The Nebraska men’s basketball team faced Saint Louis in an exhibition match on Friday night, marking their first game since their Sweet 16 run last season. With eight newcomers and seven returnees, including Pryce Sandfort and Braden Frager, Nebraska brought a refreshed lineup to the court. In the 79-74 loss to the Billikens, 13 players participated.
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Saint Louis, which reached the NCAA Tournament last year and was defeated by the eventual national champion Michigan in the second round, posed a significant challenge for Nebraska. After the game, head coach Fred Hoiberg noted, "The disappointing thing to me was I thought they out-toughed us. We can’t simulate the pressure we saw in this game tonight, and we’ll continue to work on that."
One highlight from the game was Nebraska's defensive struggle against the perimeter. Although Nebraska controlled the paint initially, Saint Louis found success from beyond the arc. The Billikens converted 6-of-19 three-point attempts in the first half and added six more in the second half for a total of 34% shooting on threes for the game. Junior Kellen Thames and sophomore Amari McCottry each scored 11 points, with only one of those points coming from a three-pointer.
Freshman Jacob Lanier made a notable debut, scoring a team-high 15 points, shooting 2-for-4 from three-point range. He showcased his skills, especially when he hit a buzzer-beater three-pointer at the end of the first half, momentarily giving Nebraska the lead.
On rebounding, both teams finished with 41 boards, with Nebraska's Cale Jacobsen leading the team with seven. Despite similar rebounding numbers, Jacobsen acknowledged their need to improve, stating, "We got out-toughed a little bit tonight. To do that on our home floor or any time, that’s not the standard. That’s not how you win in the Big Ten. Hopefully we can learn from that tonight."
Next, Nebraska will play against BYU on Friday, October 16, with the game time and broadcast details yet to be announced.