After playing three games in Orlando last weekend, the Huskers return home Wednesday evening to take on the Boston College Eagles in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge.
The Huskers (5-2) come into Wednesday’s game on a two-game winning streak following an 85-80 win over Long Beach State at the AdvoCare Invitational on Sunday. Glynn Watson Jr. led four Huskers in double figures with 26 points, while Nebraska’s defense had 15 steals and forced 21 turnovers which led to 31 Husker points. Nebraska used fast starts in both halves and held on to win despite getting a combined 20 minutes from Jordy Tshimanaga and Duby Okeke while Isaiah Roby played just four first-half minutes before an injury.
Watson leads a balanced attack with 14.3 points per game while ranking among the Big Ten leaders in steals (2.1, third) and assists (3.6, 13th). Watson and James Palmer Jr. (14.1 ppg) both rank in the top-20 in scoring, as Nebraska has four players in double figures entering the week.
Boston College (5-2) will test the Huskers with an experienced backcourt. Ky Bowman and Jerome Robinson combine for more than 30 points and 8.5 assists per game. The Eagles, who average 78 points per game are coming off a loss at Providence on Saturday.
Wednesday’s game is part of the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, as this week’s schedule features 14 matchups between two of the nation’s best basketball conferences. All 14 games are televised nationally on the ESPN family of networks with the winner receiving the Commissioner’s Cup. Nebraska is 3-3 all-time in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge.
SCOUTING BOSTON COLLEGE
Boston College comes into Wednesday’s matchup with the Huskers with a 5-2 record following an 86-66 loss at Providence on Saturday. In that loss, Providence shot 59 percent from the field, including 10-of-18 from 3-point range. Deontae Hawkins and Ky Bowman led BC with 19 points apiece.
Jim Christian is in his fourth season at Boston College after previously serving as head coach at Kent State (2002-08), TCU (2008-12) and Ohio (2012-14). One assistant with Husker ties is Scott Spinelli, who served on Barry Collier’s staff for three seasons (2003-06). The Eagles only other loss was to Texas Tech, 75-64, in the Hall of Fame Tournament.
BC’s backcourt of Ky Bowman and Jerome Robinson is one of the best in the ACC. Bowman leads the Eagles in scoring (15.4 ppg) and assists (5.8 apg) while Robinson averages 14.9 ppg ad has a team-high 13 3-pointers. Hawkins, a grad transfer from Illinois State, leads BC in rebounding at 10.3 per game on 46 percent shooting while chipping in 13.6 ppg.
SERIES HISTORY
Wednesday’s game is the first-ever meeting between the Huskers and Eagles.
*-Boston College is the fourth first-time opponent on the 2017-18 schedule for the Huskers, joining St. John’s, UCF and Marist.
*-Nebraska is 14-15 all-time against the current members of the ACC. The Huskers look to snap a three-game losing streak to ACC teams dating back to the overtime loss to No. 21 Miami in the 2015 Big Ten/ACC Challenge.
*-Nebraska and Boston College have never met in football and played just three times on the diamond, a three-game sweep by Nebraska at Haymarket Park in 2004.
NEBRASKA ACC/BIG TEN CHALLENGE PRIMER
The 2017-18 season marks the 19th edition of the Big Ten/ACC Challenge. The Big Ten is 5-11-2 all-time in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, but 5-1-2 over the last eight seasons. The ACC won the event with an 8-6 win in 2016. The winner of the challenge earns the Commissioner’s Cup, and in case of a tie, the Cup remains with the conference which won the event most recently (in this case the ACC).
*-Wednesday’s game is one of four first-time Challenge matchups this season. The others are Maryland-Syracuse, Rutgers-Florida State and Michigan-North Carolina.