Missouri is back in Lincoln for the NCAA Tournament for the second year in a row. Last year the Tigers beat Arizona in the first round, before losing to Nebraska the next night. But familiar face Wayne Kreklow is no longer the Mizzou coach. Kreklow retired in the summer, and was replaced by Joshua Taylor. Taylor started as the interim head coach but had that tag removed last month. Taylor’s wife, former Missouri and national team setter Molly Taylor, is the assistant coach. Northern Iowa is a memorable team around here for beating Nebraska early in the 2017 national championship season. Missouri and Northern Iowa played in Week 3 this season. Missouri won in four sets, but it was one of those odd days where each team played two matches.
KEY PLAYERS
Missouri outside hitter Kylie Deberg leads the SEC in kills per set (4.82).
Outside hitter Karlie Taylor gets a lot of the sets for UNI. She ranks No. 18 in the nation in kills per set (4.6).
Ball State (20-11) at Nebraska (25-4)
From last season Nebraska lost two great seniors — Mikaela Foecke and Kenzie Maloney — but Nebraska’s 25-4 regular-season record was slightly better than last year’s 24-6 regular-season mark. Now we’ll find out how this season ends for sixth-ranked Nebraska. With a screeching halt sometime in the next two weeks? Or in an unprecedented fifth straight Final Four appearance? Ball State made the tournament for the first time since 2011 by winning the Mid-American Conference Tournament. The Cardinals are ranked No. 83 in the RPI.
KEY PLAYERS
It’s a freshman — outside hitter Natalie Risi — who leads Ball State in kills. She was the conference freshman of the year.
Outside hitter Lexi Sun has made great improvements in her second season with the Huskers. She leads Nebraska in kills (3.57) per set, and improved her hitting percentage by 80 points to .275.
— Brent C. Wagner
Photos: An inside look at Nebraska volleyball's final preparations for postseason