For March Success, Nebraska’s Braden Frager Might be the Key Player

Nebraska men’s basketball has been consistent and somewhat predictable — in a good way. The Huskers have a reasonable expectation about their game and what they're going to get from each player.

As Nebraska’s unforeseen 23-4 season rolls on with a home game against Maryland on Wednesday night, there still is much out there for the Huskers to conquer. March is here, or close enough. The Big Ten Tournament awaits, as does the Huskers’ seeding for the NCAA Tournament, which right now is a 3-seed on ESPN's Bracketology.

Then, March Madness.

Can the Huskers make an NCAA run commensurate with their resume? How good are they? What do the Huskers need to turn this historic season into something even greater? Is there that kind of upside?

One Nebraska player could make the difference between a deep March run or a stunning exit before the NCAA Tournament’s second weekend.

And it might not be who you think.

It’s Braden Frager.

Consistent Huskers

Comfortable and consistent predictability means coach Fred Hoiberg knows what he is going to get from his players. Of Nebraska’s four losses, three were to ranked teams and the fourth was at rival Iowa by four points. When you break down Nebraska’s season, it’s this simple: The Huskers beat the teams they are expected to beat.

Forward Rienk Mast can be an X-factor with his size and shooting ability. But Mast has had only one 20-point game since Dec. 7. He’s capable of more. He can drive the Huskers.

Pryce Sandfort, truly, has carried the Huskers. He is their leading scorer at 18.3 points per game. He shoots 49.1 percent from the field and 42 percent from distance. He also averages five rebounds per game.

Sandfort needs to contribute, in a big way, for Nebraska to enjoy March success. He knows it; Nebraska’s opponents know it.

Jamarques Lawrence is invaluable on offense and defense. He also gives the Huskers another scorer (10.6 points per game) and a seasoned ball-handler along with Sam Hoiberg. Lawrence injured his ankle Saturday against Penn State. It is said he now is suffering from the flu.

Sam Hoiberg has blossomed from a walk-on to maybe the Huskers’ overall most valuable player. Nebraska doesn’t have a player with a better combination of defensive intensity and instinct, plus a knack for running the offense and taking the correct and available shot than Hoiberg.

Berke Buyuktuncel, in his own unique way, is disruptive on defense and is the team’s second-leading rebounder.

Off the bench, Cale Jacobsen provides defense, rebounding and some scoring (4.6 points per game). Jacobsen is invaluable, too, but his game isn’t built on providing an offensive spark.

Nebraska's Jared Garcia and Cale Jacobsen cut off Minnesota's Bobby Durkin at Williams Arena. | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

In the Huskers’ 87-64 win over Penn State, Jared Garcia had three offensive rebounds and seven rebounds overall in 19 minutes. An offensive rebound in March is equal to three in the regular season.

Then, there’s Frager.

Frager steps up

Frager is a 6-foot-7, redshirt freshman, a local guy from Lincoln Southwest High. He shoots 50 percent from the field and 36.4 percent from distance.

If not for Sandfort’s brilliance, Frager’s shooting ability probably would get more attention. As the Huskers’ season grew more challenging with Big Ten games, Frager’s contributions have become more valuable.

He scored in double figures in four consecutive games before spraining an ankle against Washington on Jan. 21. He scored 20 in a home loss to Illinois on Feb. 1, and scored 15 Saturday in a starting role against Penn State. He started because Buyuktuncel was out with an illness.

Nebraska forward Braden Frager (5) goes to the basket against Iowa during the first half at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

"I thought Braden got us off to a really good start making some effort hustle plays getting on the offensive boards," Huskers coach Fred Hoiberg said in a postgame news conference after the Penn State game.

When you watch Frager play, there is obvious talent, and below the surface his potential is just as obvious. Frager looks like a player capable of breaking out.

Can Frager be that guy?

Deep NCAA Tournament runs often require a player carrying a team, especially in that game when not enough is clicking. Nebraska has Sandfort and Mast and Hoiberg each capable of dragging a needy team across the finish line.

And if Nebraska is getting pounded inside, that’s where Frager’s length can grab a key rebound.

Frager could be a great equalizer. Against strong Big Ten competition, the Huskers have had ball-security issues. Their offense hasn’t looked as free flowing and smooth as it did earlier in the season. Defenses have cracked down.

With Frager’s length and ability to create his shots, he looks like the kind of player built for March.

“I like to talk to my dad just privately after games or the day after,“ Sam Hoiberg said in a news conference after the Penn State game. “I’ll just call him or I’ll go home and talk with him.

“We haven’t had as good [an] offense. Our defense has been pretty solid and it was against Iowa.

“But when you have a few rough games, you can start to panic and then go away from what worked in the first place. And we talked about we just had to get back to doing what got us to this point.

Nebraska guard Sam Hoiberg (1) drives against Penn State forward Justin Houser during the first half at Pinnacle Bank Arena. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

“And that’s the most important thing you can do. You don’t have to panic, start changing everything. Get back to what worked. And that’s what we did today. We had pace.

“We didn’t change our game plan with how we run offense. We just ran it better, executed it better. And that’s the reason we got way more good looks and were able to score more points today.”

Frager can light it up

Frager can shoot the Huskers back into a game, or he can score enough to hold off an opponent. In pressure-filled March, Frager is the kind of player who can get hot and go off for 20 points and help turn around a game.

"I met with him yesterday afternoon and I just told him I need that fearless Frager back and thought he went out and made ... listen he's going to start making shots," Fred Hoiberg said. "He hit a couple for us today but I need you to be the guy to go get extra possessions for us and rebounds and playing with the swagger and I thought he got back to that today. So that's huge. That's huge."

In March, one timely player has been a successful formula for many teams.

“One thing I talked to Frager about was just getting back to being himself out there and showing his personality,” Sam Hoiberg said.

“Obviously not to a point where he’s going to get teed up, stuff like that. But he has to be himself out there for him to play at his best.

“And I thought he played great today even with the foul trouble.”

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