The Nebraska Huskers are looking every bit like national champs already. With Lexi Rodriguez spearheading the charge, John Cook’s girls have trounced every opponent in the 2024 NCAA Volleyball tournament so far. Winning against Dayton (3-1), the team will now face off against the Wisconsin Badgers on Friday at the Bob Devaney Center, and the anticipation is already sky-high.

In the regular season, the Huskers pulled off something incredible this year. Upon their two encounters with the Badgers, the Nebraska girls have won both matches, a feat they haven’t been able to boast about for quite some time. Naturally, with the fixture setting up for the third time, the hopes of bagging a throuple of victories against the arch-enemies are making every Lincoln fan look ahead with eagerness. So, before the weekend’s NCAA Regional Finals, here’s everything you need to know about what’s at stake to enjoy the match better!

Nebraska will go into the match with a lot to lose

This season, the Bob Devaney Center has become a fortress that has proved to be impenetrable so far. Including the three matches won at this year’s NCAA tournament, the Huskers are riding high on a staggering 43-game home winning streak, as per a post by the Big Ten X account from December 13. Sunday’s fixture is once again set at the Huskers’ home turf, with Nebraska winning the hosting rights for the regional matches. Justifiably, the fans can’t help but think the home advantage will again play its role. But this isn’t the only streak that Nebraska will risk losing against Wisconsin the day after tomorrow.

Along with boasting the second longest home winning streak in D1, D2, and D3 history, Merritt Beason & Co. are also sitting atop the record of the 2nd-highest NCAA wins (132 victories). Moreover, its latest victory over the Flyers has brought Nebraska its 40th Sweet 16 appearance in the NCAA Championship, which is the most history till now.

But considering how Huskers’ libero Rodriguez has been on a roll, it’s not at all surprising to see the team blitz into the regional finals. With Coach Cook wishing to make the seniors’ final ride with the squad one to remember by winning the NCAA title this year, Rodriguez seems all too eager to make that dream a reality. With 1,843 career digs, Lexi currently ranks 2nd in school history. And yet, despite whatever Nebraska dishes out, they’d be in for a difficult game.

Can Wisconsin break the slump?

Don’t let the back-to-back losses to Nebraska fool you about Wisconsin’s prowess as a volleyball team. The Badgers won their first national volleyball title in 2021 and have been a dominant force in the Big Ten conference. They have also reached the NCAA Elite Eight stage an impressive 14 times, making it clear that Wisconsin knows what it takes to win high-stakes matches.

The Huskers and the Badgers have met a total of 24 times, with the latter leading the statistics by 13-11. At Field House, the Badgers’ home turf, the hosts lead the way 8-4, while things are different when taking data from only the Devaney Center into account (4-7, in favor of Nebraska). Wisconsin has also won 7 of the last 10 encounters, underscoring the fact that the team is only going through a bad phase against the Huskers. But can they finally break the cycle this Sunday? We’ll have to wait to see!

Will Nebraska fans make the opportunity count?

John Cook and his team lost the finals to Texas last year. It’s not difficult to comprehend that the loss was a serious blow to the Huskers’ emphatic campaign, and this year they look determined to make up for the same. Moreover, Cook is also eager to win the NCAA title and give the departing seniors the best possible parting gift. He’s urged the Nebraska fans to do their best and rally behind the team to help them go all the way at this year’s tournament.

And the community hasn’t disappointed him so far. The Huskers fans have shown up at every match in flocks to cheer for the team loudly, ensuring the athletes never ran short on support. The fans’ determination to fill the stadiums has even benefited Nebraska’s foes on multiple occasions. However, the seminal victory over Wisconsin in November didn’t play in front of a record-setting crowd, despite the attendance crossing the 9,000 mark for the second time at the Devaney Center. But will the regional final finally get the desired attendance to witness the Nebraska girls win another game against the Badgers? What do you reckon?

How to watch the action live?

Sunday’s match will be enticing, to say the least, and fans naturally want to watch the game live. While tickets for the NCAA tournament aren’t easily available, fans can take their shot via the official Nebraska website. The match between the Huskers and the Wisconsin Badgers will also be broadcast via the ABC network, making it possible for the fans to stay updated despite not being at the Devaney Center.

So where will you be watching Sunday’s game from? What is your score prediction? Tell us in the comment section!