After getting thumped by Michigan State in East Lansing last Friday, Wisconsin (11-7) will look to get back on track when it hosts Nebraska (7-11) in Madison on Tuesday night.
While there really are no easy matchups in the Big Ten this season, this is probably the most winnable game left on the Badgers’ schedule.
There’s long-term optimism in Lincoln with new coach Fred Hoiberg at the helm of the program, but it’s been an unsurprisingly rough first season for The Mayor and his Cornhuskers to this point. Nebraska has been arguably the worst team in the conference (Northwestern is in that conversation as well) and has struggled mightily as of late, dropping its last three games and five of its last seven. Most recently, the Huskers dropped an 82-74 decision the last time out against Indiana at home.
The last time Badger fans saw Nebraska was in the quarterfinals of last year’s Big Ten Tournament, when Wisconsin squeaked out a 66-62 victory to advance. Since then, this Cornhuskers roster has been completely overhauled at Hoiberg’s direction, returning just two players from last year’s team. As he did with great success at Iowa State, he has opted to build Nebraska’s program with transfer players as the foundation. For example, all three players on this list began their college careers elsewhere.
With that said, here are the three players on the other side who Badger fans should keep a close eye on throughout Tuesday’s contest.
Cam Mack – Guard
Current stats: 12.9 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 6.8 apg, 1.2 spg, 41.1 FG%, 32.9 3P%
Of all of the transfers Hoiberg brought in as part of Nebraska’s roster reconstruction this season, Mack has been the biggest success story.
As with many of his teammates, the 6-2 floor general’s road to Lincoln was a winding one: Mack started out at Stephen F. Austin before leaving the program in the midst of his freshman season in 2017-18 and spending last year in the JUCO ranks at Salt Lake Community College. Regardless, the sophomore guard has left no doubt that he belongs in the Big Ten.
Mack has established himself as one of the conference’s most dynamic point guards this season. He leads Nebraska in scoring and has hit double figures in all but two games, but the area where he has made his presence felt the most is as a facilitator for his teammates: Mack’s average of 6.8 assists per game is the No. 3 mark in the Big Ten and ranks No. 11 nationally.
He has complemented his outstanding play as Nebraska’s tone-setter on offense with peskiness on the other end of the floor as well, currently sitting at No. 10 in the conference in steals per game.
Mack is coming off of one of his best performances of the season in last weekend’s loss to Indiana, having racked up 20 points to go along with nine assists and three boards.