Wolverines to Head to Nebraska for First Road Game of Season

» Michigan will play its first road game of the season heading to Nebraska on Christmas Day.
» U-M is the third game of a four-game slate of games on the national holiday. Overall, it will mark the second time playing on Christmas Day.
» The Wolverines rose in both top 25 polls as they are listed 19th in the AP and Coaches Polls.
» Two-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week Hunter Dickinson leads the Wolverines in scoring (15.7) and rebounds (7.3).

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The No. 19-ranked University of Michigan men's basketball team hits the road for the first time this season with a game at Nebraska at the Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln on Christmas Day (Dec. 25) -- marking the third game of a four-game Big Ten slate. The game is scheduled for a 5 p.m. CST tipoff on B1G Network with Kevin Kugler (p-by-p) and Nick Bahe (analyst) as the broadcast crew.

Hail From Home

Game days may look different this season, but the tradition of cheering on Michigan men's basketball continues. Hail From Home is our way to virtually bring the excitement of game day to fans. Throughout the season, fans can look forward to a variety of digital engagements including a game day check-in with monthly prizes, fan cutouts at Crisler Center, game day playlists, Crisler scoreboard messages, special theme games, and more. » Hail from Home

Who are the Nebraska Cornhuskers?

• Nebraska hosts Michigan with a 4-4 record. The Cornhuskers are coming off a 67-53 road loss to #9/9 Wisconsin in their Big Ten opener.
• The Cornhuskers, who use a steady rotation of eight players, are averaging 78.0 points per game paced by three players scoring in double figures led by Western Nebraska CC transfer Teddy Allen's 17.4 points per game followed by Western Kentucky transfer Dalano Banton (13.9) and Pittsburgh transfer Trey McGowens (10.6).
• Nine of Nebraska's 16 players are transfers for Fred Hoiberg's squad.
• In addition to his scoring (13.9 ppg), Banton leads Nebraska with 7.8 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 1.3 blocks per game. Banton has nearly half of all the assists for Nebraska (120).

The Series with Nebraska

• Friday's game will be the 22nd all-time meeting between Michigan and Nebraska.
• U-M leads in the all-time series, 18-3. Since Nebraska joined the Big Ten, Michigan has gone 12-1 against the Cornhuskers and won the last three meetings and 14 of the last 15.
• Michigan has one game (1-0) against Nebraska vacated by the Wolverines due to NCAA Sanctions -- giving U-M a recognized 16-3 all-time record.
• U-M holds a perfect 10-0 record in Ann Arbor, with the Wolverines on a current nine-game winning streak. U-M is 5-3 record in Lincoln, as U-M has won five of the last six games. U-M is 3-0 record in neutral site games with the last coming in the 2018 Big Ten Tournament.
• There has been one game when both Michigan and Nebraska were ranked among the nation's top 25. No. 6 U-M was able to pull off an 88-73 victory over No. 20 Nebraska at the 1992 Rainbow Classic.
• There have been three games decided by three points or fewer with U-M leading, 2-1. The last time was a thrilling one-point Wolverine win at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Jan. 9, 2014. After Nebraska took a one-point lead with 34 seconds remaining, U-M's Derrick Walton Jr. drove to the basket and had a chance for an and-one, but he missed the free throw. With U-M up 71-70, the Cornhuskers' last-second attempt failed giving the Maize and Blue the win.
• There has never been an overtime game in the all-time series.
• Longest U-M win streak: 10 games (March 6, 1980, to March 5, 2017).
• Longest U-M losing streak: 1 game (3x)
• Largest U-M Victory: +36 (93-57) at Nebraska on March 5, 2017
• Largest U-M Loss: -20 (72-52) at Nebraska on Jan. 18, 2018
• U-M Victories by 10+ Points: 13 | U-M Losses by 10+ Points: 2
• U-M's average margin in wins: +16.2 | U-M's average margin in losses: -11.3
• All-Time U-M Points: 1,571 (74.8) | All-Time Nebraska Points: 1,313 (62.5)

Playing in a Winter Wonderland

• Michigan will play just its second-ever game on Christmas Friday at Nebraska. Overall, it will be the fourth all-time game over the Christmas holiday.

December 24, 1952: home vs. Butler - L, 67-63
December 24, 1997: Puerto Rico Holiday Classic vs. Murray State - W, 76-53
December 25, 1997: Puerto Rico Holiday Classic vs. American Puerto Rico - W, 94-49
December 25, 2020: road at Nebraska

Jingle All the Way

• The Big Ten takes center stage for college basketball playing four games on Christmas Day.

#9/9 Wisconsin at #12/11 Michigan State (12:30 p.m.; FOX)
Maryland at Purdue (2:30 p.m.; FS1)
#19/19 Michigan at Nebraska (5 p.m. CT; B1G Network)
#4/5 Iowa at Minnesota (7 p.m. CT; B1G Network)

• Normally, the NBA takes the spotlight on the national holiday. This season is no exception as the NBA opens its season with five games featuring six former Wolverines -- New Orleans at Miami (Duncan Robinson; noon); Golden State at Milwaukee (Jordan Poole & D.J. Wilson; 2:30 p.m.); Brooklyn at Boston (Caris LeVert; 5 p.m.); Dallas at L.A. Lakers (Trey Burke & Tim Hardaway, Jr.; 8 p.m.) and L.A. Clippers at Denver (10:30 p.m.).

Perfect Material for the Broadcast

• Hunter Dickinson leads U-M in scoring (15.7) and rebounding (7.3). He has scored in double figures in all six games. He is shooting 69.1 percent from the field with four games of 6+ buckets. In his first three games, he got off to a strong start shooting 62.5 percent (15-for-24), but has improved to 74.1 percent (23-for-31) over the next three.
• Dickinson has recorded seven of his team-best 10 blocks over the last two games, including a career-best four against Toledo (Dec. 9).
• Franz Wagner has had 5+ rebounds in all six games and is second with 7.0 boards per game.
• Mike Smith has had 3+ assists in all six games and leads U-M with 4.8 assists per game.
• Over the last two seasons Isaiah Livers has missed just three free throws and gone 60-for-63 (95.2 percent). This season he has just one miss and leads U-M at 94.1 percent (16-for-17).
• After naming Austin Davis and Isaiah Livers captains during the preseason, U-M coach Juwan Howard tabbed a third captain as Eli Brooks was given the honor during a practice on Dec. 10th.
• Michigan has scored 80+ points in five games and averages 82.3 per game -- 54th nationally.
• Five Wolverines have 10+ assists, led by Mike Smith (29) and Eli Brooks (22).

You Cannot Take a Night Off in This League

• As of Dec. 21, the Big Ten has seven teams ranked among the nation's top 25 teams in both the Associated Press and Coaches Poll -- Iowa (4/5), Wisconsin (9/9), Rutgers (11/12), Michigan State (12/11), Illinois (18/18), Michigan (19/19) and Ohio State (23/20). In addition to that seven, the Big Ten has four additional teams receiving votes -- Indiana, Purdue, Northwestern and Minnesota.
• The Big Ten (7) has the most of any other conference as the ACC and Big 12 each have five among both polls.
• The Big Ten (+18.72) is listed as the top conference by Ken Pom with the Big 12 (+18.31) and ACC (+15.18) close behind.

Team	AP	Coaches
Iowa	4	5
Wisconsin	9	9
Rutgers	11	12
Michigan State	12	11
Illinois	18	18
Michigan	19	19
Ohio State	23	20
Indiana	RV (30)	RV (30)
Purdue	RV (36)	RV (45)
Northwestern	RV (38)	--
Minnesota	RV (40)	RV (43)

Big Country Sidelined with Right Foot Injury

• Juwan Howard announced on Dec. 11, Austin Davis would be out indefinitely after suffering a plantar fascia injury in his right foot during a non-contact movement of the second half against Toledo (Dec. 9).
• Davis has continued his rehabilitation with trainer Alex Wong with no official time table for a return.
• So far, Davis has missed one game -- Penn State (Dec. 13).
• Davis returned for a fifth year and was named a captain (along with Isaiah Livers & Eli Brooks) at the beginning of the season. The Onsted, Michigan, native had started five games this season, averaging 6.0 points and 3.6 rebounds per game. Before the injury, he tallied a career-best 12 points against the Rockets in just 12 minutes of action.