Nebraska just took its first loss of the season, falling 75-72 to Michigan. The Cornhuskers blew a late lead, leading to a heartbreaking loss. After the game, head coach Fred Hoiberg spoke about the silver lining to be found in the loss.
Nebraska “”can compete with anybody in this country,” Hoiberg said after the game, according to McKenzy Parsons of KETV7 out of Omaha, Nebraska.
The Huskers lost by just three, even though they were a 10-point underdog coming into the game. They were also without two key players. Braden Frager missed the game. He averages 12.2 points per game with 3.9 rebounds. Rienk Mast also missed the game, and he is the team's second leading scorer. Mast scores 14.6 points per game while adding six rebounds and three assists. Mast missing the game was a last-second decision.
“About 12 minutes before tip, he said I got no energy. I thought in that first half our pace was great, I thought we ran out of gas a little bit in the second half,” Hoiberg said about Mast, according to Eli Rodriguez of The Daily Nebraskan.
Even without one of their top players, the team fought hard. Nebraksa led for over 90 percent of the game, and still had a 72-69 lead with 3:21 left in the game. Still, they did not score again in the last 3:21, as Michigan went on a 6-0 run to win the game.
“I give our guys all the credit in the world for the fight that they showed in that game from start to finish,” Hoiberg said.
Nebraska is 20-1 on the season, and will still have a high seed in the NCAA tournament. They return to the court, at home for the first time in over a week, hosting ninth-ranked Illinois.
