LINCOLN — In athletics, injury to one means opportunity for another.
But the playing time and competition level Mike Fox has been part of the past week is more than the Nebraska basketball walk-on from Beatrice expected.
Last Saturday against then-No. 16 Michigan State, the 6-foot-4, 205-pound junior found himself guarding All-Big Ten forward Draymond Green, who checks in at 6-7 and 230.
Then on Tuesday, Fox bumped rumps with 6-9, 265-pound Ohio State forward Jared Sullinger, the consensus preseason national player of the year.
During the games, Fox said, the brushes with fame don't register.
"Afterward, though, it sinks in," he said Thursday. "I was talking to some people last night about guarding Jared Sullinger. That doesn't happen to a Nebraska kid that often.
"That's the fun thing about it. Just being from where I am, and to where I am now is kind of surreal sometimes."
Fox's playing time has come as a result of injuries to wing Dylan Talley and centers Andre Almeida and Jorge Brian Diaz.
In seven games last year, Fox played 18 minutes. This season, he has appeared in nine games for 54 minutes, producing eight points and two rebounds.
Before the season, Nebraska coach Doc Sadler mentioned Fox — in his fourth year at NU after one semester at Division II Northwest Missouri State — as a candidate for spot duty if needed.
"I always thought I was capable of playing at this level," Fox said. "But you're never ready to go against the Jared Sullingers and Draymond Greens. It's fun, but it's tough at the same time."
A.D.: No comment on state of NU basketball
Nebraska Athletic Director Tom Osborne declined to comment Thursday when The World-Herald asked him to assess the state of the men's basketball program and its near future.
The Huskers, 8-6 entering Saturday's game at Illinois, have lost their first three Big Ten games by a combined 68 points and have two wins overall against foes with winning records. Injuries have dampened the outlook for a team that in preseason was touted as the best in Sadler's six seasons.
Osborne said he wasn't trying to "duck the question."
"It's just that anything I would say in that regard would be said to the head coach," he said.
Promotions, discounts for final home games
The NU athletic department said Thursday it will offer multiple discounts and promotions for remaining home games.
For the next home game — Wednesday against Penn State — Red Zone student members can bring another NU student free with valid ID; soft drinks will sell for $1; and families with children enrolled in the Nebraska JV Team kids club will get a free ticket for their kids.
Contact the writer:
402-444-1024, lee.barfknecht@owh.com
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