Michigan Wolverines basketball (11-8, 2-6 Big Ten) is looking for its first win since Jan. 9, and its first road win of the season when it plays at Nebraska (7-13, 2-7 Big Ten) tonight in Lincoln. That elusive road win will be even harder to come by with senior guard Zavier Simpson out with a suspension, and with junior forward Isaiah Livers re-injuring his groin in his return against Illinois.
The Huskers are having a tough season, and have lost their last five games. Head coach Fred Hoiberg is trying to salvage what he can in his first season in charge of Nebraska basketball.
Here's everything you need to know ahead of the game, including insight on the Huskers from Robin Washut of Husker Online.
The Basics
Date: Tuesday, Jan. 28
Time: 7 p.m. ET
Venue: Pinnacle Bank Arena (Lincoln, Neb.)
TV: ESPNU
Spread: Michigan favored by 4.5 points.
RELATED: Videos: Juwan Howard, Players Talk Before Nebraska
RELATED: Simpson Suspended For Nebraska; Howard Unsure Of Simpson's Return Date
Nebraska Cornhuskers (7-13, 2-7 Big Ten) — Results
vs. UC Riverside (L, 66-47)
vs. Southern Utah (L, 79-78 in 2OT)
vs. South Dakota State (W, 90-73)
vs. Southern (W, 93-86 in OT)
vs. Washington State (W, 82-71)
vs. George Mason (L, 85-66)
vs. South Florida (W, 74-67)
at Georgia Tech (L, 73-56)
at Creighton (L, 95-76)
at Indiana (L, 96-90 in OT)
vs. Purdue (W, 70-56)
vs. North Dakota (L, 75-74)
vs. Texas A&M Corpus Christi (W, 73-52)
vs. Rutgers (L, 79-62)
vs. Iowa (W, 76-70)
at Northwestern (L, 62-57)
at Ohio State (L, 80-68)
vs. Indiana (L, 92-74)
at Wisconsin (L, 82-68)
at Rutgers (L, 75-72)
Nebraska — Projected Starters
#3 - Sophomore guard Cam Mack (6-2, 175) — Mack leads the Huskers in scoring, with 13.3 points per game. He adds 6.7 assists and 4.6 rebounds per game. Mack shoots 42.0 percent from the field and 35.2 percent from three. Mack's 6.7 assists per game is third in the Big Ten and 13th in the country.
#11 - Junior guard Dachon Burke Jr. (6-4, 180) — He averages 11.7 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.4 points per game, while shooting 39.9 percent from the field and 27.6 percent from long range.
#22 - Senior guard Haanif Cheatham (6-5, 195) — Cheatham is the Huskers' second-leading scorer, averaging 12.1 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game. The graduate transfer from Marquette shoots 47.8 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from three.
#34 - Thorir Thorbjarnarson (6-6, 206) — He averages 8.8 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game, while shooting 50.4 percent from the field and hitting on 45.9 percent of his three-point attempts.
#24 - Freshman forward Yvan Ouedraogo (6-9, 260) — He averages 5.6 points and 6.2 rebounds per game. He shoots 41.1 percent from the field.
Off The Bench
#23 - Junior guard Jervay Green (6-3, 210) — He averages 8.3 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 25.1 minutes per game, while shooting 39.0 percent from the field and 31.3 percent from three.
#1 - Freshman forward Kevin Cross (6-8, 240) — He averages 7.4 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 18.3 minutes per game. He shoots 37.7 percent from the field and 29.2 percent on three-point attempts.
#25 - Senior guard Matej Kavas (6-8, 200) — Kavas averages 5.1 points and 1.1 rebounds per game in 15.1 minutes. He shoots 36.1 percent from the field and 31.6 percent from three.
Michigan — Projected Starters
#0 - Sophomore guard David DeJulius (6-0, 190) — DeJulius will likely make the first start of his career tonight, with Simpson out with a suspension. He averages 7.7 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game in 21.7 minutes. He shoots 43.3 percent from the field and 37.5 percent on three-pointers. He had seven points last time against Illinois.
#55 - Junior guard Eli Brooks (6-1, 185) — Brooks averages 10.8 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game. He shoots 42.1 percent from the field and 38.1 percent from three.
#21 - Freshman guard Franz Wagner (6-9, 205) — He averages 10.1 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. Wagner shoots 40.5 percent from the field and 29.9 percent on three-pointers.
#23 - Sophomore forward Brandon Johns (6-8, 235) — He averages 5.1 points and 4.1 rebounds per game. He shoots 45.3 percent from the field and 25.9 percent from three.
#15 - Senior center Jon Teske (7-1, 265) — Teske leads the Wolverines in scoring and rebounding, with 13.9 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists per contest. He shoots 52.8 percent from the field and 26.5 percent from three.
Off The Bench
#51 - Redshirt junior forward Austin Davis (6-10, 250) — Davis averages 4.1 points and 2.7 rebounds per game in 9.8 minutes. He's solidified himself as the first big man off the bench in recent weeks. He shoots 62.9 percent from the field.
#11 - Sophomore forward Colin Castleton (6-11, 235) — Castleton averages 3.3 points and 2.8 rebounds per game in 9.4 minutes, while shooting 51.2 percent from the field.
#5 - Sophomore guard Adrien Nunez (6-6, 210) — Nunez averages 2.5 points per game in 8.5 minutes per contest. He is shooting 28.6 percent from long range.
Will Not Play
Senior point guard Zavier Simpson is suspended for tonight's game for violating team rules. Simpson averages 12.8 points and 4.3 rebounds per game. He leads the country in assists per game, with 8.3. He shoots 47.9 percent from the field and 32.7 percent from three.
Junior forward Isaiah Livers returned last game against Illinois after missing the previous six games with a groin injury. He started, and played 19 minutes, notching seven points and five rebounds. He reaggravated the injury early in the second half, and is back to being "day to day." While it's possible Livers plays again tonight, it is not likely.
Matchup To Watch: Franz Wagner vs. Haanif Cheatham
U-M's Wagner will have to step up his offensive load tonight, with Livers and Simpson not being able to go. He averages in double figures already, but more will be asked of him. Wagner will also have his hands full on the defensive end of the court. He will go up against Cheatham, who is the Huskers' second-leading scorer that plays a similar style on offense to Wagner, having the ability to shoot the long ball and drive.
Kenpom Prediction
Kenpom has predicted Michigan to beat Nebraska, 78-71. The site gives the Wolverines a 72 percent chance to come out with the win.
Team Statistics
Kenpom Ratings
Nebraska Overview
"Nebraska is one of the most emotionally volatile teams in the country," Washut said. "When things are going well for them and they’re playing with momentum, they look like they can compete with any team in the conference. Then, within the span of a single game or even a single half, they can completely fall apart at the first taste of adversity. That makes playing at home so important for this particular group, because when they struggle they at least have the fan support to help pick their confidence up. On the road, they have to do it all on their own, which obviously hasn’t worked out very well, as their 0-6 record in true road games indicates. Pinnacle Bank Arena is a great home court advantage when the team is playing well, but it can get quiet in a hurry if NU struggles."