It’s been just over three decades since Nebraska earned consecutive NCAA Tournament bids.With depth pieces such as Andrew Morgan and Connor Essegian supplementing the team’s core of Brice Williams and Juwan Gary, the Cornhuskers might have what it takes to trudge through the stacked Big Ten Conference and make the NCAA field again in March.Nebraska will try to take another step toward that goal Monday night in Honolulu with a semifinal matchup in the Diamond Head Classic against the host school, Hawaii.The winner will advance to the championship game on Christmas Day against either Oakland or Oregon State, who will play in the first semifinal on Monday.Morgan and Essegian came off the bench in Sunday’s 66-49 win over Murray State to combine for 27 points. Morgan, a North Dakota State transfer, collected 12 points and 12 rebounds for his first double-double with Nebraska (8-2).The 6-foot-10, 242-pound Morgan has proved to be a solid replacement for senior Rienk Mast, who’s sitting out the year after sustaining a knee injury last season.”Andrew gives us a lot of the same skill level that Rienk has,” Cornhuskers coach Fred Hoiberg said. “I’ve been really, really impressed with Andrew and his physicality.”Williams averages a team-high 17.9 points per game, even after his string of nine games in double figures to start the season was snapped Sunday as he managed just nine points. Essegian is averaging 13.2 points per game, while Gary chips in 10.8.
