Nebraska
Crown Preview: Nebraska basketball begins tournament with Arizona State
Crown Preview: Nebraska basketball begins tournament with Arizona State
Nebraska (17-14, 7-13 B1G) will play postseason basketball on Monday when it takes on Arizona State (13-19, 4-16 Big 12) at 7:30 p.m. CT at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas for the inaugural College Basketball Crown Tournament.
After the ugly late-season collapse by the Huskers — five straight losses, including three games by three or fewer points — head coach Fred Hoiberg said his team wasn’t ready to shut the lights off, hang up the shoes and end the season.
After the regular-season finale loss to Iowa, which kept Nebraska out of the 15-team Big Ten Conference Tournament, Hoiberg brought the team’s leadership group into his office and asked them if the team wnated keep playing.
“To a man, they said we’re playing. We’re playing,” Hoiberg said during a press conference on Wednesday. “Not one guy said, Well, I don’t know, coach. I don’t know if we should continue on with this.”
After the meeting in the office, Hoiberg and the leadership group spoke with the team. It was Brice Williams, the first-team All-Big Ten guard, who told the team it will continue playing.
“Brice was the one that got up and said, ‘Guys, we’re doing this, and we’re going to go out there and this isn’t one foot in, one foot out. We are both feet in,’” Hoiberg said. “And we’re going to do everything we can to compete for a championship.”
Said Williams, who also spoke on Wednesday: “I just wasn’t ready to be done with college basketball, the way it ended. That’s really it. Wasn’t ready to be done. I wanted to continue to play in the uniform. Wanted to play for a championship.”
A handful of teams that missed the NCAA Tournament and were invited to play in the Crown and other postseason tournaments, like the National Invitation Tournament, declined the offer to play. Many chose to focus on building their rosters for next season through the transfer portal.
But with college basketball’s transfer portal window of March 24 through April 22 running right in the middle of postseason tournaments, it’s created a juggling act for coaching staffs playing postseason ball. And on top of that, Hoiberg is also tasked with finding a replacement for assistant coach Adam Howard, who took an assistant job on Will Wade’s first NC State staff.
How to watch, stream, listen
Day/Time: Monday at 7:30 p.m. CT
TV: FS1 with Kevin Kugler, Robbie Hummel and Kim Adams on the call.
Stream: Fox Sports app.
Listen: Monday’s game will be carried on the Huskers Radio Network with Kent Pavelka and Jake Muhleisen on the call, including KLIN (1400 AM) in Lincoln, KXSP (590 AM) in Omaha and KRVN (880 AM) in Lexington. The pregame show begins an hour before tipoff and will also be available on Huskers.com and the Huskers app.
Nebraska will be without PG Rollie Worster, and potentially others
Hoiberg provided a few injury updates on Wednesday — you can read the full news and notes here — the biggest of which was point guard Rollie Worster not being available to play in the tournament due to a foot injury he suffered in December and played through.
Worster has already spent a week in a boot. Expect a heavy dose of Williams and Ahron Ulis running the point during the tournament. Sam Hoiberg will be an option as well.
“He’s been playing with the plate in his shoe,” Hoiberg said of Worster. “He’s been really, really sore, and it just got to a point to where it’s tough to put a lot of weight on it. So the decision was made to put him in a boot. He talked about trying to fight through it, but the best thing for Rollie and his career is to shut him down and get him in the boot, get the recovery process started and hopefully taken care of.”
Braxton Meah, the 7-foot-1 center who was battling back spasms toward the end of the regular season and missed the finale against Iowa, took time off the court to “quiet his back down” according to Hoiberg. Meah has been gradually working back into on-court activities and will be considered a game-time decision.
On Tuesday during practice, Gavin Griffiths twisted his ankle. After treatment and recovery time, Hoiberg is hoping Griffiths will be available for the game Monday.
About the first-ever College Basketball Crown Tournament
The Crown is a 16-team single-elimination tournament that features teams primarily from the Big Ten, Big East and Big 12 staged over a seven-day period from March 31-April 6.
Those three conferences have 11 of the 16 spots, while the West Coast Conference (2), Mountain West (1), American (1) and Atlantic-10 (1) all have at last one team in the field.
Here’s the full list of 16 teams competing:
Arizona State (13-19, 4-16), Boise State (24-10, 14-6), Butler (14-19, 6-14), Cincinnati (18-15, 7-13), Colorado (14-20, 3-17), DePaul (14-19, 4-16), George Washington (21-12, 9-9), Georgetown (17-15 8-12), Nebraska (17-14, 7-13), Oregon State (20-12, 10-8), Tulane (19-14, 12-6), UCF (17-16, 7-13), USC (16-17, 7-13), Utah (16-16, 8-12), Washington State (19-14, 8-10), Villanova (19-14, 11-9).
Here’s the entire schedule, with tip times and TV channels. The first four days are all on FS1 while the semifinals and championship will be on FOX:
There will be NIL prize money for the Crown champion, runner-up and semifinalists
The Crown will feature a first-of-its-kind NIL prize pool that rewards the championship team with a $300,000 NIL package. The runner-up will earn a $100,000 package while $50,000 will go to the semifinalists through a new venture labeled the Vivid Seats Ambassador Program.
For more information regarding the prize money, click here.
Experimental rule to make debut in the Crown
From Nebraska Athletics:
One change from the regular season in place for both the Crown and the NIT is the use of an experimental rule which will allow a coach to appeal out-of-bounds calls for video replay review in the last two minutes of games.
The experimental rule would eliminate the official’s voluntary ability to review out-of-bounds calls on the floor in the last two minutes of the game. Instead, these calls for a video review would be tied to the timeouts a team has remaining.
If a team appeals the call and it is overturned, the team making the appeal would retain the timeout.If the review fails, the team making the appeal would lose a timeout.If no timeouts remain, coaches could still appeal, but if the appeal fails, they would be assessed an excessive timeout administrative technical, meaning their opponents would shoot two free throws and maintain possession of the ball.
More on Arizona State
The Sun Devils finished the regular season 15th in the 16-team Big 12 Conference with a record of 13-19 overall and 4-16 in conference play. They lost nine of their last 10 games, and injuries plagued head coach Bobby Hurley’s team.
Freshman forward Jayden Quaintaince missed eight games and has been dealing with a knee injury. He’s averaging 9.4 points and 7.9 rebounds. Senior guard Adam Miller, who’s averaging 9.6 points and 2.2 rebounds while shooting 44% from 3-point range, has been slowed by hip and oblique injuries. Miller’s status for the tournament is unclear.
Four of Arizona State’s players have already entered the transfer portal, most notably leading scorer B.J. Freeman (13.7 points per game), who was actually dismissed from the team midseason, and starting guard Joson Sanon (11.9), a talented true freshman.
When talking about Arizona State, Hoiberg mentioned its a team with talent that scored 100 points on Arizona late in the year and played Texas Tech tough before losing in double-overtime. A loss to Kansas State in the regular-season finale was by only two possessions.
“It’s a team, if they’re comfortable, they’re really good, and they’re very talented,” Hoiberg said. “So, again, you just got to go out there in these tournaments and hopefully get off to a great start. That is so important in these events. Confidence is a huge thing, it’s going to be a big part of this game. But they’ve got size on their front line and their guards can put the ball in the basket.”
Arizona State’s projected starting lineup
An opportunity to create momentum for next season
If Nebraska beats Arizona State, the Huskers would have 41 wins the past two seasons. That would tie for the second-highest consecutive-year total in Nebraska basketball history. From 1990-91 to 1991-92, Nebraska won 45 games. From the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons, the program won 41 games.
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Not even more sickness could stop the No. 12 Nebraska men’s basketball team.
With a nasty flu strain ripping through the Huskers and the UNL campus as a whole, Nebraska needed a little more time to take care of Maryland, but freshman star Braden Frager and his team-high 21 points and eight rebounds led a late NU surge for a 74-61 victory over the Terrapins. Forward Pryce Sandfort added to the effort with 16 points and eight rebounds while both Rienk Mast (13) and Sam Hoiberg (12) also reached double figures.
Now with just three games remaining in the regular season, the Huskers venture west for a two-game road trip to L.A., where they start off against a USC team in the middle of a long losing skid. Here’s all you need to know for Saturday’s mid-afternoon showdown between the Huskers and Trojans.
How to Follow Along
- Matchup: Nebraska (24-4, 13-4 B1G) at USC (18-10, 7-10 B1G)
- When: Saturday, February 28
- Where: Galen Center, Los Angeles, Calif.
- Time: 3 p.m. CST
- Watch: Big Ten Network
- Listen: Huskers Radio Network and Affiliates
USC Scout
Head Coach
- Eric Musselman | 2nd season at USC; 11th as HC
- 35-28 (.556) at USC; 256-121 (.679) College Career Record
- 6x NCAA Tournament Apps., 2x Elite Eight, 2x Sweet 16, 1x CBI Championship
- 3x MWC regular season, 1x MWC tournament
- 1x MWC Coach OTY (2018), 1x NBA D-League Coach OTY (2012)
- Previous head coach at Arkansas, Nevada, Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors
- Previous assistant at LSU, Arizona State, Memphis Grizzlies, Atlanta Hawks, Orlando Magic and Minnesota Timberwolves
2024-2025 Record & Awards
- Record: 17-18 (7-13 B1G, T-12th)
- Finish: L, 60-59 to Villanova in CBC Quarterfinals
- All-B1G: 1x Honorable Mention
All-Time Series
- USC leads 6-5
- Jan. 22, 2025, last matchup, 78-73 USC
Key Returners
- Terrance Williams II | F | Gr. | Was off to a great start with 10.6 points and 4.6 rebounds per game last year before getting knocked out for the season just seven games in; has not been the same with just 2.5 PPG in 27 contests this season.
Key Departures
- Desmond Claude | G | Transfer | Named All-Big Ten Honorable Mention last season for the Trojans after leading the team with 15.8 points per game, but transferred to Washington over the offseason.
- Wesley Yates III | G | Transfer | Another player that transferred to Washington, the Texas native was second on the team last season in scoring (14.1) and steals (40) as a redshirt freshman.
- Chibuzo Agbo | G | Graduated | Veteran guard that scored 11.8 points per contest while leading the team with 76 made three-pointers as part of his final college season.
- Saint Thomas | F | Graduated | The Omaha native and Millard North graduate scored 9.5 points and grabbed 5.9 rebounds per game in his final college season.
- Rashaun Agee | F | Graduated | A 6-foot-8 veteran forward who proved to be USC’s most dangerous threat off the bench by scoring over nine points per game.
- Josh Cohen | F | Graduated | A 6-foot-10 post that started in 25 of his 33 appearances while adding 5.9 points per game for the Trojans.
- Clark Slajchert | G | Graduated | Another key reserve for the Trojans who put up four points per game in 11 minutes across 27 games.
- Kevin Patton Jr. | F | Transfer | After scoring 9.8 PPG at San Diego, the California native saw limited action for USC off the bench to prompt his transfer to New Mexico over the offseason.
- Matt Knowling | F | Graduated | Played in 27 contests with an average of over 18 minutes, but added little production with three points and 2.6 rebounds.
Impact Transfers/Newcomers
- Rodney Rice | G | Jr. | The third leading scorer from a Sweet 16 Maryland squad last season, the transfer scored over 20 points per game for the Trojans before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury in December.
- Chad Baker-Mazara | G/F | Gr. | A veteran transfer that aided Auburn’s run to the Final Four last season, the Dominican Republic native leads all active Trojans with 18.6 points per game and 71 total assists.
- Ezra Ausar | F | Sr. | The 6-foot-9 forward transfer from Utah scores over 15 points per game and grabs over six rebounds per contest in an elevated role after the injury to Rice.
- Alijah Arenas | G | Fr. | The son of former NBA star Gilbert Arenas, the true freshman missed the first 18 games of the season, but he’s been highly productive with a 13.9 points per game average in his first 10 college games.
- Jacob Cofie | F | Soph. | A massive 6-foot-10 forward from Seattle, the Virginia transfer gives USC a weapon inside with 9.8 points and seven rebounds per game as a full-time starter.
- Kam Woods | G | Gr. | A mid-season transfer from Robert Morris, where he led the program to its 10th NCAA Tournament appearance, the Alabama native has added over eight points and four rebounds in 16 contests this year.
- Jordan Marsh | G | Jr. | The 2025 Big South Conference Newcomer of the Year last season at UNC-Ashville, Marsh acts as the sixth man for the Trojans with 6.7 PPG to lead all reserves.
- Jaden Brownell | F | Gr. | A 6-foot-10 bench forward, the USC big man was a 14-point scorer at Samford last season before making his way to L.A.
- Jerry Easter II | G | Fr. | An Ohio native who went to the heralded Link Academy in Missouri, Easter II has earned six starts in his 26 appearances by scoring 4.4 points per game.
- Gabe Dynes | C | Jr. | The 7-foot-5 center led the country in blocks (104) last season at Youngstown State before transferring to USC, where he’s putting up three points per game, but has collected 30 blocks while only averaging 12 minutes per appearance.
Outlook
A veteran head coach at both the college and NBA levels, Eric Musselman was at the center of one of college basketball’s wildest coaching carousel moves following the 2023–24 season, leaving Arkansas for USC and paving the way for the legendary John Calipari to take over the Razorbacks program.
While Calipari marched his team to a Sweet 16 appearance in his first season, Musselman’s debut season in L.A. ended with a quarterfinal loss in the CBC for an underwhelming year. What followed was an exodus from the program, with top-two scorers Desmond Claude (15.8) and Wesley Yates III (14.1) both transferring to Washington despite standout seasons. Six others graduated, including Omaha native Saint Thomas (9.5) as well as Chibuzo Agbo, a veteran guard who scored 11.8 points per game in his final college season.
That resulted in a whole new crop of transfers to join the team, including the crown jewel of the haul in Rodney Rice, who played a big part in helping Maryland reach the Sweet 16 last season. The junior started out hot for the Trojans, logging over 20 points per game, but a devastating shoulder injury ended his season just seven games in, which immediately lowered the ceiling for a USC team with decent talent. Chad Baker-Mazara has stepped up in the place of Rice with 18.6 points per game and a team-high 71 assists after transferring from Auburn, where he helped the Tigers reach the Final Four.
Utah transfer Ezra Ausar has produced at a high level with over 15 points and six rebounds per contest. Despite missing the first 18 games of the season, true freshman Alijah Arenas has averaged 13.9 points per game as a starter. Sophomore and Virginia transfer Jacob Cofie is the muscle in the post, scoring 9.8 points per game and grabbing a team-high seven rebounds per contest. Similar to Arenas, Robert Morris transfer Kam Woods has been a big mid-season addition with over eight points and 4.6 rebounds per game. Plus, Jordan Marsh (6.7), Jaden Brownell (5.3), and 7-foot-5 center Gabe Dynes give Musselman the opportunity to mix-and-match his lineup off the bench depending on the matchup.
The Rice injury is massive, and could end up being one of the primary reasons for the Trojans missing the NCAA Tournament, for which they are a bubble team in the latest projections. It’s crunch time for USC, which is in the midst of a four-game losing streak after dropping contests to Ohio State, No. 10 Illinois, Oregon, and UCLA. Three of those four were winnable for the Trojans and games that could really haunt them as they search for key wins down the stretch to lock up a spot in March Madness.
Against a Trojan team that doesn’t defend well, but ranks as one of the top rebounding teams in the conference, USC is an interesting matchup for Nebraska. Being on the road and dealing with more sickness isn’t helpful, but I’m riding the Huskers for this one to reach 25 wins on the year.
Nebraska
Nebraska State Patrol troopers find 242 pounds of cocaine during commercial truck inspection
LEXINGTON, Neb. (KOLN) – Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol arrested one person after finding more than 240 pounds of cocaine during a commercial vehicle inspection.
On Tuesday afternoon, an NSP Carrier Enforcement trooper conducted a commercial vehicle inspection on a semi tractor/trailer driven by Arwinderjit Singh, 30, of California, near mile marker 254 on Interstate 80.
During the inspection, the trooper became suspicious of criminal activity. An NSP K-9 detected the odor of a controlled substance inside the cab of the semi, troopers said.
After searching the cab, troopers located 242 pounds of cocaine concealed underneath the sleeper bed, NSP said.
Singh was arrested on suspicion of possession of cocaine, possession with intent to deliver, possession of an open alcohol container, no drug tax stamp and displaying a fictitious license plate.
Singh was lodged in Dawson County Jail, and his bond was set at 10% of $2 million. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 12.
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OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – Creighton Prep senior Zaiyahn Ornelas won his fourth consecutive Nebraska state wrestling title on Saturday.
According to NSAA records, he joins 39 other wrestlers in state history to accomplish the feat.
“It’s a great feeling,” Ornelas said. “It’s a feeling everybody wants.”
Ornelas won three Class C state titles at Wilber-Clatonia at 106, 113 and 120 pounds before transferring to Creighton Prep for his senior season, where he competed in Class A at 126 pounds.
“Three state titles there and then just thought I could bump up my competition,” Ornelas said.
“Zaiyahn is one of the cleanest technicians I’ve ever seen. That’s a huge testament to his coaching staff at Wilber,” Fisher added.
Ornelas was one of four Creighton Prep wrestlers to win state titles this season, helping lead the Jr. Jays to the Class A team title. Teammates said his presence in the practice room raised their level of competition.
“I could never slack off just because my competition in the state was easy. I always had to come in this room and get better or else I was going to get beat,” said sophomore Cruzer Dominguez, a two-time Class A state champion at 106 and 120 pounds.
Sophomore Kameron Green, the Class A 144-pound state champion this year, also credited Ornelas for aiding in his development.
“Zaiyahn being a training partner has helped me in tremendous ways,” he said. “When he wrestles, he’s not the nicest or shyest kid, but he’s tenacious and tough.”
Junior JT Smith, a two-time state champion at 175 and 190 pounds, said the achievement carries weight for the entire team.
“It’s something really special to have a teammate that’s a four-time state champion,” he said. “That’s something everyone wants to be.”
Fisher said Ornelas’s attitude set the tone from the start.
“He has so many skills and then coming into our room, he’s extremely coachable. Every time he came in here he was humble, ready to work, wanting to get better and that’s why he is as good as he is,” Fisher said.
Ornelas signed to wrestle at the University of Nebraska in November. He said the move to Creighton Prep delivered what he was looking for.
“This is the reason why I came here. I went out to explore, to find the best, and this is the territory that I found. If it wasn’t for these guys — the push — I would have not been there,” Ornelas said.
“It’s hard to believe. That’s kind of what I wanted since the beginning, freshman year,” he said.
—
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