Once again, the state of Nebraska is blue after Creighton men’s basketball’s 77-69 win over Nebraska.
The first big takeaway from the game is the loss of guard Trey McGowens. The older of the McGowens brothers, Trey played just 10 minutes in the first half then was out of uniform after halftime with a boot on his right foot.
We learned Wednesday that McGowens had surgery to repair a broken 5th metatarsal in his right foot. According to Nebraska Men’s Basketball Athletic Trainer R.J. Pietig, the injury will sideline McGowens for between six and eight weeks, and McGowens is expected to have a full recovery.
“Devastating news for the heart and soul of our team,” Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg said after the game.
The loss of the elder McGowens means the rest of the guards will need to step up, including Kobe Webster who made his season-debut to the tune of 20 points Tuesday. But they can’t just step up in productivity; it is the on-court leadership that is the biggest loss for the next month or two.
“He is our best leader,” Hoiberg said. “He uses his voice every day in practice for the warmup all the way to the end.”
Undoubtedly, Bryce McGowens plays better when big brother is out there with him. Against a high major program, Bryce finally went up against a team with the length and athleticism to defend him.
After averaging 27 points a game last week and taking home Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors, Bryce scored just six points Tuesday on 3-of-10 shooting. He missed all three of his attempts from deep.
Bryce will be fine. He’s still adjusting to this level and will get things figured out as he sees tougher competition on a more consistent basis. He’s too good of an athlete and basketball player not to.
A position that needs adjusting is point guard.
I’ll say this: I’m an Alonzo Verge Jr. fan.
Verge is crazy athletic, has elite handles, and can get the Nebraska offense rolling like nobody else during the Hoiberg era. But I don’t think he understands that.
If I’m Hoiberg, I challenge Verge to average double-digit assists.
He’s borderline ungaurdable and can get into the paint at-will. What happens once he gets there though is usually a forced shot against multiple defenders. When he does have a sliver of light, he hasn’t taken advantage at a high enough clip.
After scoring 26 points on 9-of-20 shooting in a loss to Western Illinois, Verge is a combined 9-for-31 for 23 points and no made 3s. He’s averaging 17 shots a game. I want that number cut in half, at least.
Put the red light on Verge. He needs to flip the switch to being a pass-first point guard who can score when necessary. To me, that would spark the entire offense in a way that could renew postseason hopes.
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