Texas A&M-CC @ Nebraska preview

Just about the time it appeared Nebraska was taking a step forward in its first year under coach Fred Hoiberg, the Cornhuskers took a step or two back in their most recent game. Nebraska looks to conclude the non-conference portion of its schedule on a high note Sunday when it hosts Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.

The Cornhuskers, who opened the season with home losses to UC Riverside and Southern Utah, turned a significant corner by beginning Big Ten play on Dec. 13 with a hard-fought six-point overtime loss at Indiana before picking up its most impressive victory of the season two days later against Purdue. Nebraska was unable to build on that effort, however, coming out flat on Dec. 21 in a 75-74 loss to North Dakota and suffering its fourth loss to a non-Power Five conference foe this season. “Against Indiana and Purdue, we came out strong and attacked. Today, we didn’t. I have no excuses. … That’s a team that we should beat, honestly," junior guard Dachon Burke told reporters. The Islanders are 0-3 heading into their final stop of a four-game road swing, but each game has been decided by six points or fewer - including a 71-67 defeat at Central Arkansas on Dec. 21.

TV: 4 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network

ABOUT TEXAS A&M-CORPUS CHRISTI (4-8): Myles Smith (team-high 16.7 points, 5.6 rebounds), who missed significant time last season due to injury, is averaging 19.6 points over the last seven contests after setting career highs with six 3-pointers and 31 points against Central Arkansas. Jashawn Talton-Thomas (12.7 points) has failed to score 10 points in five of his last six games but is the only player in the Southland Conference to rank inside the top 10 in both rebounding (7.4; seventh) and assists (3.2, ninth). Nolan Bertain (7.7 points) is tied for the team lead in 3-pointers with Smith (25), although freshman Jordan Hairston (9.5) already has 12 through six games after getting a late start to the season due to an infection.

ABOUT NEBRASKA (5-7): Sophomore guard Cam Mack (13.0 points, 4.8 rebounds), who ranks third in the Big Ten in assists (6.7) and sixth in steals (1.4) is one of only three Big Ten players to rank in the top 10 in both categories after finishing with 19 points, seven boards and seven assists against North Dakota. Burke (team-high 13.4 points) cooled off a bit with 10 points last Saturday after averaging 21.5 in the Cornhuskers' first two conference games, although he is still shooting 51.2 percent over his last three outings. Burke's disappointing offensive performance coincided with the return of starting guard Jervay Green, who mustered only three points on two field-goal attempts after missing the previous two games due to a suspension.

TIP-INS

1. Nebraska G Haanif Cheatham (12.8 points) is five points shy of reaching 1,000 for his career.

2. The Islanders commit an average of 15.8 turnovers - a mark which ranks 310th in Division I.

3. After going 6-of-28 beyond the arc in his first two seasons, Cornhuskers junior G Thorir Thorbjarnarson is 15-for-33 from long-range this season. His 45.5 3-point percentage ranks seventh in the Big Ten.

PREDICTION: Nebraska 79, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 71