What to Predict When You're Predicting: #4 Nebraska Cornhuskers
Could this be the year?
How's the first-round matchup look?
MaximumSam: We saw Troy once before, in a triple overtime loss to USC. They play pretty slow and like to shoot threes and grab offensive rebounds. They play through point forward Victor Valdes, who leads the team in points and assists and getting to the line. Also worth mentioning is Thomas Dowd, who will be fighting for rebounds. They could be tricky.
BoilerUp89: I'll also mention the Campbell brothers - staring guards more than capable of knocking down open threes. Nebraska doesn't want this to turn into a three point shooting contest.
How's the overall draw?
MaximumSam: Kind of tough! Vanderbilt has been really solid and is 10th on Torvik, ten spots higher than Nebraska. So a rough go for a five seed. But if they get by them I assume they will play Iowa in the Sweet Sixteen.
BoilerUp89: You lost me at playing Iowa but that would be a really fun battle between two fanbases that don't show up in numbers around here for basketball season. As much as Purdue's BTT performance helped their draw, Nebraska's quarterfinal loss hurt their seed and their draw.
AlmaOtter: They're in the Region of Death. 4 of the 16 teams are Peach Basket (patent pending) squads, and Nebraska is not one of those four. If things go semi-normally, Nebraska would need to win against Troy, then beat a very very good Vandy team to make the second weekend. And then, the reptilian reigning champs from Gainesville lurk in the swamp. Not ideal!
What's the best case for this team?
MaximumSam: Winning a damned game in the tourney is the best.
What's the worst that could happen?
MaximumSam: Not winning a damned game.
Are there any fun storylines, weird esoterica, or strange historical sidebars to add here?
MaximumSam: Troy coach Scott Cross was an assistant coach at TCU under Jamie Dixon, who ruptured his pancreas while playing basketball. Who does that?
BoilerUp89: Not necessarily "fun" but a storyline that will dominate the conversation around this team's legacy. Officially Iona holds the record for most appearances without a NCAA tournament victory at 0-16 but that's only because they had to vacate their only win. Unofficially, Boise State holds the lead at 0-9. Nebraska is about to play their ninth Tournament game.
AlmaOtter: Huh. I had just assumed that the vacated Iona win was somehow related to One Minute or Less Rick Pitino. It was under Jimmy V!
