Premium ContentMouse over Home then click on Premium Content for information.LINCOLN — Contrary to speculation, Saturday's 4 p.m. men's basketball game between host Nebraska and Illinois isn't "Flame-Retardant Pants Day."
But it could be.
Nebraska (11-13, 3-10) has lost five of its past six games — by an average of 17 points — to fall into a tie for last place in the Big Ten.
That has cranked up the heat on sixth-year coach Doc Sadler, who has seen his team hold the lead for less than four minutes of the past 96 minutes of action.
Illinois (16-10, 5-8) has lost seven of its past eight games. Though five of those were by five points or less, ninth-year coach Bruce Weber finds himself in the crosshairs of first-year Athletic Director Mike Thomas, who has fired football coach Ron Zook.
Shared misery doesn't make it easier on either team, Nebraska forward Brandon Ubel said Thursday.
"We can relate, definitely," he said. "We're both going through a little slide right now. We both had big wins early in conference play. It's the ups and downs."
After Illinois lost 67-62 at home Wednesday to Purdue, Weber savaged himself and his players with criticism.
Weber said he had "mollycoddled" his team, failed to create a culture of toughness and that he had coached not to lose. He called out center Meyers Leonard and point guard Brandon Paul for being selfish and pouting.
In a statement Thursday, Weber tried to tone down the effect of his remarks, saying he spoke out of disappointment and aggravation.
"We have a young group that has now been involved in 13 games decided by five points or less," he said, which is believed to be a national high. "Our players, our staff and I know our fans are frustrated because we are so close to putting it together."
Illinois' first meeting with Nebraska, on Jan. 7, was a five-point win, 59-54.
Nebraska was the frustrated team after that game, scoring only one basket in the final 8:45 to let a 45-40 lead get away.
"We played a good basketball game," NU coach Doc Sadler said Thursday. "We had a couple of (missed) free throws and a back door to take the lead that we fumbled."
Nebraska, which hasn't played since last Saturday, has spent its practice time equally on offense and defense.
"We've struggled in both areas lately," Sadler said.
In Big Ten games, Nebraska is last in scoring offense (56.2), last in scoring margin (minus-11) and tied for last with Iowa in field-goal defense (47.1 percent).
• NOTES: Sadler said NU's two redshirts this season, senior center Andre Almeida and junior guard Ray Gallegos, have made progress. Almeida, sitting out after knee surgery, has "practiced consistently for a couple of weeks." Gallegos currently is limited by a severe right wrist sprain suffered in a practice fall. . . . Fans on Saturday can see a model of Pinnacle Bank Arena in the lobby of the Hendricks Training Center.
Contact the writer:
402-444-1024, lee.barfknecht@owh.com
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