The Hoosiers take on Nebraska in Assembly Hall today in their sixth Big Ten game of the season.
Tipoff is set for 6:30 p.m. ET and will be aired on FS1.
TheHoosier.com has gathered previews and predictions for the game below.
Three things to watch:
1. Guarding the 3-point line -- Nebraska ranks fourth in the Big Ten in 3-point shooting percentage at 36.6 percent. Four of its five starters hit at a 34 percent clip or better from distance. The Cornerhuskers will put some stress on Indiana's pack-line defense with their ability to space the floor. IU, meanwhile, can't afford to let them get comfortable given its inconsistent 3-point shooting.
2. Rob Phinisee's minutes -- The freshman starting point guard even surprised Archie Miller by playing 17 minutes at Maryland. It's a tight turnaround with two days between games, but maybe the break provides enough rest and opportunities for him to boost his conditioning level and return to form.
3. More opportunities for Clifton Moore, Jake Forrester? -- Evan Fitzner has struggled on the defensive end of the floor. He also seems hesitant to shoot - or use the exact ability which he was brought to IU for. Unless he starts regaining some confidence offensively, Fitzner's minutes should be reallocated toward younger frontcourt players like Moore and Forrester who could help IU on the glass.
Senior guard James Palmer Jr. is an elite scorer and rarely comes off the floor for Tim Miles. Palmer Jr. is playing 94.5 percent of available minutes through five league games and is averaging 18.2 points in conference play.
While the overall body of work for Palmer Jr. in terms of efficiency is strong, he’s been high usage, low efficiency in Big Ten competition. Palmer Jr. is shooting just 31.9 percent overall against Big Ten opponents (33.3 percent on 2s and 30.3 percent on 3s).
According to Synergy Sports, Palmer Jr. has been at his best this season as the ball handler in pick-and-roll situations. He’s scoring .95 points per possession in those situations, which ranks in the 82nd percentile nationally. Palmer is an attacking scorer who currently boasts the sixth best free throw rate (FTA/FGA) in conference play. He’s shooting 79.3 percent overall on free throws for the season on 121 attempts.
After two straight road losses and a six-point win over Penn State, Nebraska (12-4, 2-3) enters the matchup against Indiana (12-4, 3-2) as a two-point underdog. After a 16-15 season in Archie Miller’s first year, the Hoosiers are rejuvenated this year, thanks in part to star freshman Romeo Langford. The five-star, future NBA lottery pick scores 18.8 points per game and shoots 51 percent from the floor. And he gets ample help from senior Juwan Morgan, who scores 16 a game with 7.8 rebounds.
“The way I look at it, Indiana’s got one all-league first team player and a (NBA) lottery pick,” Miles said. “And they’re not the same person.”
Predictions and Probabilities
KenPom
Indiana 73, Nebraska 71 (57 percent confidence)
Thrill Score: 75.2 (No. 1 among Monday's games)
ESPN
Indiana 56.6 percent
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