Georgia Tech @ Nebraska preview
Pinnacle Bank Arena
Last Meeting ( Dec 4, 2019 ) Nebraska 56, Georgia Tech 73
After playing four games in seven days to start the season, the Nebraska Cornhuskers had a brief respite with no games in eight days because last Sunday's game at home was canceled due to positive COVID-19 tests in the Florida A&M program.
The Cornhuskers (3-1) end their break Wednesday with a game against Georgia Tech (1-2) at Pinnacle Bank Arena at Lincoln, Neb. Nebraska has played all of its games at home so far.
Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg has used a solid eight-man rotation with seven players averaging at least 20 minutes. Yvan Ouedraogo, the eighth player in the rotation, is averaging 18.8 minutes.
Following Nebraska's 76-69 win over South Dakota on Dec. 1 in a game that the Cornhuskers allowed an 18-point lead to dissipate, Hoiberg said, "Mentally, I thought we were a little fried."
Georgia Tech, meantime, rebounded from humbling losses to Georgia State and Mercer by scoring a resounding 79-62 win Sunday over then-No. 20 Kentucky in Atlanta. The Yellow Jackets, led by Moses Wright's 21 points and eight rebounds, shot 51.7 percent from the field and forced 21 turnovers.
Georgia Tech coach Josh Pastner defeated his former mentor John Calipari, who had Pastner as part of his staff at Memphis in the 2008-09 season. Calipari assistants were 0-17 against him before Pastner coached his team to the win.
"Awesome team win, awesome program win," Pastner said. "This is who we are."
Following the 0-2 start, Pastner engaged the Yellow Jackets in intense, physical practices after conducting no-contact drills.
Pastner's rotation is heavy toward his starters, who are averaging 38 minutes a game. Jose Alvarado is averaging 42.7 minutes and Wright 41.7 because of a four-overtime loss to Georgia State.
For Nebraska, former West Virginia standout Teddy Allen scored 16 of his 23 points in the second half to lead the Huskers past South Dakota. Allen leads the team with 19 points a game and 14 steals.
"He's one of those very unique players. He can score inside. He can drive it," Hoiberg said of Allen. "When he gets a guy on his hip, he is so strong in keeping them there. He's a very crafty finisher in the paint, and when he gets it going that opens up the 3-point shot where he knocked down a couple of those as well."
--Field Level Media