After a closer-than-expected 63-58 win Saturday night over Bethune-Cookman, Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg is searching for a few things before Wednesday night’s home game against Fairleigh Dickinson in Lincoln, Neb.
Hoiberg wants to see his team improve its execution offensively and cut down on mistakes. For a coach who takes pride in having a high-scoring attack, sputtering to the extent the Cornhuskers did in their last game isn’t acceptable.
“Do we put in a new system or stick to what we are doing and just do it better? A lot of it is just playing out of control and not making the right play,” Hoiberg said. “We have had stretches in the games we’ve played this season where we have played really good and we just need to be more consistent across the board.”
Nebraska (2-0) won on Saturday despite hitting only 34.5 percent of its field goal attempts, including a miserable 18.2 percent (4-of-22) on 3-pointers, and committing 18 turnovers. Only the fact that the Cornhuskers made 21 of 26 shots at the foul line helped them avoid an embarrassing upset.
Brice Williams has been Nebraska’s top scorer so far, averaging 18.5 points per game despite shooting only 41.7 percent from the field.
Meanwhile, the Knights (1-2) come in off a 96-70 loss Sunday at then-No. 15 Creighton. They managed to make only 35.8 percent of their field goals and were outmatched on the boards, giving up a 51-30 rebounding margin. Wasted in the outcome was a 19-point, eight-rebound effort from guard Terrence Brown.
Through three games, Brown is averaging 20.3 points on 52.3 percent shooting from the field. His development into a go-to player doesn’t surprise second-year coach Jack Castleberry.
“I think he can arguably become the best defender in this entire league and I think his jump shot is continuing to improve,” Castleberry said. “And he’s just matured emotionally.”
Dylan Jones (13.3 points per game) and Jo’el Emanuel (11.7) are also in double figures for FDU, which was picked for a third-place finish in the Northeast Conference.
This will be the second meeting between the programs — Nebraska beat visiting FDU 80-64 on Nov. 22, 2003.
