Nebraska is fourth in the Big Ten standings. The weird part: It’s in basketball.
This will be the challenge for the Badgers (12-5 conference, 25-5 overall) as they head to Lincoln, Neb., to take on the surging Huskers (10-7, 18-11) to close out the regular season.
Wisconsin will be looking to build on what might be the most impressive road resume in the country. They currently lead the NCAA in road victories (11).
They will also clinch the No. 2 seed in the Big Ten tournament with a win in Lincoln. A loss by the Badgers would require Michigan State to lose at Ohio State in order to keep the No. 2 seed.
Both teams currently sit at 12-5 in the Big Ten, but Wisconsin holds the tiebreaker thanks its win in February at the Kohl Center.
The difference between the No. 2 and No. 3 seed could be major, as the No. 3 seed would likely have to play Iowa or Ohio State while the No. 2 seed would play Minnesota or Indiana.
Meanwhile, the Huskers could be playing for much more, specifically the team’s first NCAA tournament berth since 1998.
The Huskers are led by sophomore forward Terran Petteway, a transfer from Texas Tech. Petteway leads the Big Ten in points per game and presents the typical matchup nightmare that good guard-forwards present. He can score inside and outside, and contributes to what has been a tremendous team rebounding effort lately.
After Petteway, it’s a whole bunch of players that have worked hard to fuel Nebraska’s late season run.
The Huskers have lost only once at home in conference play in a one-point loss against Michigan in January.
That loss was one of four in a row, a run that made people look like it was the same old Huskers. However, their schedule was frontloaded, with the last eight games coming against teams at the bottom of the Big Ten standings. The only exception was a crippled Michigan State team.
It’s been known for some time that the Nebraska athletic department has wanted to make a commitment to its basketball program. More resources than ever are being pumped into the team, most notably with the construction of the $179 million Pinnacle Bank Arena.
This commitment is starting to pay off.
The Lincoln Journal Star has reported that Sunday’s game is sold out. Expect a loud crowd, because Nebraska isn't just going to be playing for a chance at the NCAA tournament, they’ll be playing for nation-wide respect, for one of the biggest wins in program history and for the chance to make it known that they aren't just a football school.
