Nebraska Cornhuskers Will Be In 2015 NCAA Tournament

By Matthew Sturgeon
Nebraska Cornhuskers, Terran Petteway, Tim Miles
Bruce Thorson-USA TODAY Sports

If you’re a fan of Nebraska basketball, or Nebrasketball as they like to say, you have a lot of things to be excited about.

That excitement  starts with second-year head coach Tim Miles. Miles has already transformed what was a lackluster vibe around the program, and he’s created a great deal of optimism and enthusiasm amongst the Cornhuskers fans. The ‘Huskers have currently won two of three with big home wins over Ohio State and Minnesota, and they have the look of a young team with loads of potential.

A lot of Nebraska fans weren’t exactly sure what they were getting in Miles. It was definitely an interesting, out-of-the-box hire, but it offered a lot of uncertainty. There was no telling how the new coach would fair in leading the ‘Huskers out of the Big 12 and into the Big 10. Even more importantly, was this the guy to finally lead Nebraska back to the big dance for the first time since 1998?

While he’s only in the middle of his second season in Lincoln, Miles’ hire has proven to be a gem. Any coach who tweets at halftime in each and every one of his team’s games is good enough for me. Seriously though, how awesome is that?

The 47-year-old South Dakota native is full of energy. He’s got a wonderful upbeat personality, and is willing to take on any challenge. He has shown that no task is too tall for him. Just look at his coaching history. Everywhere he has been, he has won. Every program he’s taken over has gotten significantly better under his tutelage as well.

Miles’ coaching history does not include any high-profile or “attractive” jobs, if you will. The guy’s won at places like Mayville State, Southwest Minnesota State, North Dakota State and Colorado State — not exactly your ideal destinations.

The key point for Nebraska fans to take away from all of this is that Miles is going to win. Just give him time. It looks as if that winning attitude and culture in Lincoln is being built in a hurry. The ‘Huskers probably won’t qualify for the NCAA Tournament this year, but I believe they will next year.

Miles has developed an excellent, young and explosive nucleus featuring Terran Petteway, Shavon Shields, Walter Pitchford and Tai Webster. If you haven’t seen Petteway play yet, you’re really missing out. The transfer from Texas Tech is absolutely fearless, and is one of the more underappreciated players in all of college basketball. He’s got all the makings of a star and averages 18.2 points per game along with nearly six rebounds.

This team and program is on the major upswing, folks. Miles has revitalized the ‘Huskers at an incredible rate. Nebraska will be dancin’ in 2015.

Matthew Sturgeon is a College Basketball writer for www.RantSports.com. He covers the Big 10. You can follow him on Twitter @OfficialSturg27

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