The Nebraska men?s basketball team is looking to get its road record healthy against a team that hasn?t been.
The Huskers, who were 3-12 on the road last season and lost 66-62 in overtime at Rhode Island in their only road game this season, play at Florida State on Monday night in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.
Florida State was 22-15 last season and advanced to the National Invitational Tournament but began this season with losses in three of four games. And although the Seminoles (3-3) have won two in a row, against The Citadel and Charleston Southern, they?re facing Nebraska at less than full-strength.
Florida State will be without guard Devon Bookert, the school?s all-time leading three-point shooter at 46.6 percent. Bookert is out indefinitely after having surgery to remove a screw from a foot he broke in May. He played in Florida State?s first three games and none since.
The bigger question is whether the Seminoles? leading scorer, guard Aaron Thomas, will play against Nebraska.
Thomas, who averages 14 points, was taken out of the arena on a stretcher during halftime of a Nov. 23 neutral-court loss to Massachusetts. Thomas was hospitalized after suffering from dehydration and has missed Florida State?s last two games.
With its two most experienced guards sitting out, Florida State was 2-of-16 from three-point range in a 58-47 Friday victory against Charleston Southern.
A bright spot for the Seminoles, though, has been the emergence of freshman guard Xavier Rathan-Mayes, who was 14-of-24 from the field, including 6-of-12 on three-pointers, in Florida State?s last two victories.
Rathan-Mayes scored a career-high 26 points Tuesday against The Citadel and tied a school record by going 5-of-5 on three-pointers while shooting 8-of-9 overall from the field.
Florida State?s losses have come at home to Northeastern (76-73) and on neutral courts to Providence (80-54) and Massachusetts (75-69).
?They?re a physical team,? Nebraska coach Tim Miles said of the Seminoles. ?They?re a really aggressive defensive team, so I think it?s about being fresh. I like the matchup, because it?s going to test how well we handle the ball and how we do against pressure.?
Nebraska is averaging 15.4 turnovers, and Florida State is forcing teams into an average of 15 per game.
Florida State, picked in the preseason to finish eighth in the Atlantic Coast Conference, is coached by Leonard Hamilton, who?s 5-3 in his career against Nebraska, all while he coached at Oklahoma State (1987-90).
?They?re really well-coached. They have a great program,? Miles said. ?They?ll be ready to go.?
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Nebraska-Florida State bb lineups
NEBRASKA (4-1)
Player; Ht.; Yr.; RPG; PPG
G Benny Parker; 5-9; Jr.; 1.6; 6.6
G Terran Petteway; 6-6; Jr.; 5.6; 20.2
G Shavon Shields; 6-7; Jr.; 7.2; 19.8
F David Rivers; 6-7; Sr.; 4.3; 6.0
F Walter Pitchford; 6-10; Jr.; 3.2; 6.6
WHO TO WATCH
Pitchford. Finally, the sharp-shooting forward found his touch after a horrid slump to start the season. Nobody expects 6-of-10 three-point shooting every game, but can Pitchford begin providing more consistent offense?
FLORIDA STATE (3-3)
Player; Ht.; Yr.; RPG; PPG
G Xavier Rathan-Mayes; 6-4; Fr.; 2.0; 13.8
G Robbie Berwick; 6-6; Fr.; 1.2; 2.2
G Montay Brandon; 6-8; Jr.; 6.8; 12.5
F Jarquez Smith; 6-9; So.; 1.8; 5.2
C Kiel Turpin; 7-0; Sr.; 1.8; 4.7
WHO TO WATCH
Rathan-Mayes. The freshman averaged 21 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and one steal in 73 total minutes over the last three games, helping Florida State to victories over The Citadel and Charleston Southern last week.
Three things to watch
* Can Nebraska steal a road win in what's sure to be a lackluster environment? Florida State, which lost at home to Northeastern, is averaging a mere 5,600 fans through four home games.
* Monday's game is just the second meeting between Nebraska and Florida State, and the first on either school's campus. Florida State defeated the Barry Colllier-led Huskers 74-60 in the 2005 Orange Bowl Classic.
* With Benny Parker in the starting lineup in Nebraska's last two games, the Huskers are averaging 13.5 assists, compared with 10.7 in the season's first three games. Parker is averaging 2.4 assists, and Terran Petteway is coming off a career-high eight assists against Tennessee-Martin.
The Huskers, who were 3-12 on the road last season and lost 66-62 in overtime at Rhode Island in their only road game this season, play at Florida State on Monday night in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.
Florida State was 22-15 last season and advanced to the National Invitational Tournament but began this season with losses in three of four games. And although the Seminoles (3-3) have won two in a row, against The Citadel and Charleston Southern, they?re facing Nebraska at less than full-strength.
Florida State will be without guard Devon Bookert, the school?s all-time leading three-point shooter at 46.6 percent. Bookert is out indefinitely after having surgery to remove a screw from a foot he broke in May. He played in Florida State?s first three games and none since.
The bigger question is whether the Seminoles? leading scorer, guard Aaron Thomas, will play against Nebraska.
Thomas, who averages 14 points, was taken out of the arena on a stretcher during halftime of a Nov. 23 neutral-court loss to Massachusetts. Thomas was hospitalized after suffering from dehydration and has missed Florida State?s last two games.
With its two most experienced guards sitting out, Florida State was 2-of-16 from three-point range in a 58-47 Friday victory against Charleston Southern.
A bright spot for the Seminoles, though, has been the emergence of freshman guard Xavier Rathan-Mayes, who was 14-of-24 from the field, including 6-of-12 on three-pointers, in Florida State?s last two victories.
Rathan-Mayes scored a career-high 26 points Tuesday against The Citadel and tied a school record by going 5-of-5 on three-pointers while shooting 8-of-9 overall from the field.
Florida State?s losses have come at home to Northeastern (76-73) and on neutral courts to Providence (80-54) and Massachusetts (75-69).
?They?re a physical team,? Nebraska coach Tim Miles said of the Seminoles. ?They?re a really aggressive defensive team, so I think it?s about being fresh. I like the matchup, because it?s going to test how well we handle the ball and how we do against pressure.?
Nebraska is averaging 15.4 turnovers, and Florida State is forcing teams into an average of 15 per game.
Florida State, picked in the preseason to finish eighth in the Atlantic Coast Conference, is coached by Leonard Hamilton, who?s 5-3 in his career against Nebraska, all while he coached at Oklahoma State (1987-90).
?They?re really well-coached. They have a great program,? Miles said. ?They?ll be ready to go.?
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Nebraska-Florida State bb lineups
NEBRASKA (4-1)
Player; Ht.; Yr.; RPG; PPG
G Benny Parker; 5-9; Jr.; 1.6; 6.6
G Terran Petteway; 6-6; Jr.; 5.6; 20.2
G Shavon Shields; 6-7; Jr.; 7.2; 19.8
F David Rivers; 6-7; Sr.; 4.3; 6.0
F Walter Pitchford; 6-10; Jr.; 3.2; 6.6
WHO TO WATCH
Pitchford. Finally, the sharp-shooting forward found his touch after a horrid slump to start the season. Nobody expects 6-of-10 three-point shooting every game, but can Pitchford begin providing more consistent offense?
FLORIDA STATE (3-3)
Player; Ht.; Yr.; RPG; PPG
G Xavier Rathan-Mayes; 6-4; Fr.; 2.0; 13.8
G Robbie Berwick; 6-6; Fr.; 1.2; 2.2
G Montay Brandon; 6-8; Jr.; 6.8; 12.5
F Jarquez Smith; 6-9; So.; 1.8; 5.2
C Kiel Turpin; 7-0; Sr.; 1.8; 4.7
WHO TO WATCH
Rathan-Mayes. The freshman averaged 21 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and one steal in 73 total minutes over the last three games, helping Florida State to victories over The Citadel and Charleston Southern last week.
Three things to watch
* Can Nebraska steal a road win in what's sure to be a lackluster environment? Florida State, which lost at home to Northeastern, is averaging a mere 5,600 fans through four home games.
* Monday's game is just the second meeting between Nebraska and Florida State, and the first on either school's campus. Florida State defeated the Barry Colllier-led Huskers 74-60 in the 2005 Orange Bowl Classic.
* With Benny Parker in the starting lineup in Nebraska's last two games, the Huskers are averaging 13.5 assists, compared with 10.7 in the season's first three games. Parker is averaging 2.4 assists, and Terran Petteway is coming off a career-high eight assists against Tennessee-Martin.
