It’s Madness of March time.
Even though the women’s college basketball champion will not be crowned until April 7 and the men on April 8, basketball fans tend to focus heavily on the games played during the second half of March — because those are the games that will either make or break those who choose to bet pennies on the first 63 games played.
Both Nebraska U teams have qualified.
The men will play Texas A&M in Memphis, TN on Friday at 5 pm MDT, and the women will play Texas A&M in Corvallis, OR on Friday at 8:30 pm MDT.
Most of this column will focus on the men’s team.
Unless Fred Hoiberg’s 2023-24 Huskers can win at least two games in the tournament and advance to the Sweet 16, they will probably remain in second place among my favorites.
I have been following Cornhusker men’s basketball since the night of Saturday, January 30, 1971.
So here is a quick synopsis of my favorite teams.
1. 1975-76. Joe Cipriano’s team — the last to play in the NU Coliseum –finished the year with a record of 19 wins and 8 losses. They accomplished a very respectable Big 8 Conference record of 10 wins and 4 losses. Cip’s starting lineup consisted of Jerry Fort, Bob Siegel, Larry Cox, Steve Willis and Allen Holder. Despite its fine record, NU was not invited to play in any post-season tournament. I was a junior in high school and attended several games. My ticket cost $1.00 and I usually arrived at the Coliseum two hours before tipoff to secure my seat – which was six rows behind the NU bench.
2. 2023-24. Fred Hoiberg’s best team by a country mile. How hard these guys play, and their never-give-up spirit is contagious. Pinnacle Bank arena sellouts became the norm. Thus far, 23 wins total with 18 victories at PBA thanks to revved up crowds in which inspired the Cornhuskers to claim victories over No. 1 Purdue and No. 6 Wisconsin. Keisei Tominaga, Josiah Allick, Sam Hoiberg and Rienk Mast were certainly fan favorites. I never made it to Lincoln this year to watch this team. My connection was via television and radio.
3. 1990-91. Danny Nee’s Huskers won a school record 26 games and lost only eight and finished the season ranked No. 11. Devaney Sports Center sellouts were common. Led by seven-foot, two-inch center Rich King of Omaha, Nebraska was awarded a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Despite having a home-court advantage in Minneapolis, where thousands of Husker fans took over the arena, NU experienced a painful loss to Xavier by five points to end their magical season. Fan favorites were Tony Farmer, Jose Ramos, Carl Hayes, Clifford Scales and Beau Reid. Reid hit the winning shot against Michigan State as NU upset the No. 5 Spartans, 71-69. Nebraska scored at least 100 points in five of its games. I was in attendance when NU rang up 105 points against Oklahoma.
4. 2013-14. Smiling Tim Miles’ Huskers won 19 games. It was the first season in the sparkling Pinnacle Bank Arena. Nebraska’s only home loss was a one-point heartbreaker to Michigan. After losing five consecutive games in early January, Nebraska would claim victory in 11 of its next 14 games. The season ended with an NCAA Tournament opening round game loss to Baylor. A fan favorite was Shavon Shields, the son of former Husker football great, Will Shields. Alliance native Mike Peltz also played for the Big Red. The team’s final home game that year saw Peltz propose to his future bride, Shelby Campbell, in front of 15,998 fans and a Big 10 Network TV audience.
5. 1977-78. Cipriano’s Big Red finished the season with a record of 22 wins and eight losses – including a 65-58 win over Creighton – in which the two teams had met for the first time since 1932. Led by Carl McPipe, Brian Banks, Andre Smith, Bob Moore, and Terry Novak, NU played in the NIT Tournament, defeating Utah State and losing at Texas. Since I was a student at UNL, I attended every home contest.
Other enjoyable NU teams were 1982-83, which won 22 games, including three in the NIT. 1986-87, which won 21 games including a third-place finish in the NIT. 1995-96, which won 21 games, including the NIT championship.
As far as the NU Women, the 2013-14 squad was my favorite. Led by Alliance’s Jordan Hooper — the Big 10 Play of the Year — Nebraska won 26 games, including the Big Ten Tournament Championship in Indianapolis. The Huskers also won an NCAA Tournament game vs. Fresno State.
Go Big Red!