Thanks again to Patrick Gerhard from Corn Nation for taking the time to answers a few questions for us. Be sure to check out their site and follow Patrick on Twitter @PatrickGerhart.
Nebraska is just 12-10 so far this year. What was expected out of this year's team and how have they lived up to expectations so far?
Expectations were not high but better than last year. There was really no delusion that we would battle for the top of the conference but I think most people thought we could be a middle tier team. Non conference schedule wasn't a cakewalk but was easily doable outside of a couple teams (Villanova and Cincinnati).
While we have some good talent coming back with Shavon Shields and Tai Webster, a majority of the team would be either new or young. Andrew White III, a transfer from Kansas was expected to contribute greatly and has done so. Almost replacing Petteway who left for the NBA after last season. Coach Miles has actually done some pretty decent recruiting the past couple of years and it was nice to know that we had guys in the wings ready to play. With that said, we really struggled early on against some teams that we should have beat (Samford and Miami) and played poorly in some others. As a whole, I would say we are slightly below expectations as of now.
This is Tim Miles' fourth season as Nebraska's head coach. His best season so far was 2014, when the Cornhuskers went 19-13 and made the NCAA Tournament. How do fans feel about Miles and is he on the hot seat at this point?
Overall, he is still sitting pretty well in the eyes of Husker fans. Last year was a huge disappointment but it also showed us how many games we lucked out on winning the year before. This year hasn't gone quite up to expectations but there has been some signs of improvement within the team. As I stated above, these guys are young and have shown enough improvement that most fans can wait it out another year.
Miles has done a lot for the image of Nebraska basketball. He's personable, intelligent, and media savvy. On top of all that he has recruited talent that has been hard to come by here in the state. As of now he is not on the hotseat.
Who on Nebraska is going to be the most frustrating player for Terps fans to watch on Wednesday?
Frustrating would most likely be Andrew White III. He's our leading scorer and has given opposing teams fits since he stepped on the court here. Another that may raise your eyebrow is Benny Parker. He's a 6'1" point guard who is really good on the defensive end and can make a guy work for his points. Not a big scorer for the most part but holds his own on the court.
What has been the biggest surprise for Nebraska this season? The biggest disappointment?
Biggest surprise would probably be freshman Glynn Watson Jr. He was a 4 star recruit out of Illinois that has found his way onto the starting lineup and has been a big contributor when needed. I guess if you see his high school footage it's not a surprise but you never know how some of these guys transition to college. We look forward to many good years with him on the roster.
Biggest disappointment would probably be the team play. Like you said before, we are currently 12-10 and am will now have an interesting time getting into the NIT. These guys have had one too many games where nothing was clicking and the leadership on the floor was nowhere to be seen. It's improved a bit, but probably a little too late.
Complete this sentence: _________ will win on Wednesday because ________
Nebraska will win on Wednesday because Maryland is looking ahead to Purdue (or gets dysentery).