhuskers (20-0, 9-0 Big Ten) hold the nation’s longest active win streak at 24 games, dating back to last season. They have their best AP ranking in school history and best start in conference play since going 10-0 in the Big Eight in 1965-66.
To remain perfect, though, Nebraska had to rally from down eight at Minnesota on Saturday and ended up winning by 19.
“Championship teams respond the right way, and that’s exactly what they did,” Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg said. “In the second half we’ve done a really good job of coming out of the locker room.”
Michigan (18-1, 8-1) has won four straight games since its only loss, a home defeat to Wisconsin on Jan. 10. Each victory during this streak has been by 10 or more points. While starting the season 14-0, the Wolverines won 10 straight games by at least 18 points.
The Wolverines have one of the fastest tempos in the country, averaging more than 72 possessions per 40 minutes, but opponents have been trying to slow the game down as much as possible of late.
“It’s because of our spurtability,” Michigan coach Dusty May said. “We’re seeing it every game, we’re seeing a lot of pass, pass, pass, pass, late clock action.”
Nebraska is allowing just 64.9 points per game in Big Ten play, second-best in the league, and only one opponent all season has shot above 50%. Michigan is shooting 50.9% in conference games but has struggled rebounding despite a starting frontline of 6-foot-9 forwards Morez Johnson Jr. and Yaxel Lendeborg and 7-foot-3 center Aday Mara.
“With our bigs, we’ve been a little bit disappointed with our offensive rebounding all year because we think we can be elite,” May said.
Lendeborg is Michigan’s leading scorer, averaging 14.4 points per game, contributing to a well-rounded offensive attack. Nebraska has become somewhat more focused on specific players recently, with Pryce Sandfort averaging 19.7 points per game in Big Ten play after four straight 20-point performances.
“I love Pryce, his 22 points is great, but the 10 rebounds and four blocks shows toughness.” Hoiberg said.
Nebraska played its last game without redshirt freshman wing Braden Frager, who suffered an ankle injury Wednesday against Washington. He had scored at least 20 in his previous two full Big Ten games, and his status for this contest remains uncertain.
“We don’t know exactly what’s going to happen with Braden,” Hoiberg said. “He’s going to continue to be day-to-day.”
A win for Nebraska could give it the longest win streak by a Big Ten school since Illinois won 29 in a row en route to the 2005 national title game. It has lost its last 26 true road games against Top-5 opponents but comes into this one on a five-game conference road win streak, its best since 1965-66.
–Field Level Media
