Nebraska Cornhuskers
2020-2021 Overall Rank: #134
Conference Rank: #13 Big Ten
Fred Hoiberg’s first season at Nebraska was one to forget. The Huskers didn’t enter 2019-20 with high expectations, but winning only seven games is never acceptable. The Big Ten was historically good last season, and Nebraska just didn’t have the talent to keep pace. However, Hoiberg hit the recruiting trail hard to rebuild his roster, mostly with transfers like he did at Iowa State. Only three rotation players are back from last season, but a fresh start could be exactly what Nebraska needed to compete in the Big Ten again.
2019-20 Record: 7-25, 2-18
Coach: Fred Hoiberg
Coach Record: 7-25 at Nebraska, 122-81 overall
Key Departed Players:
Haanif Cheatham, Guard, 13.1 ppg
Dachon Burke, Guard, 12.2 ppg
Cam Mack, Guard, 12.0 ppg
Jervay Green, Guard, 8.2 ppg
Kevin Cross, Forward, 7.1 ppg
Matej Kavas, Forward, 5.3 ppg
Charlie Easley, Guard, 1.9 ppg
Haanif Cheatham, Guard, 13.1 ppg
Dachon Burke, Guard, 12.2 ppg
Cam Mack, Guard, 12.0 ppg
Jervay Green, Guard, 8.2 ppg
Kevin Cross, Forward, 7.1 ppg
Matej Kavas, Forward, 5.3 ppg
Charlie Easley, Guard, 1.9 ppg
Key Returning Players:
Thorir Thorbjarnarson, Senior, Guard, 8.8 ppg
Yvan Ouedraogo, Sophomore, Forward, 5.7 ppg
Akol Arop, Sophomore, Forward, 1.0 ppg
Thorir Thorbjarnarson, Senior, Guard, 8.8 ppg
Yvan Ouedraogo, Sophomore, Forward, 5.7 ppg
Akol Arop, Sophomore, Forward, 1.0 ppg
Key New Players:
Teddy Allen, Junior, Guard, Transfer from Junior College
Eduardo Andre, Freshman, Center (200 overall)
Dalano Banton, Sophomore, Forward, Transfer from Western Kentucky
Trevor Lakes, Senior, Guard, Transfer from Division II, Not Eligible
Lat Mayen, Junior, Forward, Transfer from Junior College
Trey McGowens, Junior, Guard, Transfer from Pittsburgh, Not Eligible
Shamiel Stevenson, Junior, Guard, Transfer from Nevada
Derrick Walker, Junior, Forward, Transfer from Tennessee
Kobe Webster, Senior, Guard, Grad Transfer from Western Illinois
Elijah Wood, Freshman, Guard
Eduardo Andre, Freshman, Center (200 overall)
Dalano Banton, Sophomore, Forward, Transfer from Western Kentucky
Trevor Lakes, Senior, Guard, Transfer from Division II, Not Eligible
Lat Mayen, Junior, Forward, Transfer from Junior College
Trey McGowens, Junior, Guard, Transfer from Pittsburgh, Not Eligible
Shamiel Stevenson, Junior, Guard, Transfer from Nevada
Derrick Walker, Junior, Forward, Transfer from Tennessee
Kobe Webster, Senior, Guard, Grad Transfer from Western Illinois
Elijah Wood, Freshman, Guard
Projection:
Thorir Thorbjarnarson and Yvan Ouedraogo are the only two returning players that averaged double-digit minutes last season. Thorbjarnarson started 24 games and averaged 8.8 points and 4.8 rebounds, while Ouedraogo started 30 games and averaged 5.7 points and 6.3 rebounds. Both players will provide experienced role players to compliment the new pieces that Hoiberg has brought in. Akol Arop appeared in 21 games as a freshman and a second-year improvement will be needed to make the rotation this year. After that, Nebraska is a team full of new faces as six transfers and two freshmen join the Huskers in 2020-21. Teddy Allen is a highly talented guard who is at his fourth school in three years. Allen started at West Virginia where he averaged 7.0 points off the bench before transferring to Wichita State. However, Allen was dismissed from school last season and spent the year at Western Nebraska Community College where he led the NJCAA in scoring with 31.4 points per game. If Allen can keep the off court distractions to a minimum, he has the talent to be an all-conference caliber player. Dalano Banton is a former four-star recruit who spent one season at Western Kentucky where he averaged 3.4 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.1 assists. Banton is a 6-8 forward with guard skills who can be a versatile weapon for Nebraska this season. Lat Mayen is an Australian forward who was a four-star recruit at TCU two seasons ago. Mayen played just 17 games at TCU as a freshman and spent last season at Chipola College where he averaged 11.8 points and 8.4 rebounds. Shamiel Stevenson is at his third school after spending time at Pitt and Nevada. Stevenson played 23.8 minutes per game at Pitt as a freshman, averaging 8.5 points and 4.4 rebounds. He then transferred to Nevada midway through his sophomore season but never played a game there. Derrick Walker spent two seasons at Tennessee and played in 64 games, though he never averaged double-digit minutes played. Walker is a 6-8 forward with plenty of athleticism and the Huskers will hope sitting out last season helped him develop his skill a bit more. The final transfer is Kobe Webster, a graduate transfer from Western Illinois. Webster led his team in scoring and assists in all three seasons at Western Illinois and made the All-Summit Second Team the last two seasons. Webster is the most experienced newcomer and will need to instantly provide a senior leadership. Finally, Eduardo Andre and Elijah Wood are true freshmen joining the Huskers this season. Nebraska has a lot of moving pieces here and with the unique offseason, chemistry could be a major issue for the Huskers early in 2020-21. However, the talent level should be an upgrade over last season as Fred Hoiberg appears to at least have Nebraska heading in the right direction.
Thorir Thorbjarnarson and Yvan Ouedraogo are the only two returning players that averaged double-digit minutes last season. Thorbjarnarson started 24 games and averaged 8.8 points and 4.8 rebounds, while Ouedraogo started 30 games and averaged 5.7 points and 6.3 rebounds. Both players will provide experienced role players to compliment the new pieces that Hoiberg has brought in. Akol Arop appeared in 21 games as a freshman and a second-year improvement will be needed to make the rotation this year. After that, Nebraska is a team full of new faces as six transfers and two freshmen join the Huskers in 2020-21. Teddy Allen is a highly talented guard who is at his fourth school in three years. Allen started at West Virginia where he averaged 7.0 points off the bench before transferring to Wichita State. However, Allen was dismissed from school last season and spent the year at Western Nebraska Community College where he led the NJCAA in scoring with 31.4 points per game. If Allen can keep the off court distractions to a minimum, he has the talent to be an all-conference caliber player. Dalano Banton is a former four-star recruit who spent one season at Western Kentucky where he averaged 3.4 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.1 assists. Banton is a 6-8 forward with guard skills who can be a versatile weapon for Nebraska this season. Lat Mayen is an Australian forward who was a four-star recruit at TCU two seasons ago. Mayen played just 17 games at TCU as a freshman and spent last season at Chipola College where he averaged 11.8 points and 8.4 rebounds. Shamiel Stevenson is at his third school after spending time at Pitt and Nevada. Stevenson played 23.8 minutes per game at Pitt as a freshman, averaging 8.5 points and 4.4 rebounds. He then transferred to Nevada midway through his sophomore season but never played a game there. Derrick Walker spent two seasons at Tennessee and played in 64 games, though he never averaged double-digit minutes played. Walker is a 6-8 forward with plenty of athleticism and the Huskers will hope sitting out last season helped him develop his skill a bit more. The final transfer is Kobe Webster, a graduate transfer from Western Illinois. Webster led his team in scoring and assists in all three seasons at Western Illinois and made the All-Summit Second Team the last two seasons. Webster is the most experienced newcomer and will need to instantly provide a senior leadership. Finally, Eduardo Andre and Elijah Wood are true freshmen joining the Huskers this season. Nebraska has a lot of moving pieces here and with the unique offseason, chemistry could be a major issue for the Huskers early in 2020-21. However, the talent level should be an upgrade over last season as Fred Hoiberg appears to at least have Nebraska heading in the right direction.
Projected Postseason Tournament: CBI/CIT
By the Numbers:
Scoring Offense: 69.8 (215th in nation, 11th in conference)
Scoring Defense: 78.1 (330, 14)
Field-Goal Percentage: 40.5 (323, 14)
Field-Goal Defense: 45.0 (280, 14)
Three-Point Field Goals Per Game: 7.9 (107, 6)
Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: 31.8 (264, 10)
Free-Throw Percentage: 60.3 (348, 14)
Rebound Margin: -9.6 (348, 14)
Assists Per Game: 13.8 (113, 6)
Turnovers Per Game: 11.9 (64, 8)
