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February 16, 2014 2pm CT - BTN Breslin Center (14,797) - East Lansing, MI Nebraska Cornhuskers 13-10, 5-6 (Last: W 67-58 vs Illinois) vs #9 Michigan State Spartans 21-4, 10-2 (Last: W 85-70 vs Northwestern) Big Ten Standings #9 Michigan State 10-2, 21-4 #15 Michigan 10-2, 18-6 #16 Iowa 8-4, 19-6 #21 Wisconsin 7-5, 20-5 #22 Ohio State 7-6, 20-6 Nebraska 5-6, 13-10 Minnesota 5-7, 16-9 Purdue 5-7, 15-10 Northwestern 5-7, 12-13 Indiana 4-8, 14-11 Penn State 4-9, 13-13 Illinois 3-10, 14-12 Head Coaches Nebraska Tim Miles (311-248, 28-28 at Nebraska) Michigan State Tom Izzo (460-182 at Michigan State) Injury Report Nebraska No injuries to report Michigan State G - Keith Appling - Wrist - Questionable G - Branden Dawson - Hand - Out Scouting Michigan State Under Tom Izzo, the Spartans have been one of the flagship programs in the Big Ten. The Spartans have made six Final Fours in the last 15 seasons and made 16 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances. MSU returned four starters from a team that won 27 games and reached the Sweet 16 last year. The Spartans were the overwhelming preseason choice to win the Big Ten, but have battled injuries during the course of the season. Despite having to use 14 lineups during the season, MSU has continued to roll along. The Spartans won 11 straight until falling to Michigan on Jan. 25, while their only other Big Ten loss came on a buzzer beater at Wisconsin on Feb. 9. Both of those losses came when MSU was missing two starters. Currently, senior point Keith Appling and Branden Dawson are both out but could return in the next two weeks. Sunday’s matchup is the only one of the season between the two teams, as the Spartans are one of Nebraska’s four single-play foes in 2013-14. The Spartans are second in the Big Ten in scoring offense, totaling 78 points per game. MSU is among the league leaders in both field goal percentage (.471, third) and 3-point percentage (.387, 2nd). Michigan State is also strong on the defensive end, ranking second in the Big Ten in field goal defense (.389) as well as steals (7.6 per game). Sophomore Gary Harris is one of the favorites for Big Ten player of the year, as he averages 17.4 points per game, 4.4 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game. MSU also features one of the nation’s top big men in Adreian Payne, who averages 16.6 points and 7.6 rebounds per game and is averaging close to 20 points per game since his return to the lineup three games ago.

February 12, 2014 8pm CT - BTN Pinnacle Bank Arena (15,147) - Lincoln, NE Illinois Fighting Illini 14-10, 3-8 (Last: W 60-55 vs Penn State) vs Nebraska Cornhuskers 12-10, 4-6 (Last: W 53-49 vs Northwestern) Big Ten Standings #15 Michigan 10-2, 18-6 #9 Michigan State 9-2, 20-4 #16 Iowa 7-4, 18-6 #21 Wisconsin 6-5, 19-5 #22 Ohio State 6-6, 19-6 Minnesota 5-6, 16-8 Northwestern 5-6, 12-12 Indiana 4-6, 14-9 Nebraska 4-6, 12-10 Purdue 4-7, 14-10 Illinois 3-8, 14-10 Penn State 3-8, 12-12 Head Coaches Illinois John Groce (121-79, 37-23 at Illinois) Nebraska Tim Miles (310-248, 27-28 at Nebraska) Injury Report Illinois G - Mike LaTulip - Concussion - Questionable Nebraska No injuries to report Scouting Illinois The Fighting Illini come to Lincoln with a 14-10 record and are 3-8 in the Big Ten following a 60-55 win at Penn State on Sunday. The Fighting Illini, which had lost its last eight games, switched up their lineup and got big games from freshmen Kendrick Nunn and Malcolm Hill. Nunn finished with a game-high 19 points, including four 3-pointers, while Hill added 11 points. John Groce is in his second year at Illinois after he guided the Illini to a 23-13 record and the third round of the 2013 NCAA Tournament. Before taking the Illinois job, he led Ohio University to a 29-8 record and a berth in the NCAA Sweet 16 in 2012. Groce also served as an assistant at Ohio State, Xavier and North Carolina State before taking over the Bobcat program. Illinois, which returned a pair of starters from the 2013 squad, won 13 of its first 15 contests, including wins against UNLV, Missouri and Indiana, before struggling at times in Big Ten action. The Illini are led by junior guard Rayvonte Rice, who ranks among the Big Ten leaders in scoring at 16.5 points per game while grabbing 6.0 rebounds per game. He is one of three Illini in double figures as junior point guard Tracy Abrams averages 11.5 points and 3.2 assists per game, while senior Joseph Bertrand averages 10.6 points and 4.9 rebounds per game. Junior center Nnanna Egwu is one of the top defensive centers in the Big Ten as he ranks third with 2.3 blocked shots per contests.

February 8, 2014 12pm CT - ESPNU Welsh-Ryan Arena (8,117) - Evanston, IL Nebraska Cornhuskers 11-10, 3-6 (Last: L 79-50 vs Michigan) vs Northwestern Wildcats 12-11, 5-5 (Last: W 55-54 vs Minnesota) Big Ten Standings #9 Michigan State 9-1, 20-3 #10 Michigan 9-1, 17-5 #17 Iowa 6-4, 17-6 Ohio State 5-5, 18-5 Wisconsin 5-5, 18-5 Northwestern 5-5, 12-11 Indiana 4-5, 14-8 Minnesota 4-6, 15-8 Purdue 4-6, 14-9 Nebraska 3-6, 11-10 Penn State 3-7, 12-11 Illinois 2-8, 13-10 Head Coaches Nebraska Tim Miles (309-248, 26-28 at Nebraska) Northwestern Chris Collins (12-11 at Northwestern) Injury Report Nebraska No injuries to report Northwestern No injuries to report Scouting Northwestern Northwestern comes into Saturday’s game with a 12-11 record and 5-5 in the Big Ten following a pair of road wins last week at Wisconsin and Minnesota. The Wildcats are led by Chris Collins, who spent the last 13 seasons at Duke under Hall of Fame Coach Mike Krzyzewski before taking the Northwestern job last spring. Northwestern, which returned four starters and eight letterwinners from 2012-13, got off to a slow start, going 7-9 including three straight losses in Big Ten play before righting the ship over the last month. The Wildcats have been exceptional defensively, holding six of their last seven foes to 60 points or less, including 43 by Illinois and 47 by Indiana in a 54-47 win in Assembly Hall in Bloomington. Fifth-year senior Drew Crawford has been the catalyst for the Wildcats, as he leads the team in scoring (16.3) and rebounding (6.8) per game. He had 30 points in a win at Wisconsin last week and ranks among the top 10 in the Big Ten in both scoring and rebounding. Northwestern has relied on its length since an injury to Dave Sobolewski in early January forced the Wildcats to adjust. JerShon Cobb has been solid for the Wildcats at the point, averaging 11.4 points per game and dishing out 50 assists. Sophomore Tre Demps gives Northwestern another outside scorer as he averages 10.7 points per game off the bench while shooting 35 percent from 3-point range. Sophomore Alex Olah mans the interior with 8.1 points and 5.1 rebounds per game while blocking nearly two shots a contest.

February 5, 2014 5:30pm CT - BTN Crisler Center (12,271) - Ann Arbor, MI Nebraska Cornhuskers 11-9, 3-5 (Last: W 60-55 vs Indiana) vs #10 Michigan Wolverines 16-5, 8-1 (Last: L 63-52 vs Indiana) Big Ten Standings #9 Michigan State 8-1, 19-3 #10 Michigan 8-1, 16-5 #17 Iowa 6-4, 17-6 Ohio State 5-5, 18-5 Wisconsin 5-5, 18-5 Northwestern 5-5, 12-11 Minnesota 4-5, 15-7 Indiana 4-5, 14-8 Nebraska 3-5, 11-9 Purdue 3-6, 13-9 Penn State 3-6, 12-10 Illinois 2-8, 13-10 Head Coaches Nebraska Tim Miles (309-247, 26-27 at Nebraska) Michigan John Beilein (689-408, 138-90 at Michigan) Injury Report Nebraska No injuries to report Michigan F - Mitch McGary - Back - Out indefinitely Scouting Michigan Michigan comes into Wednesday’s game with a 16-5 record and a No. 10 ranking following a 63-52 setback at Indiana on Sunday. The Wolverines had won 10 straight before the loss to the Hoosiers and are tied with Michigan State at the top of the Big Ten race with an 8-1 conference mark. The Wolverines returned three starters and eight letterwinners from a team that won 31 games and were the 2013 NCAA runner up. Under the direction of John Beilein, the Wolverines have reached the NCAA Tournament in three straight seasons, including the program’s first Final Four appearance since 1993 last season. Michigan has been tough at home, going 9-1 this season with the only loss a 72-70 decision to then No. 1 Arizona on Dec. 14. Michigan has been without the services of preseason All-American Mitch McGary, who played in just eight games before electing to undergo back surgery. McGary averaged 9.5 points and a team-best 8.3 rebounds per game. Despite McGary’s loss, the Wolverines have been led by a trio of sophomores in Nik Stauskas, Glenn Robinson III and Caris LeVert, all of who average in double figures. Stauskas leads Michigan and ranks among the Big Ten scoring leaders at 17.8 points per game while shooting 45 percent from 3-point range. He also paces UM with 73 assists. Robinson, who could have been a first-round pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, averages 13.1 points and 4.3 rebounds per game while LeVert is at 12 points per contest. In conference play, Michigan is shooting 51 percent as a team and has been balanced offensively with four players averaging double figures. In addition the tandem of Jordan Morgan and Jon Horford are combining for 13.6 points and 10.4 rebounds per game in Big Ten play while shooting a combined 76 percent from the field.

January 30, 2014 7:15pm CT - BTN Pinnacle Bank Arena (15,147) - Lincoln, NE Indiana Hoosiers 13-7, 3-4 (Last: W 56-46 vs Illinois) vs Nebraska Cornhuskers 10-9, 2-5 (Last: W 82-78 vs Minnesota) Big Ten Standings #10 Michigan 7-0, 15-4 #7 Michigan State 8-1, 19-2 #15 Iowa 5-3, 16-5 #14 Wisconsin 4-4, 17-4 Minnesota 4-4, 15-6 Northwestern 4-5, 11-11 Indiana 3-4, 13-7 Purdue 3-4, 13-7 #24 Ohio State 3-5, 16-5 Nebraska 2-5, 10-9 Illinois 2-6, 13-8 Penn State 2-6, 11-10 Head Coaches Indiana Tom Crean (277-185, 97-86 at Indiana) Nebraska Tim Miles (308-247, 25-27 at Nebraska) Injury Report Indiana No injuries to report Nebraska No injuries to report Scouting Indiana Indiana comes to Lincoln with a 13-7 record following a 56-46 win over Illinois on Sunday. Under fifth-year head coach Tom Crean, the Hoosiers are a different team than the 2012-13 squad which featured two NBA Lottery picks and won the Big Ten regular-season title. The Hoosiers returned just one starter from a 29-7 squad that reached the NCAA Sweet 16. Indiana has been up and down in conference play, including a win over then-unbeaten and No. 3 Wisconsin before falling at Northwestern at home four days later. While Indiana averages 76.3 points per game, the Hoosiers’ strength is a defense which holds teams to under 40 percent shooting, while IU out-rebounds teams by a conference best 11.1 boards per game. Sophomore point guard Yogi Ferrell is one of the Big Ten’s top performers, as he averages a team-high 17.5 points along with 4.0 assists per game to rank in the top 10 in the Big Ten in both categories. Ferrell also shoots better than 40 percent from 3-point range for the Hoosiers. Noah Vonleh is one of the front runners for Big Ten Freshman of the year, as the 6-foot-10 forward averages 12.0 points and a Big Ten leading 9.6 rebounds per game. He leads the Big Ten with eight double-doubles on the season. Senior forward Will Sheehey is the third Hoosier in double figures, as he averages 10.1 points and 4.3 rebounds per game. This is the third matchup between Crean and Nebraska Coach Tim Miles. In addition to last year’s meeting in Bloomington, Miles’ North Dakota State team upset eighth-ranked Marquette, 64-60, in the championship game of the 2006 Blue and Gold Classic in Milwaukee.

January 26, 2014 5pm CT - BTN Pinnacle Bank Arena (15,147) - Lincoln, NE Minnesota Golden Gophers 15-5, 4-3 (Last: W 81-68 vs Wisconsin) vs Nebraska Cornhuskers 9-9, 1-5 (Last: L 58-54 vs Penn State) Big Ten Standings #21 Michigan 7-0, 15-4 #3 Michigan State 7-1, 18-2 #10 Iowa 5-2, 16-4 #9 Wisconsin 4-3, 17-3 Minnesota 4-3, 15-5 #17 Ohio State 3-4, 16-4 Purdue 3-4, 13-7 Northwestern 3-5, 10-11 Indiana 2-4, 12-7 Illinois 2-5, 13-7 Nebraska 1-5, 9-9 Penn State 1-6, 10-10 Head Coaches Minnesota Richard Pitino (33-19, 15-5 at Minnesota) Nebraska Tim Miles (307-247, 24-27 at Nebraska) Injury Report Minnesota F - Charles Buggs - Ankle - Questionable G - Andre Hollins - Ankle - Doubtful Nebraska No injuries to report Scouting Minnesota Under Richard Pitino, the Minnesota Golden Gophers are one of the biggest surprises in the Big Ten. Pitino is in his first year at Minnesota after coaching at Florida International during the 2012-13 season. Florida International went 18-14 and advanced to the title game of the Sun Belt Conference in 2013. Minnesota is 15-5 on the season and 4-3 in the Big Ten following an 81-68 win over No. 9 Wisconsin Wednesday evening. The Gophers went 11-2 during non-conference action, including a six-game win streak before Big Ten action. UM’s best wins in non-conference actions were victories at Richmond and against Florida State in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge. Four of Minnesota’s five losses are to nationally ranked teams, including against unbeaten Syracuse in the Maui Invitational and at No. 3 Michigan State, a contest they led most of regulation before falling to the Spartans. The Gophers’ strength is a full-court press which leads the Big Ten with 8.2 steals per game, as Minnesota will occasionally play a four-guard lineup. Austin Hollins and DeAndre Mathieu both rank in the top six in the Big Ten in steals per game. Minnesota is also the best free throw shooting team in the conference, hitting 75.6 percent from the foul line. Andre Hollins leads Minnesota and ranks among the Big Ten leaders at 15.4 points per game, but suffered an ankle injury early in Wednesday’s win and is doubtful for Sunday. Senior Austin Hollins chips in 11.8 points per game. On the inside, junior center Elliott Eliason, who is from Chadron, Neb., averages 6.5 points and 8.4 rebounds per game to rank third in the Big Ten in rebounding. He is also second in the conference in blocked shots at 2.6 per game. One other Husker-Gopher connection is Minnesota assistant coach Ben Johnson, who was a member of Nebraska’s coaching staff last season.

January 23, 2014 7pm CT - ESPNU Bryce Jordan Center (15,261) - University Park, PA Nebraska Cornhuskers 9-8, 1-4 (Last: W 68-62 vs Ohio State vs Penn State Nittany Lions 9-10, 0-6 (Last: L 65-64 vs Purdue) Big Ten Standings #3 Michigan State 7-0, 18-1 #21 Michigan 6-0, 14-4 #10 Iowa 4-2, 15-4 Minnesota 4-3, 15-5 #9 Wisconsin 3-3, 16-3 Purdue 3-3, 13-6 Northwestern 3-4, 10-10 #17 Ohio State 2-4, 15-4 Illinois 2-4, 13-6 Indiana 2-4, 12-7 Nebraska 1-4, 9-8 Penn State 0-6, 9-10 Head Coaches Nebraska Tim Miles (307-246, 24-26 at Nebraska) Penn State Pat Chambers (73-79, 31-51 at Penn State) Injury Report Nebraska No injuries to report Penn State No injuries to report Scouting Penn State Penn State comes into Thursday’s game looking to snap a six-game losing streak. PSU opened the season with wins in five of its first seven games, including an overtime win against St. John’s, but has stuggled since Big Ten play began. Penn State is just 9-10 on the season, but five of the 10 losses have been by three points or less. PSU has had chances in each of his last two home games before losing against Minnesota and Indiana. Third-year coach Pat Chambers has one of the best backcourts in the Big Ten with the return of senior Tim Frazier and junior D.J. Newbill. Frazier, a first-team All-Big Ten pick in 2011-12, returned after missing most of last season with an Achilles injury. He is averaging 16.8 points, a Big Ten-leading 5.2 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game. Newbill leads Penn State in scoring at 17.3 ppg while averaging 5.4 rebounds per contest. Ross Travis has been a solid post presence for the Nittany Lions averaging 10.7 points and a team-high 7.7 rebounds per game to rank fourth in he Big Ten.

January 20, 2014 6pm CT - BTN Pinnacle Bank Arena (15,147) - Lincoln, NE #17 Ohio State Buckeyes 15-3, 2-3 (Last: L 63-53 vs Minnesota) vs Nebraska Cornhuskers 8-8, 0-4 (Last: L 70-64 vs Purdue) Big Ten Standings #3 Michigan State 6-0, 17-1 #21 Michigan 5-0, 13-4 #10 Iowa 4-1, 15-3 #9 Wisconsin 3-2, 16-2 Purdue 3-2, 13-5 Minnesota 3-3, 14-5 #17 Ohio State 2-3, 15-3 Indiana 2-3, 12-6 Illinois 2-4, 13-6 Northwestern 2-4, 9-10 Nebraska 0-4, 8-8 Penn State 0-6, 9-10 Head Coaches Ohio State Thad Matta (367-107, 265-76 at Ohio State) Nebraska Tim Miles (306-246, 23-26 at Nebraska) Injury Report Ohio State No injuries to report Nebraska No injuries to report Scouting Ohio State Under Thad Matta, Ohio State comes into Thursday’s game at Minnesota with a 15-3 record and a No. 17 national ranking. Matta, who served as an assistant to former Nebraska Coach Barry Collier at Butler, is in his 10th season at OSU and has guided the Buckeyes to seven NCAA appearances, including an NCAA runner-up finish in 2007 and a Final Four appearance in 2012. OSU returned four starters from a team that won 29 games and reached the Elite Eight in 2012-13. Ohio State had won its first 15 games before suffering a 72-68 loss at No. 4 Michigan State on Jan. 7, and then falling at home to No. 20 Iowa, 84-74, on Jan. 12. OSU has been stout defensively, ranking sixth nationally in scoring defense (57.9 ppg) and allowing two teams to reach 70 points this season. OSU is also in the top 15 in both field goal percentage defense (38.7 percent) and 3-point defense (26.6 percent). Iowa is the only team that has scored 70 points in regulation on the Buckeyes this season. The Buckeyes are a balanced team with four players averaging over nine points per game and nine players who average double-figure minutes. As a team, the Buckeyes are among the Big Ten leaders in field goal percentage (.462) and lead the conference in turnover margin at +3.7 per game. Junior forward LaQuinton Ross averages a team-high 14.1 points per game and shoots 41 percent from 3-point range, while senior guard Lenzelle Smith Jr., averages 12.0 points per game and is second on the team with 27 3-pointers. All-Big Ten selection Aaron Craft is a four-year starter at point guard who averages 9.0 points, 5.0 assists and a Big Ten-leading 2.4 steals per game. Shannon Scott is third in the Big Ten with 2.2 steals per game and also dishes out nearly four assists per outing.

January 12, 2014 11am CT - BTN Mackey Arena (14,846) - West Lafayette, IN Nebraska Cornhuskers 8-7, 0-3 (Last: L 71-70 vs Michigan) vs Purdue Boilermakers 10-5, 0-2 (Last: L 82-79 vs Minnesota) Big Ten Standings #5 Michigan State 4-0, 15-1 #4 Wisconsin 3-0, 16-0 Michigan 3-0, 11-4 #3 Ohio State 2-1, 15-1 #23 Illinois 2-1, 13-3 #20 Iowa 2-1, 13-3 Minnesota 2-2, 13-4 Indiana 1-2, 11-5 Purdue 0-2, 10-5 Nebraska 0-3, 8-7 Northwestern 0-3, 7-9 Penn State 0-4, 9-8 Head Coaches Nebraska Tim Miles (306-245, 23-25 at Nebraska) Purdue Matt Painter (211-105, 186-100 at Purdue) Injury Report Nebraska No injuries to report Purdue No injuries to report Scouting Purdue Purdue comes into Sunday’s contest with a 10-5 mark, but is winless in conference play at 0-2 following an 82-79 loss at Minnesota on Jan. 5. The Boilermakers look to rebound following a 16-18 campaign which snapped a streak of seven straight NCAA appearances. With four returning starters, the Boilermakers opened the year with five straight wins, but are just 5-5 over the last 10 games. Purdue’s best win in a 73-70 win at West Virginia on Dec. 22, but Purdue has dropped games against No. 3 Ohio State and Minnesota. Purdue has mixed and matched its lineup, using eight different starting lineups and relying on a 10-player rotation for ninth-year coach Matt Painter. Senior guard Terone Johnson leads the Boilermakers with 14.2 points per game, as Purdue averages 77.8 points per game. Ronnie Johnson is also in double figures at 11.2 points per game, while A.J. Hammons pulls down 7.1 rebounds per game and a Big Ten-leading 3.6 rebounds per game.

January 9, 2014 8pm CT - ESPN2 Pinnacle Bank Arena (15,147) - Lincoln, NE Michigan Wolverines 10-4, 2-0 (Last: W 74-51 vs Northwestern) vs Nebraska Cornhuskers 8-6, 0-2 (Last: L 84-53 vs Ohio State) Big Ten Standings #4 Wisconsin 3-0, 16-0 #5 Michigan State 3-0, 14-1 Michigan 2-0, 10-4 #3 Ohio State 2-1, 15-1 #23 Illinois 2-1, 13-3 Minnesota 2-1, 13-3 #20 Iowa 1-1, 12-3 Indiana 0-2, 10-5 Purdue 0-2, 10-5 Nebraska 0-2, 8-6 Northwestern 0-2, 7-8 Penn State 0-3, 9-7 Head Coaches Michigan John Beilein (683-407, 132-89 at Michigan) Nebraska Tim Miles (306-244, 23-24 at Nebraska) Injury Report Michigan F - Mitch McGary - Back - Out indefinitely Nebraska No injuries to report Scouting Michigan Michigan comes into Thursday’s game with a 10-4 record and a four-game winning streak following a 74-51 win over Northwestern on Sunday afternoon. UM is 2-0 in Big Ten play, as it opened conference action with a 63-60 win at Minnesota on Jan. 2. The Wolverines returned three starters and eight letterwinners from a team that won 31 games and were the 2013 NCAA runner up. Under the direction of John Beilein, the Wolverines have reached the NCAA Tournament in three straight seasons, including the program’s first Final Four appearance since 1993 last season. UM opened the season with wins in four of its first five games, including an overtime win over Florida State, before falling to Charlotte in the title game of the Puerto Rico Tipoff. The Wolverines are 6-1 at home with the only setback coming in a two-point loss to No. 1 Arizona, but just 1-2 in road games, including setbacks at Iowa State (77-70) and Duke (79-69). Michigan has been without the services of preseason All-American Mitch McGary, who played in just eight games before electing to undergo back surgery. McGary averaged 9.5 points and a team-best 8.3 rebounds per game. Despite McGary’s loss, the Wolverines have been led by a trio of sophomores in Nik Stauskas, Glenn Robinson III and Caris LeVert, all of who average in double figures. Stauskas leads Michigan and ranks among the Big Ten scoring leaders at 17.8 points per game while shooting 45 percent from 3-point range. He also paces UM with 47 assists. Robinson, who could have been a first-round pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, averages 13.3 points and 4.6 rebounds per game while LeVert is at 12 points per contest.

January 4, 2014 11am CT - BTN Value City Arena (18,809) - Columbus, OH Nebraska Cornhuskers 8-5, 0-1 (Last: L 67-57 vs Iowa) vs #3 Ohio State Buckeyes 14-0, 1-0 (Last: W 78-69 vs Purdue) Big Ten Standings #3 Ohio State 1-0, 14-0 #4 Wisconsin 1-0, 14-0 #5 Michigan State 1-0, 12-1 Illinois 1-0, 12-2 #22 Iowa 1-0, 12-2 Michigan 0-0, 8-4 Minnesota 0-1, 11-3 Indiana 0-1, 10-4 Purdue 0-1, 10-4 Penn State 0-1, 9-5 Nebraska 0-1, 8-5 Northwestern 0-1, 7-7 Head Coaches Nebraska Tim Miles (306-243, 23-23 at Nebraska) Ohio State Thad Matta (366-104, 264-73 at Ohio State) Injury Report Nebraska F - Leslee Smith - Foot - Probable Ohio State C - Amir Williams - Illness - Probable Scouting Ohio State Under Thad Matta, Ohio State comes into Saturday’s game with a 14-0 record and a No. 3 national ranking. Matta, who served as an assistant to former Nebraska Coach Barry Collier at Butler, is in his 10th season at OSU and has guided the Buckeyes to seven NCAA appearances, including an NCAA runner-up finish in 2007 and a Final Four appearance in 2012. OSU returned four starters from a team that won 29 games and reached the Elite Eight in 2012-13. OSU has been stout defensively, ranking fourth nationally in scoring defense (55.1 ppg) and not allowing a team to reach 70 points this season. The Buckeyes are holding teams to just 37 percent from the field, including a conference-low 24 percent from 3-point range. OSU has non-conference wins over Marquette and Notre Dame and opened Big Ten play with a 78-69 win at Purdue. The Buckeyes are a balanced team with four players averaging over nine points per game and nine players who average double-figure minutes. Junior LaQuinton Ross averages a team-high 13.8 points per game and shoots 37 percent from 3-point range, while senior guard Lenzelle Smith Jr., averages 13.4 points per game and has a team-high 25 3-pointers. All-Big Ten selection Aaron Craft is a four-year starter who averages 9.4 points, 5.0 assists and a Big Ten-leading 2.5 steals per game. Shannon Scott is second in the Big Ten with 2.2 steals per game and also dishes out nearly four assists per outing. The Huskers and Buckeyes will meet twice this month, as OSU visits Pinnacle Bank Arena on Jan. 20.

December 31, 2013 6pm CT - BTN Carver Hawkeye Arena (15,400) - Iowa City, IA Nebraska Cornhuskers 8-4, 0-0 (Last: L 74-59 vs Cincinnati) vs #22 Iowa Hawkeyes 11-2, 0-0 (Last: W 86-61 vs Ark. Pine Bluff) Big Ten Standings #3 Ohio State 0-0, 13-0 #4 Wisconsin 0-0, 13-0 #5 Michigan State 0-0, 11-1 Illinois 0-0, 11-2 #22 Iowa 0-0, 11-2 Minnesota 0-0, 11-2 Indiana 0-0, 10-3 Purdue 0-0, 10-3 Penn State 0-0, 9-4 Michigan 0-0, 8-4 Nebraska 0-0, 8-4 Northwestern 0-0, 7-6 Head Coaches Nebraska Tim Miles (306-242, 23-22 at Nebraska) Iowa Fran McCaffery (316-229, 65-52 at Iowa) Injury Report Nebraska No injuries to report Iowa No injuries to report Scouting Iowa Iowa is 11-2 on the season and ranked 22nd in the latest AP rankings (as of Dec. 29). The Hawkeyes have played only once since Dec. 14, a 86-61 win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Dec. 22. Iowa opened the year with seven straight wins before falling to Villanova in the finals of the Battle 4 Atlantis on Nov. 30. The Hawkeyes brought back four starters and 12 lettermen for Head Coach Fran McCaffery, who is in his fourth season at Iowa after serving stints at Lehigh, UNC Greensboro and Siena. Iowa leads the Big Ten and ranks fifth nationally in scoring average at 88.7 points per game. The Hawkeyes are outscoring foes by over 23 points per game while shooting 48 percent from the field. The Hawkeyes also outrebound opponents by over 10 rebounds per game. Senior Roy Devyn Marble leads the Hawkeyes at 15.3 points per game, as three IU players average double figures. Junior forward Aaron White averages 13.2 points on 68 percent shooting and 6.2 rebounds per game. Iowa’s biggest strength is its depth, as the Hawkeyes go 11 deep with the addition of Josh Oglesby, who returned to the lineup on Dec. 21. Transfer Jarrod Uthoff averages 10.8 points and 6.7 rebounds per game while coming off the bench. Tuesday’s matchup will be the only regular-season game between the programs in 2013-14, as the Hawkeyes are one of NU’s four single-play opponents this year.

December 28, 2013 11am CT - ESPN2 Fifth Third Arena (13,176) Cincinnati, OH Nebraska Cornhuskers 8-3 (Last: W 77-62 vs The Citadel) vs Cincinnati Bearcats 10-2 (Last: W 102-62 vs Chicago State) Head Coaches Nebraska Tim Miles (306-241, 23-21 at Nebraska) Cincinnati Mick Cronin (214-126, 145-102 at Cincinnati) Injury Report Nebraska G - Deverell Biggs - Suspension Cincinnati No injuries to report Scouting Cincinnati The Bearcats come into Saturday’s game with a 10-2 record and riding a three-game win streak following a 102-62 rout of Chicago State on Monday night. The Bearcats’ only losses have been at New Mexico (54-63) and against crosstown rival Xavier (47-64). Cincinnati’s best wins were a home victory over North Carolina State (68-57) and a 44-43 win over Pittsburgh at Madison Square Garden. Cincinnati has been tough at home, going 9-0 with every win coming by double figures this season and the Bearcats are 48-4 in its last 52 regular-season non-conference home games. Cincinnati is coached by Mick Cronin, who is in his eighth year at the school after serving as head coach at Murray State. The Bearcats have made the last three NCAA Tournaments, including a Sweet 16 appearance in 2012. Last year, Cincinnati fell to Creighton in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Bearcats’ strength is on the defensive end, where they rank fourth nationally in scoring defense. UC has not allowed an opponent to score more than 67 points in a game this year and five of 12 foes have been held to less than 60 points. Opponents shoot just 38 percent and the Bearcats force nearly 17 turnovers per game. Cincinnati has an experienced lineup with three seniors, led by Sean Kilpatrick, who leads the Bearcats with 18.9 points per game. He is shooting 41 percent from 3-point range and has 34 of UC’s 72 3-pointers on the year. Senior Justin Jackson is also averaging double figures with 11.1 points per game, while topping the Bearcats in rebounding (7.7 rpg), blocked shots (3.0 bpg) and field goal percentage (.552).

December 21, 2013 7:30pm CT - BTDN/Husker Sports Network Pinnacle Bank Arena (15,147) - Lincoln, NE The Citadel Bulldogs 4-8 (Last: W 79-68 vs Brevard College) vs Nebraska Cornhuskers 7-3 (Last: W 79-67 vs Arkansas State) Head Coaches The Citadel Chuck Driesell (116-148, 28-76 at The Citadel) Nebraska Tim Miles (305-241, 22-21 at Nebraska) Injury Report The Citadel No injuries to report Nebraska No injuries to report Scouting The Citadel The Citadel is 4-8 on the season following a 79-68 victory over Brevard College on Wednesday night. The Bulldogs, who will play just three games between Dec. 7 and Jan. 1, returned four starters and eight letterwinners from a team that went 8-22 and 5-13 in the Southern Conference a year ago. The Bulldogs are coached by Chuck Driesell, who is in his fourth season as the coach of the Bulldogs. He comes from one of the legendary college basketball families, as his father Charles ‘Lefty’ Driesell won over 700 games in the college ranks. Chuck Driesell played at Maryland for his dad and also served as an assistant coach at Maryland, Georgetown and James Madison. The Bulldogs returned to action from a 11-day break, downing Brevard College, 79-68. In that game, Marshall Harris III had 22 points to place three Bulldogs in double figures. Matt Van Scyoc had 21 points and seven rebounds, while Brian White added 13 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. The Citadel out-rebounded Brevard, 35-25, and converted 31-of-33 from the foul line. The Huskers will be the third BCS-level opponent the Bulldogs have faced following losses at Tennessee and Wake Forest in November. The Bulldogs rely on a nine-man rotation that has four players averaging at least 8.7 points per game. The Citadel is averaging 72.7 points per game, but is allowing opponents to score 75.6 points per contest. White, a 6-foot-6 forward, averages 15.1 points and 7.3 rebounds per game and is shooting 58 percent from the floor and 83 percent from the line. Sophomore Matt Van Scyoc, a 6-foot-6 guard/forward is averaging a team-high 15.1 points per game. He has a team-high 23 3-pointers and is shooting 90 percent from the foul line. The Bulldogs have only two players taller than 6-foot-7, freshmen Tom Koopman and Nate Bowser.

December 8, 2013 5pm CT - Fox Sports 1 CenturyLink Center (17,390) - Omaha, NE Nebraska Cornhuskers 6-2 (Last: W 60-49 vs Miami) vs Creighton Bluejays 6-2 (Last: W 78-61 vs Long Beach State) Head Coaches Nebraska Tim Miles (304-240, 21-20 at Nebraska) Creighton Greg McDermott (365-227, 86-32 at Creighton) Injury Report Nebraska No injuries to report Creighton No injuries to report Scouting Creighton The Bluejays are 6-2 on the season following a 17-point win at Long Beach State earlier this week. Creighton was ranked until last week, when the Bluejays dropped a pair of neutral site games at the Wooden Legacy in Anaheim, Calif. Creighton’s most impressive early season wins are victories at St. Joseph’s (83-79) and Arizona State (88-60). The Bluejays feature one of the best offenses in the country, led by two-time All-American Doug McDermott. The 6-foot-8 senior averages 24.4 points and 6.8 rebounds per game, leading the Bluejays in both categories. He is one of four seniors in a very experienced lineup, as Ethan Wagge joins McDermott in double figures by averaging 12.1 points per game, while Austin Chatman averages 8.6 points and 4.5 assists per game. Greg McDermott is in his fourth year at CU after coaching at Iowa State, Northern Iowa, North Dakota State and Wayne State. McDermott and Miles have squared off several times before during their days at the Division II level and have met twice while leading Division I programs, a 67-54 Iowa State win over North Dakota State in 2006-07 and last year’s matchup between Nebraska and Creighton.

December 14, 2013 3pm CT - BTN Pinnacle Bank Arena (15,147) - Lincoln, NE Arkansas State Red Wolves 5-2 (Last: W 86-61 vs Niagara) vs Nebraska Cornhuskers 6-3 (Last: L 82-67 vs Creighton) Head Coaches Arkansas State John Brady (365-296, 84-80 at Arkansas State) Nebraska Tim Miles (304-241, 21-21 at Nebraska) Injury Report Arkansas State No injuries to report Nebraska No injuries to report Scouting Arkansas State Arkansas State comes to Lincoln with a 5-2 record, but has been off since Dec. 2. The Red Wolves are coached by John Brady, who is in his fifth year at the school following a 10-year stint at LSU. He guided the Tigers to a pair of SEC regular-season titles and a trip to the Final Four in 2006. Arkansas State returns a pair of starters from a team which went 19-12 and won the Sun Belt West Division title in 2012-13. The 19 wins were the program’s highest total since the 1997-98 season. The Red Wolves were picked third in the conference preseason poll, while guards Brandon Reed and Ed Townsel were both preseason All-Sun Belt Conference picks. ASU, which has only played 10 players in the first seven games, relies on its balance with nine players averaging at least 13.9 minutes per game. ASU is a veteran squad with five senior starters with its only losses coming at Colorado and at Wyoming. The Red Wolves average 78.7 points per game, including nearly nine 3-pointers per game. The three-guard offense is paced by Melvin Johnson III, who is averaging 17.9 points per game and is shooting 64 percent from 3-point range. Kirk Van Slyke paces the inside game as he averages 14.7 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. Reed, who transferred from Georgia Tech, averages 9.6 points and 3.0 assists per game while posting a 3-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio.

December 4, 2013 8:30pm CT - ESPNU Pinnacle Bank Arena (15,147) - Lincoln, NE Miami Hurricanes 5-3 (Last: W 60-57 vs Arizona State) vs Nebraska Cornhuskers 5-2 (Last: W 63-58 vs Northern Illinois) Head Coaches Miami Jim Larrañaga (524-357, 54-23 at Miami) Nebraska Tim Miles (301-240, 18-20 at Nebraska) Injury Report Miami G - Deandre Burnett - Wrist - Out for season Nebraska G - Nathan Hawkins - Stress fracture - Questionable Scouting Miami Miami visits Pinnacle Bank Arena at the end of the Hurricanes’ longest road trip of the season. The Hurricanes are 5-3 on the season after going 2-1 in the Wooden Legacy in Anaheim. After falling into the consolation bracket with a 71-63 loss to George Washington, the Hurricanes rebounded to beat host Cal State Fullerton (48-46) and Arizona State (60-57) to finish fifth in the tournament. The Hurricanes enjoyed a historic season in 2012-13, going 29-7 and sweeping the ACC regular-season and tournament titles before reaching the Sweet 16. Miami was the first ACC team to win the outright regular-season title and tournament title in the same season since North Carolina in 2008. Head Coach Jim Larrañaga’s squad graduated all five starters and the program’s top six players from last year, and the Hurricanes have been up and down during the early portion of the schedule. UM, which was picked to finish 12th in the ACC, saw a three-game win streak snapped against Central Florida in its final game before the road trip. Of Miami’s eight games in 2013-14, five have been decided by five points or less and another one went into overtime. Senior Rion Brown leads three Hurricanes in double figures, averaging 12.4 points, 7.1 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game. Brown was the only returnee who started any games in 2012-13, as he made six starts. Senior guard Garrius Adams adds 11.8 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.0 steals per night, while Donnavan Kirk, who began his college career at Miami, returned after spending two seasons at DePaul and averages 10.3 points on 55 percent shooting and 7.4 rebounds per game. Larrañaga is 1-2 in his career against Nebraska with all three meetings coming during his tenure at Bowling Green. Nebraska won home matchups during the 1990-91 and 1996-97 seasons, but the Falcons knocked off the Huskers at the Puerto Rico Holiday Classic later in the 1996-97 campaign

November 22, 2013 11:00am CT - ESPN3 TD Arena (5,100) - Charleston, SC CHARLESTON CLASSIC - CONSOLATION GAME #1 UAB Blazers 3-1 (Last: L 97-94 vs New Mexico) vs Nebraska Cornhuskers 3-1 (Last: L 96-90 vs UMass) Head Coaches UAB Jerod Haase (19-18 at UAB) Nebraska Tim Miles (301-239, 18-19 at Nebraska) Injury Report UAB No injuries to report Nebraska G - Nathan Hawkins - Stress fracture - Questionable

November 30, 2013 12:05pm CT - Big Ten Digital Network/Husker Sports Network Pinnacle Bank Arena (15,147) - Lincoln, NE Northern Illinois Huskies 2-3 (Last: W 111-61 vs St. Joseph's (IND)) vs Nebraska Cornhuskers 4-2 (Last: W 73-65 vs Georgia) Head Coaches Northern Illinois Mark Montgomery (12-54 at NIU) Nebraska Tim Miles (301-240, 18-20 at Nebraska) Injury Report Northern Illinois No injuries to report Nebraska G - Nathan Hawkins - Stress fracture - Questionable Scouting Northern Illinois Northern Illinois hits the road for the first time in 2013-14, as the Huskies visit Lincoln on Saturday. NIU is 2-3 on the season following a 111-61 victory over St. Joseph’s Sunday afternoon. In that game, Daniel Bowie’s 23 points and 12 rebounds led four Huskies in double figures, while NIU out-rebounded St. Joseph’s 67-22. Head Coach Mike Montgomery is in his third season at Northern Illinois after spending the previous 10 seasons on Tom Izzo’s staff at Michigan State, including the last four as associate head coach. He returns four starters from a team that won only five games last year. The roster also features six newcomers who have all played significant roles early on. The NIU roster is mostly homegrown, as 10 of the 17 players are from the state of Illinois. NIU features a balanced roster with five players averaging between 7.8 and 12.2 points per game. Sophomore Darrell Bowie leads NIU in both scoring (12.5 ppg) and rebounding (7.0 rpg). The Huskies rely on their bench, as Daveon Balls (8.2 ppg) and Jordan Threloff (8.0) are two of NIU’s top four scorers.

November 22, 2013 1:30pm CT - ESPN3 TD Arena (5,100) - Charleston, SC CHARLESTON CLASSIC - 7th Place Game Georgia Bulldogs 1-3 (Last: L 83-81 vs Temple) vs Nebraska Cornhuskers 3-2 (Last: L 87-74 vs UAB) Head Coaches Georgia Mark Fox (189-109, 66-66 at Georgia) Nebraska Tim Miles (301-240, 18-20 at Nebraska) Injury Report Georgia No injuries to report Nebraska G - Ray Gallegos - Knee - Probable G - Nathan Hawkins - Stress fracture - Questionable Scouting Georgia Georgia concludes its participation in the 2013 Charleston Classic with a Sunday afternoon contest against Nebraska. The Bulldogs arrive at this game with a 1-3 overall record, having dropped its first two games in Charleston, first to Davidson and, most recently, to Temple by an 83-81 tally on Friday night. Georgia trailed by 13 to the Owls at halftime and by 15 early in the final period. The Bulldogs, however, fought back to take an 81-80 lead with 18 seconds left, only to see Temple guard Will Cummings sink a long 3-pointer to win with seven ticks left. Georgia's core of returning players remains solid for the 2014 season, yet coach Mark Fox will be incorporating a slew of newcomers into the lineup. Senior Donte' Williams and sophomore Brandon Morris are the only two returnees who were starting at the end of last season. Three key players, however, have seen significant playing time, plenty of which came as starters: redshirt junior Marcus Thornton, junior Nemi Djurisic and sophomore Charles Mann. The latter, in fact, earned Freshman All-SEC honors last season in primarily a reserve's role. Djurisic is Georgia's top returning scorer, despite his part-time starter status last season. Thornton had started seven of nine games before a knee injury ended his 2013 season. Georgia began this season amidst low expectations...externally, anyway. The Bulldogs were picked by the media that cover SEC basketball to finish 11th in the 14-team league, ahead of only South Carolina, Mississippi State and Auburn. This, despite a 9-9 SEC record last year and an eighth-place tie in the final regular-season standings. Kentucky, Florida and Tennessee were picked 1-2-3 in the same poll. Additionally, no Bulldogs were selected to the 16-player pre-season All-SEC lists.

November 21, 2013 11:30am CT - ESPN3 TD Arena (5,100) - Charleston, SC CHARLESTON CLASSIC - OPENING GAME UMass Minutemen 3-0 (Last: W 85-69 vs Youngstown State) vs Nebraska Cornhuskers 3-0 (Last: W 83-57 vs SC State) Head Coaches UMass Derek Kellogg (88-77 at UMass) Nebraska Tim Miles (301-238, 18-18 at Nebraska) Injury Report UMass No injuries to report Nebraska G - Nathan Hawkins - Stress fracture - Questionable Scouting UMass Massachusetts comes to Charleston riding a 3-0 start, including victories over Boston College (86-73) and LSU (92-90). UMass is coached by Derek Kellogg, who played for Coach John Calipari at the school in the mid-1990s. Kellogg is in his sixth season at UMass, and has guided the program to consecutive NIT appearances in 2012 and 2013. Last year, UMass went 21-12 before losing in the first round of the NIT. The Minutemen return three starters and seven letterwinners and were picked to finish fourth in the Atlantic-10 preseason poll. They are led by senior point guard Chaz Williams, who is a two-time first-team All-Atlantic 10 selection. Williams averaged 15.5 points, 7.3 assists and 2.0 steals per game as a junior while his 242 assists ranked second nationally in 2012-13. Williams earned A-10 Player of the Week on Monday after averaging 21.5 points and 10.0 assists per games in two wins last week. Junior center Cady Lalanne provides a solid inside game by averaging 18.7 points on 78 percent shooting and 11 rebounds per contest. He was A-10 Player of the Week during the opening weekend, totaling 27 points on 12-of-16 shooting and 12 rebounds against Boston College.

November 17, 2013 2:05PM CT - Big Ten Digital Network/Husker Sports Network Pinnacle Bank Arena (15,147) - Lincoln, NE South Carolina State Bulldogs 1-2 (Last: L 93-59 vs Michigan) vs Nebraska Cornhuskers 2-0 (Last: W 62-47 vs Western Illinois) Head Coaches South Carolina State Murray Garvin (3-9 at SCSU) Nebraska Tim Miles (300-238, 17-18 at Nebraska) Injury Report South Carolina State No injuries to report Nebraska G - Nathan Hawkins - Stress fracture - Questionable Scouting South Carolina State South Carolina State plays its second straight Big Ten team this Sunday when the Bulldogs take on the Huskers at Pinnacle Bank Arena. The Bulldogs have been off since Tuesday night, when they lost at Michigan, 93-59. It marked the third game in a five-game stretch, covering three states for SCSU. The Bulldogs opened the season with an 85-69 loss to Marshall on Nov. 8 before rebounding with a 59-55 double OT win over St. Andrews on Nov. 10. In the loss to Michigan, the Wolverines shot 50.8 percent from the floor, including 15-of-28 from 3-point range. South Carolina State is coached by Murray Garvin, who took over as the interim coach last season and led SCSU to a 2-7 record before being named head coach in the offseason. Prior to joining the Bulldogs staff, Garvin worked at Winston-Salem State, Charleston Southern and Clinton Junior College. The Bulldogs returned four starters and seven of eight letterwinners from a team that went 6-24 in 2012-13. Matthew Hezekiah is their top returnee, as the 6-foot-11, 225-pounder averaged team highs in both scoring (12.9 ppg) and rebounding (7.4 rpg) a year ago. This season, he is averaging team highs in both scoring (15.7 ppg) and rebounding (4.7 rpg). Sophomore Jordan Smith joins Hezekiah in double figures at 10.0 ppg, and has hit 8-of-19 from 3-point range. Smith had a game-high 19 points, including five 3-pointers, in the loss at Michigan. The duo of Darryl Palmer (5.0 ppg and 4.0 rpg) and Adama Adams (9.0 ppg) gives Garvin a solid returning group to work around with. Adams also has international experience, as he was chosen for the Senegal National Team earlier this year.

November 12, 2013 7:05PM CT - Big Ten Digital Network/Husker Sports Network Pinnacle Bank Arena (15,147) - Lincoln, NE Western Illinois Leathernecks 0-1 (Last: L 67-63 vs Idaho) vs Nebraska Cornhuskers 1-0 (Last: W 79-55 vs Florida Gulf Coast) Head Coaches Western Illinois Jim Molinari (292-271, 69-85 at WIU) Nebraska Tim Miles (299-238, 16-18 at Nebraska) Injury Report Western Illinois No injuries to report Nebraska G - Ray Gallegos - Suspension (2nd of 2 games) G - Deverell Biggs - Suspension (3rd of 3 games) Scouting Western Illinois Western Illinois continues its season-opening road trip Tuesday night, as the Leathernecks visit Pinnacle Bank Arena after facing Idaho in their 2013-14 season opener last Saturday. Longtime college coach Jim Molinari begins his sixth season at Western Illinois and has guided WIU to 40 wins and consecutive postseason appearances over the last two seasons. Molinari, who also coached at Bradley and Northern Illinois, guided the Leathernecks to their most successful season at the Division I level in 2012-13. WIU went 22-9 and tied South Dakota State for the Summit League regular-season title before reaching the CIT for the second straight season. The 22 wins were the school’s highest total since joining the Division I ranks. The Leathernecks, who return a pair of starters among their six letterwinners, are typically proficient on the defensive end, ranking second in the country in scoring defense at 52.6 ppg in 2012-13, while ranking among the top 75 in six other categories. WIU was picked to finish fourth in the preseason Summit League media poll, while senior Adam Link was a preseason second-team all-conference pick after averaging 9.9 points and 4.3 rebounds per game last season. In Saturday’s opener, freshman Garret Covington led the Leathernecks with 22 points to place three Leathernecks in double figures. Tate Stensgaard (11) and Remy Roberts-Burnett (10) also cracked double figures, but Stensgaard and backup center Michael Ochereobia fouled out in a combined 20 minutes of playing time.

The title says it all! Congrats to Shields, hopefully the first of many accolades for the Huskers this season.

Wow! Really thought there would be a little more buzz about the game this AM. Maybe it's just too early? I was really impressed with the athleticism shown by this team. Shields is a stud! Petteway is a beast! Webster flashed SOOO much potential! Pitchford! Are you kidding me?! An athletic big man!! OMG I'm sooo fired up about this season after last night!!! And WITHOUT Gallegos and Biggs! How can Husker Nation not be ampped about this team? I've officially climbed back on the band wagon! Lookin' forward to stayin' for awhile! Oh...and...sorry for all the exclamation points!!!!!!!!!!!!!!