Nebraska
Indiana’s Curt Cignetti Compliments Nebraska Football’s Defense, Dylan Raiola in ‘Important Game’
Curt Cignetti is keeping the focus on Indiana football.
“As always, it’s more about us and what we do, controlling what we can control. Having a great day today of preparation and stacking good days,” Cignetti said on Monday during his media availability.
Cignetti addressed the media as part of his team’s preparation leading into their home tilt with Nebraska football, adding that Saturday’s contest is an “important game, because its the next game.” While the coach did not give any bulletin board material for the Huskers after each team’s bye week, he did provide some compliments to the team overall in his opening statement.
“Coach (Matt) Rhule has done a great job with the football team there, 5-1, impressive team on tape,” Cignetti said. “Giving up 11 points a game on defense, a veteran outfit, and offensively; big offensive line, big tight ends, play a lot of guys, really skilled receivers, a lot of good running backs and a mega talented young quarterback.”
Cignetti added that the Hoosiers will focus internally, as “it’s more about us and what we do” adding that his team can only “control what we can control.”
Indiana’s offense has done more than just control their opponents – they have boat-raced several early foes enroute to their 6-0 start and No. 16 Associated Press ranking in Cignetti’s first season. The Hoosiers are top of the conference in total yards per game (515.7), passing yards per game (315.3), first downs converted (165) , third down conversion percentage (54 percent), and points per game (47.5). However, the former James Madison coach knows how stingy the Blackshirt defense has been throughout the season.
“Well, they’ve got good players. They’re very well-coached. They play really hard. They’re very multiple in their scheme. They’ve got guys that can affect the passer, a couple big guys inside, 315-plus type guys. They play a lot of people. They do everything they can to keep you off balance,” Cignetti said.
The coach added that the Huskers break up “a lot of passes”, bringing up Nebraska’s season stats of seven interceptions and only 85 rushing yards allowed per game. The Huskers have benefited from a positive turnover margin as well, starting their next stretch of the season with a +6 turnover rate. Cignetti recognized that part of Nebraska’s offensive balance is in part due to the play of their freshman quarterback.
“Yeah, he’s a really talented guy who’s got great arm talent. (Dylan Raiola) plays with a lot of confidence. He’s got a really nice supporting cast. They protect him well up front. They’ve got one receiver who’s 6-4, 225 and can really go, deep-ball type guy, and schematically the staff does a really nice job of — they don’t put too much pressure on him,” Cignetti said.
The Indiana coach added that Nebraska’s offense is “balanced” and that the Huskers will “want to run the football” to set up Raiola’s ability to use play-action for a big play. He concluded his Raiola thoughts saying that Rhule’s staff “has done a tremendous job with him.”
Both teams are coming off their first bye of the season, as Cignetti said his team never relented during the break.
“It’s balls to the wall all the time because you’re getting better or getting worse, never staying the same. We practiced three times, and we did some prep on this upcoming opponent,” Cignetti said. “Then you’re looking at other people across the country seeing who’s doing what well and trying maybe to get a few ideas that may help you down the road. Using that time wisely.”
Indiana has been on an impressive start to their season, and awaits 5-1 Nebraska on Saturday in Bloomington. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. CDT.
MORE: Husker Football Begins Second Half at 5-1
MORE: Why Nebraska Football’s Exclusion From the AP Poll Makes No Sense
MORE: Is Nebraska Football’s Offense a Liability against Indiana?
MORE: Nebraska Football Awards Brian Buschini, Ceyair Wright with Blackshirts
MORE: Nebraska Volleyball Setter Claims Third Weekly Big Ten Honor
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Nebraska
IU dominated but then ‘it was just turnovers’ to blow 16-point lead vs Nebraska
Indiana basketball starting lineups, introductions video
The Hoosiers met undefeated Nebraska on Jan. 10. Here are the starting lineups from Assembly Hall.
BLOOMINGTON — Indiana men’s basketball coach Darian DeVries thought his team played well for about 28 minutes Saturday afternoon.
In those 28 minutes, IU built up as much as a 16-point lead against undefeated Nebraska. The Hoosiers went on a 12-2 run to end the first half, then extended that lead early in the second half.
Then, the defense started crumbling. Tucker DeVries picked up two fouls in the course of 21 seconds, forcing him to the bench. The Hoosiers started turning the ball over.
And Indiana’s upset bid fell apart, as the Hoosiers dropped an 83-77 decision to the Cornhuskers (16-0, 5-0 Big Ten).
“It’s disappointing, for sure,” Darian DeVries said. “We played well for a good 25, 27, 28 minutes, whatever, and then just had a bad stretch in there, and the game flipped. That’s why the turnovers are a big piece of that. We had, (a 16-point lead) and Tucker picked up his third and fourth foul on back-to-back possessions. Then they went on a 10-0 run right after that. That was a big turning point in the game, I thought, when he picked those two up.”
It seemed like the coaching staff (and fans) didn’t agree with those fouls, either.
Tucker DeVries’ third foul came as he fell on the ground while trying to defend Berke Buyuktuncel’s shot. Buyuktuncel continued to attempt a shot after the fall, and he got tangled in DeVries’ legs, falling himself, and officials called a foul on DeVries. Both Tucker and Darian DeVries, along with the crowd of 13,000 fans, didn’t agree with that foul.
Tucker DeVries’ fourth foul, which forced him to the bench for eight minutes, came just 21 seconds after his third. On the Hoosiers’ next offensive possession, DeVries attempted to shoulder his defender to get more space, and got called for the offensive foul and the turnover.
Indiana (12-4, 3-2) turned the ball over on four of its next five possessions, Darian DeVries said, and Nebraska capitalized for a 12-2 run to tie the game.
“I just think we didn’t have the type of possessions we needed after (Tucker DeVries) went out again, and most of them, it was just turnovers,” Darian DeVries said. “We didn’t get shots at the goal. I thought there might’ve been one or two in there where I think Lamar (Wilkerson) drove it hard and tried going through contact, and we didn’t get one there, but outside of that, we just didn’t get very good possessions. Our movement wasn’t as good.”
After Nebraska went on that run, all the momentum shifted to the Cornhuskers. In ways, the Hoosiers couldn’t get out of their own head, and the mistakes kept coming.
“We’ve talked to them a lot about that next play mentality,” Darian DeVries said. “Win that next play, and not compound mistakes. I thought tonight, again, for a stretch there was a period where we let one mistake turn into two. Then, instead of digging in and really making sure we get a quality possession the next time, we compounded it with another turnover. It led to back-to-back-to-back. All of a sudden your lead is gone, and momentum is real. It shifted pretty quickly there.”
This game, especially taking into account the 16-point lead Indiana once had, was a crucial opportunity for the Hoosiers to get their first Quad 1 win of the season.
But the Hoosiers, sitting at No. 30 in the NET rankings, still have three straight Quad 1 opportunities coming up in two road tilts at Michigan State and Michigan and a home game against Iowa in the next two weeks.
Those games, much like Nebraska, will be tall tasks. But, DeVries said, if the Hoosiers can execute for a full game like they did in those 28 minutes on Saturday, they’ll have a chance at them.
“When they’re executing the way that they did the first 25 minutes, it looks really good,” DeVries said. “And they’re doing a great job, and they’re defending and getting movement and things.”
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Nebraska
$3,125 Nebraska Pick 4 winning ticket sold in York
LINCOLN, Neb. (KSNB) – One lucky player who bought a Nebraska Pick 4 ticket for the Thursday drawing is holding a ticket worth $3,125.
The ticket was sold at Pump & Pantry #16, 109 Lincoln Avenue, in York. The winning numbers from Thursday’s Nebraska Pick 4 draw were 09, 06, 01, 02.
Winning Nebraska Lottery Lotto tickets expire 180 days after the drawing. Tickets with total prize amounts of $501 to $19,999 must be claimed by mail or at a Regional Lottery Claim Center. Additional information about claiming prizes can be found at the Nebraska Lottery website, nelottery.com, or by calling 800-587-5200.
Nebraska Pick 4 is a daily Lotto game from the Nebraska Lottery. Players select four numbers, each from a separate set of digits 0 through 9, for a chance to win up to $6,000. Players decide what type of play style and potential prizes to play for by choosing from one of six bet types. The odds of winning the $3,125 prize in Nebraska Pick 4 are 1 in 10,000.
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Nebraska
How Nebraska men’s basketball’s historic start to the season could end its NCAA tournament drought
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