Nebraska crafted a non-conference schedule worthy of an NCAA tournament bid. To hold up their end of the bargain, the Huskers had to win some of those tough games, but came up just short in all of three of the tight games (Drake, Washington State, Arkansas) they played. The nine-point loss to Creighton is also going to sting badly (for reference, my Jackrabbits beat Creighton 74-48 and Amy Williams’ former team, the South Dakota Coyotes beat them 77-65).
Am I saying the Huskers won’t make the NCAA Tourney? No. But if the Huskers make a move during conference play and are watching their TVs anxiously on selection day, a few of these early games will be haunting them.