Hoops Game Day: Nebraska at Georgia Tech
WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN
Nebraska Cornhuskers (4-3, 0-0) at Georgia Tech (3-2, 0-0)
Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2019 - 6:15 p.m. CT
McCamish Pavilion (Atlanta, Ga.)
TV: ESPNU
Radio: Husker Sports Network
Internet: ESPN app/ESPN.com
| NAME | HT/WT | YEAR | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Cam Mack |
6-2/175 |
So. |
Averaging 6.0 assists per game, on pace to be the highest NU average since Brian Carr (6.7, 1986-87) |
|
Dachon Burke |
6-4/180 |
Jr. |
Leads the team at 13.6 points per game, scored a season-high 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting vs. USF. |
|
Jervay Green |
6-3/210 |
Jr. |
Averaging 10.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.0 steals per game. |
|
Haanif Cheatham |
6-5/195 |
Sr. |
Scored a career-high 26 points on 8-of-11 shooting vs. USF, averaging 16.0 ppg on 67% shooting over his last five games. |
|
Yvan Ouedraogo |
6-9/260 |
Fr. |
Leads team with 5.0 rebounds per game, finished with six points and five boards in a season-high 24 minutes vs. USF |
| NAME | HT/WT | YEAR | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Jose Alvarado |
6-0/179 |
Jr. |
Led team in scoring (12.5 ppg), assists (3.4 apg) and steals (1.8 spg) last season but is questionable to play tonight with an ankle injury. |
|
Michael Devoe |
6-5/193 |
So. |
Leads the ACC with 23.4 points per game and is tops in the nation at 62-percent shooting from 3-point range. |
|
Khalid Moore |
6-7/203 |
So. |
Transfer from Texas-San Antonio who averaged 7.5 ppg in 2017-18 |
|
Moses Wright |
6-9/230 |
Jr. |
Transfer from Pacific who scored 4.1 points per game in 2017-18. |
|
James Banks |
6-10/250 |
Sr. |
Averaging 13.4 points, 9.6 rebounds, and leads the nation with 5.2 blocks per game. |
3 KEYS TO VICTORY
1. Keep up the 3-point shooting
After opening the year ice cold from behind the arc, Nebraska has started to heat up from 3-point range. The Huskers shot an impressive 45 percent from downtown in their three games at the Cayman Islands Classic and are now up to a much more respectable 34.2 percent on the season. Georgia Tech is a team that is going to try to slow down the tempo and keep the game in the half-court on both ends of the floor. That means NU has to be able to knock down open perimeter shots when they're there. When Nebraska can hit a few 3-pointers early, it changes the entire offense.
2. Turn up the pressure
One of Georga Tech's biggest problems so far this season has been taking care of the basketball. Coincidentally, Nebraska has done a good job of creating turnovers in a variety of ways. Dachon Burke is one of the Big Ten leaders with 1.3 steals per game and just swiped five in the loss to George Mason, but the Huskers also rank fourth in the conference in non-steal defensive turnover percentage at 11.9. The Yellow Jackets come into tonight's game ranked 321st nationally with a -4.2 turnover margin and 320th in non-steal turnover percentage (13.2). In other words, Georgia Tech is prone to making mistakes with the ball, and NU needs to make it execute under pressure.
3. Avoid James Banks
Georgia Tech has a defensive weapon that is unlike anything Nebraska has seen to this point in center James Banks. The 6-foot-10, 250-pound senior has developed into one of, if not the best shot-blocker in all of college basketball. Banks currently leads the nation with 5.2 blocks per game and just swatted eight in the Yellow Jackets' win over Bethune-Cookman on Sunday. The Huskers have to be smart with their shot selection and not try to throw up attempts in the paint when Banks is on the floor. Not only will he likely block them, but he'll also help spark transition scoring opportunities for his offense off of those deflections. He makes 3-point shooting even more important tonight, and NU must know where he is on every possession.
QUOTABLE
PREDICTION
Georgia Tech 77, Nebraska 67
Robin's 2019-20 record: 3-4
vs. the spread: 1-6