Mike Schaefer
There's a light at the end of the tunnel for the Cornhuskers' basketball team. It's not much, but if one squints really hard, a small ray of sun is visible.
That light is the College Basketball Invitational.
The CBI is the upstart postseason tournament for teams not good enough to make the National Invitational Tournament, which is made up of teams not good enough to make the field of 65 in the NCAA tournament.
Basically, it is an "everyone is a winner" trophy. Last year, at an underwhelming 13-17, Oregon State, who beat Nebraska 64-63, qualified.
Do the Huskers have the luck of the Beavers?
Almost anyone who has followed this team would admit Nebraska isn't particularly deserving of postseason play.
A brief glance at the resume sums it up for anyone who has had the fortune of avoiding this team: 14-16 overall and an appalling 2-13 record in the Big 12 Conference.
It seems natural to assume no team should be rewarded for this kind of a season. It is probably more of a reward to fans if the season ended mercifully, but this Husker team is better than the record indicates.
Not substantially, but a team working this hard should have more wins to show for it.
Despite the teams audacious performance against Colorado on Tuesday night, it is rare for Nebraska to not show up to play in games this season. Effort isn't where the Huskers are hurting.
The problem for the Huskers is finishing games. Several times this season Nebraska has led in the second half, only to watch the lead slip away when another five minute scoring drought sets in. When the team does have a chance to win the game, the players look scared to step up and seize the opportunity.
If the Huskers had properly managed timeouts, made free-throws or executed plays, maybe it would already be a lock for the NIT. The "what if" games are not important, though. Nebraska still has an opportunity to qualify for the CBI.
Nebraska head coach Doc Sadler needs to convey that message. The season isn't lost.
It is a long shot, but Nebraska needs at least two more wins against conference foes. For those scoring at home, that's double its current amount.
The team's only known opponent is Oklahoma State on Saturday. Last week, the Cowboys beat previously No. 1 Kansas but then fell in the midweek game to Texas A&M. On paper it is another mismatch, but the Huskers have shown all year it can play with just about anyone.
Following the OSU game, Nebraska would try to topple the fifth seed in the Big 12 Conference tournament.
It's an unlikely scenario, sure, but this team needs these wins to make a postseason game. With that kind of attitude, the Huskers might be at its best.
Don't dismiss the CBI as a motivating factor because no one watches or attends the games. Think of it like the Independence Bowl. No one is actually excited to go play the game, but for a young and developing team, extra practice time is always important.
Also, for seniors like Ryan Anderson and Sek Henry, it would be a better sendoff than the loss they suffered on senior night. Even for the non-seniors, it is a small reward for all the hard work put in over the course of the season.
Sadler needs it, too. He needs something to point at this season, which is shaping up to be one of the worst seasons of Husker basketball ever.
The coach knows all of this and it is why he still has his team practicing hard – 5 in the morning hard.
He won't let the Huskers go out quietly, even if it is in the CBI and no one is around to see it.
mike schaefer is a senior news-editorial major. reach him at michaelschaefer@dailynebraskan.com.
is a member of the 
Be the first to comment on this article!