Husker NCAA Tournament History

[Mavric]

Lee Barfknecht with a quick look at the Huskers' previous six NCAA Tournament games

 

1991: No. 3 Nebraska vs. No. 14 Xavier in Minneapolis

Coach Nee called it “the magic-carpet ride.”

 

Nebraska, picked to finish last in the Big Eight after going 10-18 the year before, went a school-record 26-8 and climbed to school-record rankings of No. 9 by the coaches and No. 11 by the Associated Press.

 

The Huskers were a stunning blend of size, skill and talent (eight eventually played professionally, including three in the NBA) who played fast. They scored 94 points or more 13 times.

 

But off-the-court drama again shadowed Nebraska.

 

More disruption occurred the next week — one day before leaving for Minneapolis — as Ramos and starting forward Tony Farmer were declared ineligible under NCAA extra-benefit guidelines for accepting car loans from a Lincoln man at lower-than-market rates.

 

Nebraska immediately applied for eligibility to be restored, working on Farmer's case because Ramos was still suspended. Farmer's eligibility waiver came at 1 p.m. the day of the game.

 

Other circumstances around the game seemed to conspire against Nebraska.

 

Tipoff wasn't until 9:30 p.m. While watching games during the day, the Huskers kept hearing that a No. 3 seed had been upset in the first round five straight years. All other No. 3s had won before NU took the court. Also, Xavier had played in the NCAA tournament five straight years.

 

Nebraska played tight and tired, losing 89-84 and shooting a season-worst 14 of 27 (51.9 percent) on free throws.

 

Years later, I saw an old coaching friend, Charlie Spoonhour, at a Big 12 tournament. As we reminisced, the one-time Husker assistant brought up the 1991 team.

 

“That team was good enough to go to the Final Four,” Spoonhour told me. “It's too bad they didn't have any tourney experience.”

[huKSer]

I thought Husker NCAA Tournament History would be shorter - as in 3 paragraphs

[mrandyk]

I thought Husker NCAA Tournament History would be shorter - as in 3 paragraphs

That wouldn't fully capture the futility.

[Foppa]

Meh. That was a long time ago Lee. Time to move on and stop digging up negativity.

[HUSKER FREAK]

I remember I was a freshman in highschool that year and got to go with a friend to the OK St. game. Which we won ad Big Country got his ass kicked by our bigs in the middle.