Nebraska ready for physical battle with No. 9 Illinois, Hoiberg provides Frager, Mast updates

LINCOLN, Neb. - In a game as high-level as Sunday promises to be, the Huskers being at full strength would be helpful.

As No. 5 Nebraska gets set to host No. 9 Illinois, Head Coach Fred Hoiberg provided injury/illness updates on senior F Rienk Mast and freshman G Braden Frager.

Mast missed Tuesday’s tilt with No. 3 Michigan with the flu and was taken to the hospital for IV treatment, Hoiberg said. If Mast responds well on Saturday, he should be good to go for Sunday.

Meanwhile, Frager is trending towards a game time decision as he works back from a sprained ankle - he participated in about half of Friday’s practice.

As for the game, the Huskers are ready for a physical contest.

“If they hit us first, it’s over,” Hoiberg said. “We’re not going to out jump them or out length-them. We have to be the more physical team if we want ow in and that’s hard to do against Illinois.”

“That’s the game right there,” G Jamarques Lawrence said. “We have to come out, off the rip, and get physical.”

Illinois loves the offensive rebound… They currently average 13.4 a game. Cale Jacobsen says the Huskers will have to lock in on rebounding, on both ends of the floor.

“When their [Illinois’] offense is at its best, they grab offensive rebounds and they score,” Jacobsen said. “They’re maybe, right now, the best offensive in the country so they’re going to be hard to slow down. For us, it’s just, make the first shot tough, grab the rebound, and get out and run.”

Nebraska won the prior matchup with the Illini 83-80 on Dec. 13, by virtue of a Jamarques Lawrence three pointer at the buzzer.

Tip off Sunday is set for 3:00 p.m. CT.