Nebraska basketball may have gone 0-2 this past week, but context matters-and the poll voters clearly agree. Despite the pair of losses, the Huskers held onto a Top 10 spot in both the AP and Coaches’ Polls, landing at No. 9 after sitting at No. 5 the week before.
Why the relatively soft drop? Because those two losses came against teams now ranked in the Top 5 nationally-Michigan and Illinois-both playing elite-level basketball right now.
Let’s start with Michigan. The Wolverines edged Nebraska 75-72 in Ann Arbor on Sunday and now sit at No. 2 in the nation, just behind undefeated Arizona.
That was a high-level battle, and Nebraska hung tough on the road despite being short-handed. Then came Illinois, who came into Pinnacle Bank Arena and handed the Huskers a 78-69 loss.
That win marked Illinois’ 11th straight since falling to Nebraska earlier this season in Champaign. The Illini are now ranked No. 5, looking every bit the part of a Final Four contender.
Here’s how the AP Top 10 shakes out this week:
- Arizona
- Michigan
- UConn
- Duke
- Illinois
- Gonzaga
- Iowa State
- Houston
- Nebraska
- Michigan State
National analysts like Andy Katz and Jon Rothstein were even more bullish on Nebraska, each slotting the Huskers at No. 7 in their latest power rankings. That’s a nod to the full body of work-Nebraska is 20-2 with six Quad 1 wins and a résumé that holds up against just about anyone in the country.
And they’ve done it while battling through adversity. Rienk Mast, a key piece of the Huskers’ frontcourt, missed the Michigan game due to illness and spent part of last week in the emergency room.
That’s not exactly ideal when you’re facing two of the best teams in the country. The good news?
Nebraska now gets a bit of a breather.
With no midweek game, the Huskers have a chance to regroup, recover, and recharge. Head coach Fred Hoiberg emphasized the importance of the break-not just for Mast, but for the entire squad.
“It comes at a good time for us to get our guys that have been a little bit banged up, to get them right,” Hoiberg said. “We're going to actually come in and watch film Monday and get some shooting and skill work. Then we'll take Tuesday off and it will give us three days to prepare for Saturday.”
That Saturday matchup is on the road at Rutgers-a team that’s struggled in the win column (9-13 overall, 2-9 in Big Ten play) but hasn’t exactly been a pushover. Just ask Michigan State.
The Scarlet Knights had a 15-point second-half lead on the Spartans before falling 88-79. They also gave USC a scare on the road and kept things close in competitive losses to Wisconsin and Iowa.
“This is a Rutgers team that is playing really good,” Hoiberg said. “They lose on the road last night by three to USC. They had the game against Michigan State… So this team is playing really well and they're always tough and physical, especially in the RAC.”
That’s the reality of Big Ten basketball-there are no guaranteed wins, especially on the road. Even a team with a losing record can make life miserable if you’re not locked in. And for Nebraska, this week is all about getting locked back in.
“So we need to get right, get better this week. Have a good week of toughness in our practices,” Hoiberg added. “Tuesday is an important day to get in the tubs and get recovered and have a really good three days heading into the weekend.”
Bottom line: Nebraska’s still in a strong position nationally, both in the polls and in the NET rankings (currently No. 10).
The losses hurt, sure-but they came against elite competition, and the Huskers showed they can compete at that level. Now, with a healthier roster and a critical road test ahead, they’ll look to bounce back and keep pace in a loaded Big Ten.