STATE COLLEGE, Pennsylvania – The Nebraska season was canceled Tuesday night in a 95-71 loss to Penn State.
The Nittany Lions had two scorers of 20 points, while Nebraska had 36 to 29 points, Husker had 11 turnovers in 18 points and 36 points on the bench. Lamar Stevens scored 29 points with eight rebounds, a top in the team. Penn State's 95 points have the most goals scored this season and the largest number of men dropped by Nebraska since March 2016.
According to coach Tim Miles, in the locker room after-game, the team and he were confused.
"I said," You have to help me with this one, "Miles said during his post-game radio show." I did not see him coming . "
Penn State is one of the worst 3-point shooting teams in the country, but made 11 of 22 against the back.
Nebraska, meanwhile, made 6 of 18, but found no offensive pace. Penn State bit Nebraska in bad quick catches. Isaiah Roby scored 17 points and was 8 of 10 off the floor. James Palmer had 24 points, a top in his team, on 20 shots. Glynn Watson scored six points on 2 out of 10 shots.
The Huskers are now 15-12 years in season and 5-11 in conference. They have lost eight of their last 10 games.
Penn State rose to 10-16 and 3-12 in conference. They remain last in the Big Ten.
The tone for the whole night was given in the first four minutes. In initial possession, Roby missed a 30-foot off-balance goal when the shooting clock expired. Myles Dread and Lamar Stevens traded 3 points, and Penn State climbed 11-4.
Nebraska has never come closer.
"We have to really, really have a fighting mentality. And I have not seen him tonight since the beginning of the match, "Miles said. "We missed some shots inside and then we got late, so we left."
Nebraska lost five times in a row at Penn State. In each case, the Huskers were beaten at double digits in the first 25 minutes.
A third pointer off Rasir Bolton, his third 3 of the night, gave Penn State a 38-20 lead, while there was only five minutes remaining at the end of the match. Nebraska failed to score in the final, 2:38, and Penn State took a 44-25 lead.
Watson scored a 3-pointer and Palmer made two free throws to roll 8-2 in the first two minutes of the second.
But that did not hurt Penn State's lead. Palmer bet on a robbery and allowed an easy layup. Roby did not block, which led to an offensive rebound and a three-point play for Jamari Wheeler. Penn State got a 20-point lead at 55-35 with 15 minutes to go.
"So we start to get a pretty good attack result early in the second half, but then that becomes, we do not get any rebounds," Miles said. "Soon, you raise your head and he's still 20, 18 or 17 years old or whatever and you really have nothing to show."
Demonstrating his desperation, Nebraska set up a press in the open for the first time this season. It did not work. Penn State threw 11-1 to take a 61-36 lead. The 25-point deficit was the biggest of the season for Nebraska.
Nebraska tried a 1-2-1-1 match zone. It did not work either. A 3-pointer Dread against the area made 81-55.
The defeat puts Nebraska's hopes in the post-season to a halt and creates serious questions about Miles' future in Nebraska. And it will not be easier for the Huskers, who finish their season with four opponents ranked in a row.
Miles frustrated, speaking on the phone rather than in court as usual for his post-match radio spot, said Nebraska needed to get back to fighting.
"I thought we had good meetings. I thought we had a good quality movie, "Miles said. "Defense and rebound basketball is a second attempt and the simple fact of being able to make multiple efforts in a short time, and we have shown no desire to do that or any willingness to do it tonight."
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6–6, 218 | Sophomore | Guard | Bolingbrook, Ill.
Akenten scored in just 21 minutes his first year and shot 2 for 9 on the ground, eight of those nine shots from behind the arc. Akenten said he was "humiliated" by last season and will have a chance to stay on the ground much longer than 21 minutes.
6–1, 184 | Sophomore | Guard | Raleigh, N.C.
Fifth starter Nebraska, Allen will have the opportunity to prove he deserves a serious playing time. Allen is the best choice of Nebraska for a sniper, and Huskers season could depend on his ability to stretch the ground and give Nebraska a fifth weapon to add to the 'Fab Four'.
6–8, 250 | Senior | Transfer | Gothenburg, Neb.
Borchardt lost weight and that proved beneficial in the cleared match against Iowa State. He hit four of his five shots to replace Isaiah Roby while he was in trouble. This is Borchardt's main role this year: replace Roby and Isaac Copeland when they have serious problems or need rest.
KENT SIEVERS / THE WORLD-HERALD
6-4, 180 | Junior | Guard | Orange, N.J.
Burke is a transfer from Robert Morris who has to sit down this season. He is on deck to be the next Nebraska star.
6-9, 225 | Senior | Transfer | Raleigh, N.C.
Copeland is one of the last four vehicles of NU. He plays better than any moment in his career, said Tim Miles. Copeland was the All-Big Ten honorable mention of last season with 12.9 points and 6.1 rebounds per game.
6-1, 200 | Freshman | Guard | Omaha
Costello is a follower of Omaha and won the B class title in 2017 with Elkhorn South. He averaged 18.6 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.8 volley per game.
6-6, 215 | Freshman | Transfer | St. Louis, Mo.
Davis is missing this season having torn his Achilles during fall training.
6-6, 205 | Freshman | Guard | Frederick, Md.
Harris is the real freshman most likely to contribute immediately this season. Harris can defend positions one to four. His jumper will determine how much he sees the ground.
6-10, 215 | Freshman | Transfer | Springfield, Neb.
Heiman is one of the first-year Nebraska Fellows. This is the first time he has attended a high school in Nebraska since 2001. As a starter for four years at Platteview, Heiman scored 1,315 points, accumulated 883 rebounds and blocked 523 shots.
6-6, 207 | Senior | Guard | Upper Marlboro, Md.
A top player in Nebraska for years, Palmer is one of the guards for the first Big Ten team. The senior sniffed the NBA but decided to come back for another year. He averaged 17.2 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.0 assists as a junior.
6-9, 230 pounds | Junior | Transfer | Dixon, Illinois
Roby is a vital part of the Nebraska machine. The junior has recorded a double double in the Nebraska show and could do it regularly this season for the Huskers. Owner of a 7-foot-1 span, he is a potential All-Big Ten player.
6-6, 206 | Sophomore | Guard | Reykjavik, Iceland
Thorbjarnarson appeared in nine games as a rookie and was 3 for 7 off the ground. He will likely have cleaning duties this year and will be looking to contribute more as a junior and senior.
6-3, 194 | Junior | Guard | Omaha
Trueblood has appeared in 17 games during his two seasons in the team. The relief leader will not be a huge factor this season.
6-3, 180 | Senior | Guard | Bellwood, Ill.
The final of the "Fab Four", Watson is a four-year starter and the eyes and ears of Tim Miles on the court. Watson's production has dropped somewhat as a junior with an average of 10.5 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists per game. Miles hopes that Watson will have a year more than his second season, when he scored 13 times a game and shot nearly 40% of the distance of 3 points.
6–6, 218 | Sophomore | Guard | Bolingbrook, Ill.
Akenten scored in just 21 minutes his first year and shot 2 for 9 on the ground, eight of those nine shots from behind the arc. Akenten said he was "humiliated" by last season and will have a chance to stay on the ground much longer than 21 minutes.
6–1, 184 | Sophomore | Guard | Raleigh, N.C.
Fifth starter Nebraska, Allen will have the opportunity to prove he deserves a serious playing time. Allen is the best choice of Nebraska for a sniper, and Huskers season could depend on his ability to stretch the ground and give Nebraska a fifth weapon to add to the 'Fab Four'.
6–8, 250 | Senior | Transfer | Gothenburg, Neb.
Borchardt lost weight and that proved beneficial in the cleared match against Iowa State. He hit four of his five shots to replace Isaiah Roby while he was in trouble. This is Borchardt's main role this year: replace Roby and Isaac Copeland when they have serious problems or need rest.
KENT SIEVERS / THE WORLD-HERALD
6-4, 180 | Junior | Guard | Orange, N.J.
Burke is a transfer from Robert Morris who has to sit down this season. He is on deck to be the next Nebraska star.
6-9, 225 | Senior | Transfer | Raleigh, N.C.
Copeland is one of the last four vehicles of NU. He plays better than any moment in his career, said Tim Miles. Copeland was the All-Big Ten honorable mention of last season with 12.9 points and 6.1 rebounds per game.
6-1, 200 | Freshman | Guard | Omaha
Costello is a follower of Omaha and won the B class title in 2017 with Elkhorn South. He averaged 18.6 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.8 volley per game.
6-6, 215 | Freshman | Transfer | St. Louis, Mo.
Davis is missing this season having torn his Achilles during fall training.
6-6, 205 | Freshman | Guard | Frederick, Md.
Harris is the real freshman most likely to contribute immediately this season. Harris can defend positions one to four. His jumper will determine how much he sees the ground.
6-10, 215 | Freshman | Transfer | Springfield, Neb.
Heiman is one of the first-year Nebraska Fellows. This is the first time he has attended a high school in Nebraska since 2001. As a starter for four years at Platteview, Heiman scored 1,315 points, accumulated 883 rebounds and blocked 523 shots.
6-6, 207 | Senior | Guard | Upper Marlboro, Md.
A top player in Nebraska for years, Palmer is one of the guards for the first Big Ten team. The senior sniffed the NBA but decided to come back for another year. He averaged 17.2 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.0 assists as a junior.
6-9, 230 pounds | Junior | Transfer | Dixon, Illinois
Roby is a vital part of the Nebraska machine. The junior has recorded a double double in the Nebraska show and could do it regularly this season for the Huskers. Owner of a 7-foot-1 span, he is a potential All-Big Ten player.
6-6, 206 | Sophomore | Guard | Reykjavik, Iceland
Thorbjarnarson appeared in nine games as a rookie and was 3 for 7 off the ground. He will likely have cleaning duties this year and will be looking to contribute more as a junior and senior.
6-3, 194 | Junior | Guard | Omaha
Trueblood has appeared in 17 games during his two seasons in the team. The relief leader will not be a huge factor this season.
6-3, 180 | Senior | Guard | Bellwood, Ill.
The final of the "Fab Four", Watson is a four-year starter and the eyes and ears of Tim Miles on the court. Watson's production has dropped somewhat as a junior with an average of 10.5 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists per game. Miles hopes that Watson will have a year more than his second season, when he scored 13 times a game and shot nearly 40% of the distance of 3 points.
