Minnesota's current losing streak continued last night, as they dropped a road game to a Nebraska team that was yet to win a conference game all season. It was an all-around sloppy performance from the Gophers, and here are three of my main takeaways from the performance.
Turnovers Turnovers Turnovers
For a team that is usually good with ball security, last night was the complete opposite. They seemed to be sloppy and a bit careless with the ball, resulting in 18 turnovers. That number is double what their season average was coming into the game. Those 18 turnovers were a major factor in Nebraska's ability to put up 78 points, as the Huskers got out in the open floor for 21 transition points. For a team that doesn't have a lot of individual talent or explosive athletes, ball security is a must. And especially when playing a team that is the underdog against everyone in the conference, you can't afford to give them easy points that allow them to build some momentum especially when you're on the road.
Flat Footed From The Start
Minnesota just didn't seem to have the energy and intensity that they had become known for during the non-conference portion of the schedule. Nebraska immediately came out swinging, putting up 9 quick points on the Gophers, including a high flying alley-oop slam that got their home crowd fired up. From there, Minnesota just never responded as Nebraska kept their lead for the entire game, eventually winning by 13 points. Not really sure if it's the lack of depth that's leading to some fatigue late in the season, maybe the losing streak bringing down morale, or something else, but Minnesota needs to get that energy back if they hope to pick up a few more wins to close out the year.
Battle Picks Up Some Momentum
One bright spot from last night is that Jamison Battle got going in the second half. After struggling to hit shots recently, Jamison finished with 21 points (all in the second half) while shooting 5-9 from beyond the arc. As a shooter, you can get into slumps at times that last over the course of a few games, but just seeing a few shots fall can be enough to get you out of it. Last night, Jamison knocked one down early in the second half and didn't look back from there. The loss last night was disappointing as it was a game that Minnesota definitely had the ability to win, but if anything, hopefully Jamison has found his shooting touch again and it will carry over into the next game.
Key Players For Minnesota
Jamison Battle- 21 points, 10 rebounds
Payton Willis- 13 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists
Sean Sutherlin- 11 points, 5 rebounds
Key Players For Nebraska
Alonzo Verge Jr.- 22 points, 4 assists, 3 steals
Bryce McGowens- 16 points, 4 rebounds
Trey McGowens- 6 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists
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