On Tuesday, No. 5 Nebraska fought hard against No. 3 Michigan but came up short, 75-72. Nevertheless, head coach Fred Hoiberg looked at the bright side of things. He said that the Cornhuskers “can compete with anybody in this country, even without key players.
Before the game, Hoiberg found out that senior forward Rienk Mast was out due to illness, per McKenzy Parsons of KETV. He was throwing up and couldn't hold anything down.
Additionally, Nebraska was without redshirt freshman Braden Frager due to an ankle injury. An hour before the game, Hoiberg called Frager and told him to stay home.
“I give our guys all the credit in the world for the fight that they showed in that game from start to finish,” Hoiberg said.
Furthermore, Hoiberg is hoping Frager returns before Sunday's game against No. 9 Illinois.
Their loss to the Wolverines is Nebraska's first defeat of the year. Pryce Standfort and Jamarques Lawrence each scored 20 points. Hoiberg's son Sam scored 13 points and grabbed seven rebounds.
Mast is a senior forward who is averaging 14.6 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. Meanwhile, Frager is averaging 12.2 points and 3.9 rebounds per game.
This year has seen a resurgence of dominance in basketball at Nebraska. Historically, it is an institution known for its successful football program, which has won five national championships (1971, 1994, 1995, 1997). Much of their success was under the guidance of legendary coach Tom Osborne.
Fast forward, and the men's basketball program is ranked in the top 5 for the first time in 30 years. Furthermore, they are off to their best start since the 1965-66 season.
