The good news continued for Nebraska as the Huskers learned they’ll have a bit more depth moving forward.
After Fred Hoiberg confirmed earlier in the day on Wednesday that freshman center Eduardo Andre will make his Nebraska debut on Thursday against Doane, the Division I Council voted to make all transfers eligible to play this season.
The blanket waiver only applies to transfers from one Division I school to another, which means Nebraska’s Trevor Lakes, a transfer from Division II University of Indianapolis, still needed a waiver to play. However, that waiver process appears to be much simpler than it was previously, and Nebraska confirmed on Thursday that Lakes has been ruled eligible.
Lakes Show: activated ✅ pic.twitter.com/EsI4fhyk3M
— Nebraska Basketball (@HuskerHoops) December 17, 2020
“We are pleased that Trevor has been cleared to play beginning tonight,” Hoiberg said in a release. “He has worked hard in practice since getting on campus this summer and is excited to have this opportunity. His size and shooting ability will help us, especially as we get ready for the start of Big Ten play next week.”
Lakes will be available starting with Nebraska’s game against Doane on Thursday night and will still have one more season of eligibility remaining since the NCAA froze the clock this season.
The 6-foot-7, 215-pound forward averaged 11.8 points and 4.5 rebounds while shooting 40.7% from 3 on nearly 600 attempts during his three-year career at Indianapolis, a Division II school. As a junior in 2019-20, he put up 15.7 points and 6.2 rebounds while connecting on 39.8% of his 254 3-point attempts.
“A shooter, most definitely, and then he plays great team defense,” junior guard Trey McGowens said about Lakes. “He’s in the gaps. So really, he brings everything. Definitely a guy we need, can definitely stretch the floor. We look forward to having him back for sure.”
The Huskers shot 31.8% from deep through their first six games, so his shooting ability could be a nice boost to Nebraska’s spacing-reliant offense. Lakes was originally planning to sit out and spend his redshirt year working on his body to prepare for the rigors of the Big Ten. Lakes has been spending his practice reps on the scout team, and now Hoiberg will have to decide where Lakes fits into the rotation.
With Akol Arop out for the season, Andre missing time for illness and Derrick Walker serving a suspension, Nebraska was down to nine scholarship players for its first six games. By the start of 2021 when Walker’s suspension is set to end, the Huskers should be back up to 12 including both Lakes and Andre.
