Faux Pelini: Nebraska a Basketball School? Say It’s So!

Husker Nation, we’re not good at this. We need to do better.

I know, I know – watching a well-oiled basketball machine in Nebraska uniforms doesn’t feel like real life. But still, when you’re ranked No. 13 in the nation, beating the No. 9 team in your own building isn’t something that shocks the world, and it certainly doesn’t warrant an aggressive court storming like we saw Friday night after the victory over Michigan State.

Don’t believe me? OK, let guard Jamarques Lawrence explain: “We’re supposed to win that game, guys. No more court storms please.”

I guess I don’t blame Husker fans for being a little excited. I mean, no Nebraska basketball team has ever won an NCAA Tournament game. Ever. They’re the only remaining power conference team on the wrong end of that trivia question.

Somehow, some way, something has gotten into this version of #Nebrasketball. The Huskers sit atop the Big Ten with a shiny 3-0 record (14-0 overall). What is going on?

Jamarques Lawrence, who chipped in 13 points for Nebraska against MSU, would like Huskers fans to act like they've been there before — Jamarques Lawrence, who chipped in 13 points for Nebraska against MSU, would like Huskers fans to act like they’ve been there before

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Maybe we should have seen this coming when Nebraska cut down the nets in Vegas in April after winning something called the College Basketball Crown. It wasn’t the NCAA Tournament or even the NIT, but it was postseason basketball, and the team came home with hardware.

But doesn’t Fred Hoiberg understand that Nebraska is a football school? Asking to share space in the big red trophy case is just plain rude. Know your place, Fred.

When we had to make room for the bowling team’s six NCAA championship trophies after bowling became an official NCAA “sport” in 2004, I was amused. Who doesn’t like bowling?

Then things started to get out of hand when Nebraska volleyball became a phenomenon, winning six national titles of their own. Even worse, they held a volleyball game in the football stadium and sold the place out! This was a step too far. We don’t play football in the volleyball arena, why do they get to play in the football stadium?

And now the basketball team has captured everyone’s attention, as it’s the first week of January and Nebraska still hasn’t lost a game.

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I’m sure Michigan State coach Tom Izzo agrees with me – that Nebraska fans are overreacting and have no idea how to win, that the court storming on Friday was an embarrassment. Right Tom?

“I absolutely loved it,” Izzo said after the game.

Wait, what?

“I wouldn’t want those people to react (any differently),” Izzo said.

But, you must have been a little annoyed? I mean, what were you thinking before the final buzzer?

“They were lining up back there, I was thinking to myself, ‘Go for it.’ I thought it was great.”

Whatever, Tom. What do you know about basketball anyway?

OK. Maybe this is the team Husker Nation didn’t know we needed after another disappointing football finish. The Huskers got blown out in the bowl game and players are jumping in the portal left and right, including the former favorite son who was supposed to quarterback us to the promised land. Now the football team is rebuilding the rebuild, again.

Coach Hoiberg, are you really willing to accept this mission? You’re creating a monster.

Save me a seat on the bandwagon, I guess. But count me out of the court storming. Unless it’s the Iowa game.