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http://www.dailynebraskan.com/sports/nu-men-s-basketball-to-face-border-state-rival-iowa/article_6eddc226-0239-11e8-ab7a-83d6e2bebca3.html
Nebraska men’s basketball returns to Pinnacle Bank Arena after a two-game road trip to face off against the Iowa Hawkeyes on Saturday, Jan. 27. NU is currently No. 5 in the Big Ten, with a 6-4 conference record, and will look to build momentum as the end of the regular season approaches.
The Huskers are fresh off a matchup against Rutgers, where they defeated the Scarlet Knights in a 60-54 contest on Jan. 24, in Piscataway, New Jersey. While it was not pretty, Nebraska found a way to pick up a crucial victory and played well on defense, holding the Scarlet Knights to 33.8 percent shooting.
Repeating this type of defensive performance while generating more offense could prove to be a winning formula for the Huskers.
A pair of players Nebraska will rely on for points includes junior forward Isaac Copeland and junior guard James Palmer Jr. Against Rutgers, Copeland scored a game-high 23 points, shooting 9-15, while Palmer Jr. is NU’s leading scorer, averaging 16.7 points per game.
Iowa’s season, so far, can best be described as “underwhelming,” as the Hawkeyes have an 11-11 record, with a 2-7 conference mark. Iowa’s only conference victories came against last place Illinois and a struggling Wisconsin team.
Other than these two games, the Big Ten has not been kind to them, as the team recorded four losses by more than 10 points this season. Iowa needs a win over the Huskers to turns things around, or it will need to participate in a play-in game during the Big Ten tournament.
Iowa’s last performance against Wisconsin was a decisive win the team desperately needed, as the Hawkeyes knocked off the Badgers in a 85-67 blowout. Sophomore Tyler Cook and freshman Luka Garza both scored 17 points apiece, leading their team to victory.
NU needs to lock down on defense to pick up a win over its border-state rival. The Huskers will look to forward Isaiah Roby to do that, as the sophomore leads the Huskers in blocks with 39 on the season. Roby will find help in junior guard Glynn Watson Jr., who leads the way in the steals category with 36 on the season.