Nebraska Enters a 'Reset Week' After Back-to-Back Losses

A rare midweek break gives Nebraska a chance to not only go "back to the drawing board," but also heal and recharge.

Back-to-back losses weren't enough to bounce Nebraska out of the top-10, but this week, they do need to bounce back. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Nebraska’s 78-69 loss to Illinois on Sunday was more than just a second-straight conference loss. It’s officially a reset point — a reframing of goals, a recalibration of effort, and a blueprint for improvement built on wrestling away one possession at a time in the unforgiving Big Ten.

Fifth-ranked Nebraska entered the matchup with a 20-1 record and a share of first place in the Big Ten. However, the ninth-ranked Illini had won 10 straight and needed to hand Nebraska its first home loss of the season to keep pace.

The Illini delivered, outscoring the Huskers by 15 in the second half, which has been a frame the Huskers usually dominate in.  Illinois freshman Keaton Wagler’s 28 points and a relentless second-half offense helped Illinois dominate scoring in the paint 28-18, and that was accompanied by a rebounding effort that saw the Illini outrebound the Huskers by 13.

Illinois outplayed Nebraska in nearly every statistical category Sunday, with paint scoring and rebounding highlighting the list. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

For a program that had never started 20-0 before, the sting of a second straight loss after a late defeat at Michigan earlier in the week was real. What Nebraska needs now — and what coach Fred Hoiberg outlined after the game — is a plan.

“It comes at a good time for us to get our guys that have been a little bit banged up — to get them right,” Hoiberg said of the five days between the Illinois loss and their next game at Rutgers. “We’re going to come in and watch film and get some shooting and skill work, then we’re going to take Tuesday off, and then they’ll give us three days to prepare for Rutgers on Saturday.”

That regimen now serves as the club’s blueprint for bouncing back in a league Hoiberg calls the best it’s ever been.

Statistically, Nebraska’s shortcomings in Sunday’s were stark. NU shot 42.4% from the field and 42.9% from three, even with a strong first-half performance, but their second half fell off (39.3% from the floor and 26.7% beyond the arc).

Illinois' stingy defense made scoring hard to come by for the Huskers in the second half Sunday. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Turnovers also happened at the most inopportune times. In total, Nebraska coughed it up 11 times compared to Illinois’ nine.  Before Hoiberg’s reset could get underway, though, the team had to acknowledge that effort didn’t factor into the most recent loss — execution did.

“I don’t think it had anything to do with our effort,” Hoiberg said. “I thought our guys played hard. I thought we did a really good job on the glass in the first half, but I just didn’t quite see that same fire, passion going after what we had in the first half.”

That honest assessment framed his expectations for the week ahead. Hoiberg emphasized that the team needs to look at itself on tape — especially given how the Illini adjusted after halftime to throttle Nebraska’s rhythm down low and force tougher shots.

Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg said he was happy with his team's effort in the first half, but just didn't see the same execution in the second half against Illinois. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

“I thought early we curled, we got in there, we made some plays, we sprayed it out and had some really good looks,” Hoiberg said. “Obviously, we got into a really good rhythm late in the half. In the second half, we couldn’t get those same looks, and I thought we had some good looks early, but that team is playing as well as any in the country right now.”

It also wasn’t helpful that Sunday was the first game where all of the team’s top scorers suited up together after a brief stretch without key pieces like Braden Frager and Rienk Mast. Mast clearly still wasn’t himself in the loss, scoring only five points on 2-of-10 shooting from the field. Hoiberg admitted Mast wasn’t himself just yet, which is why he only played for 25 minutes following a sickness that kept him out of NU’s narrow loss to No. 3 Michigan last week.

Frager, on the other hand, shined in his return following an ankle injury. The redshirt freshman came off the bench and poured in a team-high 20 points in the loss. However, Illinois kept the pressure on and made it count in the second half as they pulled away for the win.

After back-to-back losses, Nebraska will be using this week as a reset week highlighted by rest and recovery. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Hoiberg’s plan reflects the complexity of what’s being considered a reset week in Lincoln. It isn’t just about rest or practice — it’s about recovery and timing. He pointed directly to Tuesday as a day for “the tubs” and recovery protocols — cryotherapy, hydrotherapy, massage and other tools to give bodies the best chance to compete three straight weekends in February.

Rutgers looms next — a physical, gritty opponent with the size to challenge Nebraska inside. Hoiberg knows that after two tough showings, his team’s margin for error is smaller than it was a week ago.

“This is a Rutgers team that’s playing really good,” he said. “They’re always tough and physical, especially in the rack. We need to get right, get better. This week — have a good week of toughness in our practices.”

Rutgers will be no cake walk for Nebraska this weekend after they nearly upset USC in Los Angeles over the weekend. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

For the Huskers, that means shoring up a few key areas. They’ll undoubtedly be looking at finishing their possessions and working even harder on defensive rebounding to eliminate second-chance points, which Illinois certainly used to their advantage Sunday.

It’s a week that has to work on the team’s toughness, but also health management. Heading into Sunday’s game, Frager was still limping a little bit at the end of practice, so it’s a certainty that the training staff will be keeping a close eye on him and his progress this week after a stellar return.

Lastly is the continued recovery of Rienk Mast. Even before his illness in Ann Arbor, teams were able to slow him down more and more as the season went on, and that continued as a leaner Mast took the court Sunday. That’s why having no mid-week game this week could pay dividends for one of Nebraska’s biggest stars.

While he played 25 minutes in the loss to Illinois, Nebraska senior Rienk Mast wasn't quite himself, only scoring five points on the night. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

“That’s what this week can be for him — to get his timing back, get his wind back,” Hoiberg said of Mast. “He’s going to get it going again. There’s no doubt in my mind.”

From film rooms to tubs, from open shoots to a few physical drills, this reset week isn’t a pause — it’s the next move for a Nebraska team that’s still very much so in the thick of a hopeful run in the NCAA Tournament in March.

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