Cale Jacobsen Says Nebrasketball's Offense Must Play 'Smarter and Stronger'

Nebraska basketball survived a slow start and 18 turnovers Saturday to take down Northwestern, but the Huskers' junior guard recognizes the team must continue to improve to gear up for a road test at Iowa.

Guard Cale Jacobsen and Nebraska basketball prepare for a road test at Iowa Tuesday night. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

Nebraska basketball needed to right the ship Saturday after losing three-of-four to top 15 teams. Though the Huskers got a much-needed 68-49 victory Saturday over Northwestern, Nebraska recognized that the effort may not be up to the team's new standards.

"We have to stay together when things get tough," junior guard Cale Jacobsen told Jessica Coody of the Huskers Radio Network after the win on the Big Red's home court. "If we would've splintered and did our own things we would've been in trouble. The maturity of our group just to stay together through silly turnovers and silly - whatever we were doing - and figure it out down the stretch to win the game."

Nebraska closed the second half on a 40-22 advantage to pull away from the Wildcats after entering halftime leading by just one, 28-27.

Jacobsen was a key reason for Nebraska's success, as his two three-pointers in the second half put the Huskers back up by three possessions. His postgame comments were shared Monday on the Sports Nightly radio program.

Nebraska Cornhuskers guard Cale Jacobsen (31) shoots a three point shot against Northwestern Wildcats forward Tre Singleton (8) during the second half at Pinnacle Bank Arena. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

"When you're open, you've got to shoot it and make the right play all the time. We had some awesome cuts that pulled in the defense, and that left me open on the perimeter. When the shot presents itself, you've got to knock it down and that was the mindset," Jacobsen said.

While Nebraska was able to pull away in the second half, the Huskers battled with a Northwestern team that the Big Red dominated on the road nearly a month prior. Nebraska handled the Wildcats 77-58 on Jan. 17, cruising in the second half while committing only five turnovers and shooting over 50 percent from the field.

Instead of repeating that success, Nebraska turned in a sloppy performance that had the top-10 team on upset watch in the first half and halfway into the second half. The Huskers would end up committing 18 turnovers in the contest and went 10-29 shooting to open the first 20 minutes of action. 27 of Northwestern's 49 points were off of Husker turnovers, and Jacobsen recognized that the mistakes are easily correctable.

Northwestern Wildcats guard Angelo Ciaravino (44) drives between Nebraska Cornhuskers guard Sam Hoiberg (1) and forward Rienk Mast (51) during the second half at Pinnacle Bank Arena. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

"We just got to be smarter and stronger. Those are the two things," Jacobsen said. "We're getting a little careless at times. That's where we get in trouble. When we are smart and play off two feet, make the right play, our offense looks good and it looks better."

That carelessness showed in the starting stretch of the contest, with neither side answering with a shot to open the contest, as both teams failed to hit a field goal until after two minutes past the opening tip-off. Northwestern would rally for an 18-4 run late in the first half, as Nebraska would close the gap, going on an 8-0 run, then closed the opening half on an 8-2 run. Nebraska would have 10 turnovers going into halftime.

Following Jacobsen's three-pointers, Nebraska not only took control but stayed there for the remainder of the contest. Part of the success was due to Nebraska's defense recognizing Northwestern's tendencies and reacting to make more plays in transition.

Nebraska Cornhuskers guard Jamarques Lawrence (10) shoots the ball against Northwestern Wildcats forward Tre Singleton (8) and forward Nick Martinelli (2) during the first half at Pinnacle Bank Arena. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

"They're an unbelievably talented team. With [Nick] Martinelli, being able to contain him the way we did, it's tough and they make things tough for you defensively. We know our defense kind of fuels our offense," Jacobsen said. "It was important to come out and get stops to start the second half. The offense opened up down the stretch."

Nebraska continued to play in the moment despite the Valentine's Day crowd's anxiousness throughout the contest. Pinnacle Bank Arena would erupt after Jacobsen's triples, and the guard recognizes that the home court's energy can be a benefit for the Big Red in its remaining home slate.

"This place is awesome. We need to do a better job of bringing energy and playing better in this place and getting off to good starts," Jacobsen said. "We're going to keep working on it."

Former Iowa Hawkeyes forward Payton Sandfort goes to the basket against Nebraska last season as the Huskers return Tuesday | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

Although Nebraska returned to its winning ways Saturday, the Huskers face a Big Ten rival Tuesday night to once again challenge now No. 9 Nebraska. The Iowa Hawkeyes (18-7, 8-6 Big Ten) are coming off a home loss to No. 13 Purdue on Saturday and have challenged Nebraska during Fred Hoiberg's tenure with the Big Red. Jacobsen recognized in the Northwestern postgame that the lessons learned after the win over the Wildcats still apply to the Huskers' upcoming test.

"I just think we have to continue to stay together. Do the things that have got us here, that's our recipe," Jacobsen said.

The return to Iowa City will mean more for this year's Nebraska team as former Hawkeye Pryce Sandfort makes his return to Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Sandfort is one three-pointer shy of tying the single-season school record.

Jacobsen, Sandfort, and the Huskers take on Iowa Tuesday night at 8 p.m. CST from Iowa City with the game televised on the Big Ten Network as Kevin Kugler, Shon Morris, and Andy Katz join the broadcast. The game will also be carried on the Huskers Radio Network with pregame coverage beginning at 7 p.m. across the network's affiliate stations.

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