Nebraska Could Get Boost From 2 Football Players Joining Roster for Big Ten Tournament

It would be an understatement to say that the Nebraska basketball program is in a dark period right now.

The Cornhuskers (7-24, 2-18) were in decent shape to start Big Ten play before ending the season on an unprecedented 16-game losing streak. Nebraska's last win came on Jan. 7 against a good Iowa squad, but the team's postseason chances have since evaporated. As the last-place, 14th-seeded team in this week's conference tournament, head coach Fred Hoiberg pulled the ultimate desperation move: he's adding two Nebraska football players to the team's roster.

Husker football players Brant Banks and Noah Vedral have joined the Nebraska basketball team for the Big Ten Tournament, the program announces.
— Michael Bruntz (@michaelbruntz) March 10, 2020

Quarterback Noah Vedral and offensive lineman Brant Banks will be available for the Cornhuskers in Wednesday's first-round game against the No. 11-seed Indiana Hoosiers.

Vedral won three Nebraska state titles in high school with Class C-1 Bishop Neumann, while the 6-7, 300-pound Banks averaged 11.5 points and 7.6 rebounds per game as a junior for Westbury Christian School in Texas. Vedral and Banks will join the roster in wake of Hoiberg announcing that guards Cam Mack and Dachon Burke will not travel with the team to the tourney in Indianapolis.

Fred Hoiberg announced that Cam Mack and Dachon Burke have been suspended indefinitely for a violation of team rules. #Nebrasketball
— Robin Washut (@RobinWashut) March 7, 2020

Nebraska has nothing to lose, while Indiana is fighting for resume-building wins this week to solidify its case for an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. If the Hoosiers find a way to fall to the Cornhuskers and miss out on a chance to go dancing, it officially couldn't come in a more crushing manner.