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Three Things To Watch As Indiana Takes On Nebraska

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Three Things To Watch As Indiana Takes On Nebraska


BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana’s men’s basketball team has been gradually eliminating nonconference road games from its season schedule. For the second year in a row, the Hoosiers will not play a true nonconference road game.

With the way the Big Ten schedule laid out, it means the Hoosiers will play their first road game at 8 p.m. ET on Friday at Nebraska. It’s the latest first true road game for the Hoosiers since the 2014-15 season when Indiana played in an enemy gym for the first time on Dec. 31, 2014, also at Nebraska.

As it is with so many things related to the Mike Woodson coaching era at Indiana, the Hoosiers record in first true road games of the season is mixed.

In 2021-22, Woodson’s first season, Indiana lost its first nonconference road game in a 112-110 double overtime marathon against Syracuse at the Carrier Dome. The Hoosiers also fell in their Big Ten road opener, a 64-59 defeat at Wisconsin.

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Indiana got a split in the 2022-23 campaign. The Hoosiers earned an 81-79 victory over Xavier at Cintas Center, an exciting road contest that ended Indiana’s participation in the Gavitt Games series with the Big East Conference on a high note for Indiana. However, Indiana ended a 7-0 start to the season when it was hammered 63-48 by Rutgers at Jersey Mike’s Arena in Piscataway, N.J.

As it is this year, Indiana did not play a nonconference true road game in the 2023-24 season. The Hoosiers did win their first Big Ten road contest, a 78-75 victory at Michigan.

So when overall and Big Ten openers are combined, the Hoosiers are 2-3 in the Woodson era. Indiana will be hoping to get to .500 in one fell swoop at Nebraska’s Pinnacle Bank Arena on Friday.

Here are three things to watch for from the Hoosiers when they face off against the Cornhuskers:

1. Will Indiana Attack From The Perimeter?

Luke Goode

Indiana’s Luke Goode (10) shoots a three-pointer during the Indiana versus Sam Houston men’s basketball game at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. / Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Woodson tends to think of matchups in what pressure his lineups can put on the opposition rather than what opposition weaknesses can be exploited. There’s nothing wrong with that. It shows a belief in the talent on the roster.

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Given that, Indiana will no doubt try to attack the rim with Oumar Ballo and Malik Reneau. There’s nothing that isn’t sensible about that either. Ballo and Reneau combine for 28.7 points and 15.5 rebounds.

However, Nebraska is pretty good at defending inside the arc and not so good above it. The Cornhuskers rank 14th nationally in 2-point shots allowed, giving up just 28.3. Meanwhile, Nebraska is almost dead-last nationally in 3-point shots allowed, 31.1, and opponents have shot 33.3% against them, also in the lower half of Division I.

No one will blame Indiana for attacking with its bigs, but the Hoosiers rank 105th nationally in 3-point shooting (35.9%), but only take 17 3-point shots per game, ranked 353rd nationally. That’s an imbalance that needs to be straightened out and this might be a good opponent to do it against.

2. Can Indiana Defend Without Fouling?

Malik Reneau

Sam Houston State Bearkats guard Dorian Finister (2) shoots the ball while Indiana Hoosiers forward Malik Reneau (5) defends in the second half at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

One area in which the Cornhuskers excel is getting to the free throw line. Nebraska ranks in the top 25 nationally in every major free throw category as the Cornhuskers average 20 of 26 per game at the line.

Indiana’s defense has not done a great job of avoiding fouling. The Hoosiers average 16.5 fouls per game. However, Indiana can do itself a world of good by showing some defensive discipline to keep Nebraska from getting its average of 20 points at the line.

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It won’t be easy. Playing with discipline on the road is one of the hardest things for any team to pull off. If Indiana can be disciplined it will take the Hoosiers far.

3. Will Mackenzie Mgbako Get His Groove Back?

Mackenzie Mgbako

Indiana Hoosiers forward Mackenzie Mgbako (21) shoots the ball while Sam Houston State Bearkats guard Brennen Burns (0) defends in the first half at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Sophomore swingman Mackenzie Mgbako started the 2024-25 season on fire. He averaged 22 points in the first three games of the season. He also had a 25-point game against Providence at Battle 4 Atlantis.

However, Mgbako has cooled off of late. His shooting touch is off in the last two games as he is 7 of 19 from the floor, including 1 of 6 from 3-point range. He scored 13 against Minnesota on Monday, so it’s not as if he’s disappeared, but consistency is what Mgbako needs to try to get a handle on in his second season of college ball.

The good news is that Mgbako has done this before. Prior to his 25-point game against Providence, Mgbako had a three-game stretch where he was 28.6% from the floor. A Big Ten road game would be a very good time for a similar revival from Mgbako.



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Pillen: Nebraska senator tears down historical exhibits by PragerU from Capitol walls

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Pillen: Nebraska senator tears down historical exhibits by PragerU from Capitol walls


LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) – Parts of a temporary historical exhibit inside the Nebraska State Capitol were torn down by a state senator, Gov. Pillen alleges.

Gov. Pillen said Wednesday on social media that several displays of historical figures, key events in the American Revolution and portraits of those who signed the Declaration of Independence were “ripped off the walls” by state Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh of Omaha.

A 40-second video shared by Pillen appears to show Sen. Cavanaugh taking down several displays and a photo showed the items on the floor of her office.

A 40-second video shared by Gov. Jim Pillen shows Sen. Cavanaugh taking down several displays and a photo showed the items on the floor of her office.(Governor Jim Pillen’s office)

The displays featuring material made by the controversial conservative group PragerU were put up in the state Capitol as part of the United States’ 250th anniversary.

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“Celebrating America during our 250th year should be a moment of unity and patriotism, not divisiveness and destructive partisanship. I am disappointed in this shameful and selfish bad example,” Pillen wrote.

Cavanaugh told 10/11 that senators are prohibited from putting items on the walls in the hallway outside their offices. She said the posters line the entire hallway around the first floor, but she only took down the ones outside her office.

“When I walked in this morning and saw these poster boards lining the hallway of my office, I thought well I’m not allowed to have things lining the hall of my office… I tried to take them down as gently as I could and not damage any of them, and I stacked them inside of my office and I let the state patrol know that they were there,” Cavanaugh said.

PragerU has previously faced criticism for making content that historians, researchers and scholars have considered inaccurate or misleading. Some parents and educators have also spoken out against the nonprofit, saying its content spreads misinformation and is being used for “indoctrinating children.”

The Founders Museum exhibit in particular has been criticized by The American Historical Association for blurring the line between reality and fiction, according to NPR.

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The exhibit is supposed to remain on display during public building hours through the summer.

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Oregon State LB transfer Dexter Foster commits to Nebraska

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Oregon State LB transfer Dexter Foster commits to Nebraska


Nebraska has picked up a third linebacker commitment from Oregon State transfer Dexter Foster, a sophomore with three seasons of eligibility remaining, including a redshirt year. 

The 6-foot-3, 236lb linebacker started in seven games this fall for the Beavers, totaling 52 tackles with 3.0 tackles for loss, four quarterback hurries and a pass breakup. As a true freshman in 2024, he appeared in 12 games, totaling 43 tackles with two tackles for loss, a sack and two quarterback hurries. 

Foster held just two offers coming out of high school prior to committing to Oregon State, but was at one point a target for new Nebraska defensive coordinator Rob Aurich, when Aurich was the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Idaho in 2022-2023. 

The sophomore joins a linebacker room that has seen a bit of a facelift through transfer portal additions. San Diego State linebacker Owen Chambliss led the Aztecs in tackles this season and has now signed with the Huskers, following Rob Aurich to Lincoln. Iowa State freshman linebacker Will Hawthorne committed to the Huskers on Tuesday. Nebraska fell just short of Iowa State when Hawthorne was coming out of Gilbert (Ia.) in the 2025 cycle. 

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Foster is the seventh transfer portal addition for the Huskers this cycle and the fourth defensive addition. The Huskers are expected to be done with linebacker portal recruiting at this point and will turn attention to needs up front, both at defensive tackle and edge rusher. 

Quick look at what Nebraska is getting in Foster

Standing 6-foot-3, and north of 235lbs, Foster is rangy and athletic in space. Has the versatility to play true strong-side or weak-side linebacker and could even spin down to edge rusher if needed. Possesses the athletic and physical range to track down ball-carriers in space, arm length to keep would-be-blockers at bay. Shows good eye discipline working through traffic, quick to react and trigger downhill, with the fluidity to change directions quickly. Still more read-and-react than anticipatory at this point in his development, but gets to his spots quickly. Has the athleticism to stick in coverage against running backs, tight ends and even slot receivers. 

Has the experience, size and play-style to factor into Nebraska’s linebacker rotation immediately, and could even push to start alongside San Diego State linebacker transfer Owen Chambliss. Has the versatility to be a chess piece of sorts for Aurich and stick on the field regardless of personnel.



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Nebraska-based pizza chain Godfather’s Pizza is set to open a new location in Queen Creek

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Nebraska-based pizza chain Godfather’s Pizza is set to open a new location in Queen Creek


QUEEN CREEK, AZ — A slice of the Midwest is coming to the East Valley! Godfather’s Pizza from Omaha, Nebraska, is set to open a new location this month in Queen Creek.

Bruce Cannon, who owns and operates two Godfather’s Pizza locations in Lincoln and Norfolk, Nebraska, will also own and operate the new Queen Creek restaurant.

“This marks the brand’s first traditional Godfather’s Pizza restaurant in Arizona since 2009, signaling an exciting return to the Phoenix metro area,” read the news release sent to ABC15.

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The restaurant will open near Queen Creek Rd and Signal Butte Rd.

The restaurant will provide dine-in, carryout, and third-party delivery options, featuring its classic pizza lineup alongside favorites like breadsticks, streusels, and specialty pies.

IF YOU GO

  • Opening date: January 19, 2026.
  • Address: 22485 Queen Creek Road, Suite 101

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