Huskers will be shorthanded for three exhibition games in Spain
Nebraska will get its first live look at its 2023-24 roster during its upcoming foreign team trip to Spain.
Unfortunately, the Huskers will be notably shorthanded for their three exhibition games during the nine-day tour.
Head coach Fred Hoiberg said Monday that his team would be without at least five players from its projected game rotation while in Spain.
Guard Keisei Tominaga (Japan) and center Rienk Mast (Netherlands) will be representing their countries at the 2023 FIBA World Cup.
Forward Josiah Allick and center Blaise Keita will be out as they finish up their recoveries from offseason ankle surgery.
Nebraska’s trainers cleared forward Juwan Gary for full on-court work on Friday as he wraps up his offseason shoulder surgery recovery. Hoiberg expects the fifth-year junior to play some limited minutes in Spain, but likely nothing substantial.
The Huskers will also be without walk-on guard Sam Hoiberg, who has been dealing with a knee issue this summer.
New 2023 commit Matar Diop, who pledged to NU on Sunday, will not be ready to make the trip.
Add in the one remaining open scholarship for 2023-24, and Nebraska will arrive in Spain with six available scholarship players.
Nebraska will need all hands on deck
All of this means Nebraska will need every available player on the roster during its three Spain exhibitions.
True freshman Eli Rice and walk-ons like Cale Jacobson, Jeffery Grace, and Henry Burt could see extensive minutes off the bench.
The Huskers will be in Spain from July 28 to Aug. 7. They will travel to Madrid, Valencia, and Barcelona and play a game in each city against local teams of various levels.
Nebraska will play in Madrid on July 30, Valencia on Aug. 2, and Barcelona on Aug. 5. The Huskers will likely not stream the games.
