Nebraska Men’s Basketball Coach Hoiberg Wants Team Focused on Rebounding, Toughness

Nebraska men’s basketball coach Fred Hoiberg knows what his 12-0 team has accomplished. He’s happy about it. But he also knows what’s out there. And what’s out there is special. What’s out there is the opportunity for the best season in Huskers’ hoops history.

After his team’s 78-55 victory over North Dakota, Hoiberg was asked where his 13th-ranked team can improve as the Huskers soon will move into the bulk of their Big Ten schedule. Even 12-0 teams with a high national ranking have room for improvement, as Hoiberg — and all coaches — will quickly tell you. Even teams that have a 4-seed projection from ESPN Bracketology, as the Huskers now enjoy.

“I want to see us really improve on the glass and I thought we did a good job with that [vs. North Dakota],” Hoiberg said at a news conference. “This team [North Dakota] rebounds. They had 15 offensive rebounds against Winthrop. Windsor outrebounded us by 8 or 10.”

Nebraska, which was down by two points at halftime, outrebounded North Dakota by 42-30.

“We wanted to do a better job playing with physicality,” Hoiberg said. “That was a big emphasis of practice all week. We did a lot of live rebounding drills and toughness drills and I did think that carried over.

“I didn’t love our [defensive] activity with their hands but they only shot 31 percent in the first half. That kept us in it when the ball wasn’t going in for us.

“In the second half, I thought we kept our defensive energy up. So, rebounding is going to continue to be a big keep for us. When we win the glass, we’re generally in good shape.”

Schedule gets tougher

Nebraska plays visiting New Hampshire on Tuesday before its Big Ten schedule continues on Friday, Jan. 2, at home vs. Michigan State. The Huskers are 2-0 in the conference with impressive wins over Wisconsin and Illinois.

“Starting with the game on 30th [New Hampshire} and then certainly with Michigan State coming in here, one of the most physical teams in the country, so that’s going to be a big thing we got to continue to do a good job emphasizing it,” Hoiberg said. “Our guys have to go out and execute.”

For the season, Nebraska has outrebounded opponents, 454-427, an average of 37.8 to 35.6, 178th in the country in rebounding margin. The margin in slim, sure, but will it be enough for when the rigors of the physical Big Ten start in earnest?

Nebraska’s average of allowing 35.6 rebounds per game is tied for 201st in the nation with Maryland.

Big Ten games generally mean tight, hard-fought games. Rebounding will be hand-to-hand, an intense clash for every ball on the glass.

The conference is never easy and this year, in particular, there will be battles nearly every game. Supposed easy games might turn into one-possession dogfights. Supposed tough games likely will be exactly that.

That’s what made the Huskers’ 30-point win over always-strong Wisconsin so utterly astounding.

Huskers ‘a very mature group’

“They’ve been a very mature group and they’ve handled adversity really well and we’re going to have to continue on with that,” Hoiberg said. “Obviously, it’s going to smack us in the face every night. And I’m really pleased.

Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg is getting his team ready for the bulk of the Huskers' Big Ten schedule, which begins in a week. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

“You can put them in those adverse situations in practice but you really, truly don’t know until you see it in a game. And our guys have handled it really well. And if we continue to do that, we’ll have a chance to win most nights we step on the floor.

“So, yes, I’m pleased with that and happy with how they turned things around.”

Hoiberg thought North Dakota helped prepare the Huskers for conference play.

“The adversity, the adjustments,” Hoiberg said. “We’re going to have to do that. Our guys are going to have to go out and execute when we come in at halftime when things aren’t going our way and I thought our guys did a good job in that.”