Scouting USD: No team is going to shoot 14.7% from 3-point range forever, so eventually the Coyotes will pull out of the 5-for-34 slump that spanned losses to Colorado (84-61) and Drake (69-53). But USD did lose two elite 3-point shooters off last year?s team in Tyler Hagedorn and Cody Kelley, so Nebraska may face a similar situation to its game with North Dakota State, a team still trying to find its offensive identity. Umude is an excellent scorer who can shoot some (33.3% from 3-point range) but gets to the basket even better. Plitzuweit, an Augustana transfer and son of South Dakota women?s basketball coach Dawn Plitzuweit, has ability to go off. USD was pounded on the boards in its first two games, as most of the team?s best rebounders are guards. Heiman, a former Husker post who left not long after NU coach Fred Hoiberg was hired, is averaging three rebounds, 2.5 blocks and 17.7 minutes per game. Another Nebraska native, Kanon Koster, is averaging 1.5 points, 1.5 rebounds and 12.9 minutes per game. The Coyotes' current offensive weaknesses align poorly to give Nebraska much of a challenge, but the shooting slump will end at some point.
Scouting Nebraska: Aside from a late-game swoon against Nevada, Nebraska?s opening hoops weekend went about as well as it could considering two post players, Derrick Walker and Eduardo Andre, didn?t play and are out for the next several weeks. The Huskers survived bad 3-point shooting by turning their stingy defense ? and 39 steals over three games ? into transition offense. NU consistently got off to good starts too, prompting coach Fred Hoiberg to praise the ?unbelievable defensive energy? of the team out the locker room. Those starts are a byproduct, Hoiberg said, of drill work in practice designed to get the team?s juices flowing and talking. ?If they are slow getting from drill to drill, we?ll put ?em on the line and run ?em,? Hoiberg said. Hoiberg is especially impressed with the early play of Banton, who is averaging 7.3 rebounds and 6.3 assists to go along with his scoring. He?s a good communicator, Hoiberg said, and playing unusually well for a sit-out player just acclimating back into college basketball. ?I knew he?d go out and play well,? Hoiberg said. ??but what he?s doing as a leader is phenomenal.? NU?s size and willingness to shoot perimeter jumpers will stress USD, which doesn?t appear to have a good option to guard a guy like Mayen or Banton. Former Husker and current Colorado guard Jeriah Horne lit up the Coyotes with perimeter shooting. If Nebraska gets some shots to fall, look for the same on Tuesday night.
Scouting Nebraska: Aside from a late-game swoon against Nevada, Nebraska?s opening hoops weekend went about as well as it could considering two post players, Derrick Walker and Eduardo Andre, didn?t play and are out for the next several weeks. The Huskers survived bad 3-point shooting by turning their stingy defense ? and 39 steals over three games ? into transition offense. NU consistently got off to good starts too, prompting coach Fred Hoiberg to praise the ?unbelievable defensive energy? of the team out the locker room. Those starts are a byproduct, Hoiberg said, of drill work in practice designed to get the team?s juices flowing and talking. ?If they are slow getting from drill to drill, we?ll put ?em on the line and run ?em,? Hoiberg said. Hoiberg is especially impressed with the early play of Banton, who is averaging 7.3 rebounds and 6.3 assists to go along with his scoring. He?s a good communicator, Hoiberg said, and playing unusually well for a sit-out player just acclimating back into college basketball. ?I knew he?d go out and play well,? Hoiberg said. ??but what he?s doing as a leader is phenomenal.? NU?s size and willingness to shoot perimeter jumpers will stress USD, which doesn?t appear to have a good option to guard a guy like Mayen or Banton. Former Husker and current Colorado guard Jeriah Horne lit up the Coyotes with perimeter shooting. If Nebraska gets some shots to fall, look for the same on Tuesday night.
