Nebraska head coach Fred Hoiberg (from left) stands for the national anthem with Husker assistant coaches Doc Sadler and Matt Abdelmassih before a game earlier this season. Sadler and special assistant Bobby Lutz won't travel with the Huskers on road trips for the remainder of the season to protect their health.
As the Nebraska men's basketball team prepares for its first road trip after a three-week COVID-19 pause, the Huskers will head to Michigan State without a pair of staff members.
Assistant coach Doc Sadler and special assistant to the head coach Bobby Lutz will not travel on road trips for the remainder of the season in an effort to protect the health of both men.
"Just because of the importance of trying to keep everybody healthy and minimize the risk as much as possible," NU coach Fred Hoiberg said Friday. "I just told Doc, 'Don't watch "The Bachelor" on Monday.' Make sure he watches the game."
Because of their ages, Sadler, 60, and Lutz, 62, have a higher risk of suffering more severe symptoms from the virus than others in the program.
Both coaches will be able to share their thoughts during Nebraska's games, relaying messages to a staffer on NU's bench who will then pass the thoughts on to Hoiberg during timeouts.
"Right now it's not worth it to me to have extra risk involved with guys that are in high-risk categories," Hoiberg said.
Sadler and Lutz also have been arriving at the Hendricks Practice Facility just before NU starts practice, and leaving immediately after practice in another effort to minimize any potential exposure.
Hoiberg said he and assistant coach Armon Gates will handle the walk-through Saturday before NU plays Michigan State, and those two also will run the practice and walk-through for Nebraska's Monday game at Minnesota.
Nebraska will travel directly from East Lansing, Michigan, to Minneapolis to play the Golden Gophers.
Hoiberg said Nebraska's coaches continue to wear masks during practice. As for the members of the program who have already contracted the virus, Hoiberg said those people don't have to test for 90 days.
The Huskers have 30 Tier 1 individuals — players, coaches, staff members and others who have regular contact with the team — who test daily. Of those 30, about half have already contracted the virus.
Dalano Banton
The most unique player on the roster and one of the most unique players in the Big Ten will step into a prominent role for the first time as a college player. A former top-100 recruit out of Canada, Banton showed flashes of his ability at Western Kentucky, but ultimately ended the 2018-19 season averaging 3.4 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. Those numbers are likely to go way up this season. Banton will have the ball in his hands nearly every time down the court for Nebraska, whether it’s to initiate offense or attack the basket. His shooting needs to improve (40% from the field and 21% from three-point range at WKU), but if it does, Banton could be in for a monster season.
Trevor Lakes
Transfer forward Trevor Lakes was ruled eligible Thursday by the NCAA and will make his Nebraska debut against Doane.
Teddy Allen
The former Boys Town star appears ready to bring his “Teddy Buckets” nickname back to the big stage. Fred Hoiberg has praised Allen’s ability to score from all three levels ever since he got to campus, and the junior scored 29 points in the team’s first scrimmage of the season in Pinnacle Bank Arena. While he hasn’t played Division I ball since the 2017-18 season, when he was a freshman at West Virginia, Allen’s craftiness and smarts will have the chance to flourish in Nebraska’s wide-open system. He also has as much postseason experience as anyone on the Husker roster after averaging 11.3 points per game on 55% shooting in the 2018 NCAA Tournament. That included a 10-point game against eventual national champion Villanova.
Eduardo Andre
Raw freshman who only began playing basketball when he was 14 years old. His nearly 7-foot-5 wingspan is the longest on the team.
Akol Arop
Out for the year after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his left knee. Averaged 1.0 points and 1.3 rebounds per game as a freshman.
Lat Mayen
If Mayen is able to translate his practice exploits to games, the Huskers will have a budding star on their hands. The 6-foot-9 forward has proved to be one of the team’s best three-point shooters in workouts, according to Hoiberg, and the story of him making 86 of 100 threes during a practice drill has taken on cult status among media and fans of the program. Oh, by the way, he’ll also be one of NU’s best rebounders. When the Huskers go small, Mayen will likely move to the 5 and present even more matchup problems for opponents. It’s been a long road for the junior, who never got off the ground at TCU because of injuries and grinded through a year of juco ball before getting to Lincoln.
Trey McGowens
There’s a reason Nebraska really wanted to get McGowens eligible this season. The junior finished fourth in the ACC in steals and 10th in assists last year at Pittsburgh, and averaged double figures in points in both of his two seasons with the Panthers. Nebraska wants to be known for its offense, but in McGowens the Huskers have a defensive stopper with length and athleticism on that end of the floor. Perhaps just as important as anything he does on the court, McGowens also played a key role in getting his younger brother, five-star prospect Trey, to consider and eventually commit to Nebraska. If the Huskers do turn things around over the next two seasons, a lot of that success will have run through McGowens.
Chris McGraw
Former walk-on at Ohio University who spent last season at Division III Otterbein (Ohio). Because of injury, hasn't played in a game since 2018.
Yvan Ouedraogo
Ouedraogo went through the fire last season, thrown to the Big Ten wolves as a 17-year-old from France living far away from his family for the first time. And while his struggles as a first-year big man were sometimes laid bare, whether it was his free-throw shooting or struggling to finish in traffic, the youngster kept with it and played his best basketball at the end of the season. He also went to work over the summer, dropping 20 pounds from his 6-foot-9, 265-pound frame while adding explosiveness and improving his conditioning. All that work has Ouedraogo in the mix for a starting role on a team deeper and more talented than the one he joined last year that forced him onto the court by necessity.
Jace Piatkowski
Walk-on who redshirted last season as a freshman. The son of Husker legend Eric Piatkowski will look for his first college minutes this season.
Bret Porter
Fourth-generation Husker who walked on and redshirted last season. Porter's father, grandfather and great-grandfather played football at Nebraska.
Shamiel Stevenson
Set for a large role after sitting out last season, Stevenson gives Nebraska size and versatility at the guard spot, along with the ability to finish at an impressive clip.
Thorir Thorbjarnarson
After a breakout junior season, Thorbjarnarson is NU's leading returning scorer. He's in line for more major minutes this year.
Derrick Walker
One of Nebraska's most vocal players, and a veteran presence with experience on a NCAA Tournament team at Tennessee, Walker will provide much-needed depth in the frontcourt.
Kobe Webster
NU will look to the Western Illinois grad transfer for instant offense after he scored more than 1,400 points in three seasons with the Leathernecks. A crafty, veteran leader both on an off the court.
Elijah Wood
The last addition to Nebraska's roster, Wood came to NU after Kobe King's departure opened up a spot. He'll provide depth at both guard spots.
Lutz
Contact the writer at cbasnett@journalstar.com or 402-473-7436. On Twitter @HuskerExtraCB.
Chris Basnett
Husker men's basketball/baseball reporter
A Ravenna native, Chris covers the University of Nebraska men's basketball team and assists with football coverage. He spent nearly 10 years covering sports at the Kearney Hub and nearly four years at the Springfield News-Leader in Springfield, Mo.
