No. 2 Michigan’s hard-fought 75-72 win over No. 5 Nebraska was more than just a box score victory; it was a statement that both the Wolverines remain the class of the Big Ten and the Cornhuskers are a legitimate Final Four threat, even in defeat.
The first one to tell you it was eventually going to happen was Nebraska itself. As the Cornhuskers marched to a 20-0 start, players told USA TODAY Sports they knew a loss was inevitable. It finally came on Tuesday, Jan. 27, with Nebraska, ranked in the top five for the first time, falling on the road 75-72 to No. 2 Michigan in a monster Big Ten clash.
What we learned from the contest was definitive: Nebraska is legit, and Michigan is still the Big Ten and national championship favorite. The game was an entertaining, hard-fought contest that showed Michigan is still on the path to the Final Four, and the Cornhuskers can no longer be ignored.
“That just proved to everybody, most importantly to those guys in the locker room, that we can compete with anybody in this country,” Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg said.
Michigan had to really work for this one. The team that started the season blowing opponents out was the one trying to swim out of a rip current. After taking a 3-2 lead, Nebraska seized control and built a comfortable lead, looking like the far superior team. The Cornhuskers were on fire, with Jamarques Lawrence hitting shots from deep and the team seemingly drilling everything. They averaged 10 made 3-pointers a game and achieved that in just 18 minutes. The Wolverines looked shell-shocked, trailing by as much as 11 points in the first half, all while playing without Nebraska’s second and third leading scorers, Rienk Mast and Braden Frager.
The inexperience of the 20-0 Cornhuskers showed in the second half. Their magic wore off as they went 1-for-13 from deep in the final 20 minutes, while the game turned into a physical, defensive battle that didn’t suit their style. Michigan, despite shooting just 6-for-24 in the second half with 11 turnovers, found a way to win by going 14-for-17 from the free throw line. Nebraska, by contrast, shot only four free throws all game.
It wasn’t pretty, but that’s what makes a team great. The ability to win when everything is going wrong is a crucial trait for a championship run. You need wins like this to prepare for March, when the competition gets stiffer and the margins for error disappear.
As January nears an end, Michigan still remains the class of the Big Ten. It’s the best candidate to be the first from the conference to win a national championship since 2000. With only one loss and the ability to grind out a victory on an off night, the Wolverines’ title pedigree is undeniable.
At the same time, Nebraska proved its legitimacy. People have been cautious to believe the Cornhuskers are for real, and this game was the measuring stick. The fact that they nearly beat a national championship contender without two of their top three scorers is a powerful statement.
“That team is projected by a lot of people to win a national championship,” Hoiberg said. “You fight them all the way to the finish, you lose by a basket. That shows the character of our team and it also shows we can compete with anybody in the country.”
Michigan coach Dusty May admitted his team was outplayed for most of the game. Nebraska just couldn’t close the deal late, running out of steam down the stretch. There is such a thing as finding a win in a loss, and Nebraska still is poised to contend in the Big Ten and make some program history in the NCAA Tournament.
“We’re going to compete for the Final Four, and I think we just put ourselves in that conversation,” said Nebraska guard Sam Hoiberg.
It was a great battle, and you can only imagine what this game would be like in Lincoln with the Cornhuskers at full strength. Or even better, in a postseason contest.
“Hopefully we’ll see them in March, April,” May said postgame on the Peacock broadcast.
Let’s hope so, because both of these teams are capable of some magical things. For the fastest, most authoritative analysis on the biggest stories in sports, stay with onlytrustedinfo.com.
