Creighton's Toby Hegner knocks the ball away from Nebraska's Jack McVeigh, right, during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Lincoln, Neb., Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2016. Creighton won 77-62.

Creighton's Toby Hegner knocks the ball away from Nebraska's Jack McVeigh, right, during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Lincoln, Neb., Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2016. Creighton won 77-62.

For the first time since leaving the Big 12 Conference, Nebraska returns to Allen Fieldhouse to play the third-ranked Kansas Jayhawks at 2:15 p.m. Saturday (ESPN).

This was supposed to be a homecoming game for Andrew White, a former KU guard, but he transferred to Syracuse during the summer. It’ll be the second straight top-10 opponent for the Cornhuskers (5-4), who lost at home against Creighton on Wednesday.

Without White, the Huskers feature a young lineup that’s still learning their offense. They rank last in the Big 10 averaging 68.3 points per game, shooting .295 from behind the three-point line.

“As we’ve gone forward we’re a little short this year,” Nebraska coach Tim Miles told the Lincoln Journal-Star. “So when Tai (Webster) and Glynn (Watson) aren’t going, we’re really under a lot of pressure. Because some of those guys aren’t designed to be those types of people.”

Interesting note: Nebraska’s director of operations Teddy Owens is the son of former KU basketball coach Ted Owens. Ali Farokhmanesh, who many KU fans remember as the Northern Iowa sharpshooter, is Nebraska’s director of player relations and development.

Series history: Kansas leads 170-71. The Jayhawks have won the last 17 matchups against their former conference foe, including the last meeting in 2011.

Nebraska coach Tim Miles calls instructions during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Creighton in Lincoln, Neb., Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2016.

NEBRASKA STARTERS

No. 5 — G Glynn Watson Jr. | 6-0, 174, soph.

Creighton's Maurice Watson Jr. (10) drives against Nebraska's Glynn Watson Jr. (5) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Lincoln, Neb., Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2016. Creighton won 77-62.

• Through nine games, the sophomore point guard is averaging 13.2 points and 3.3 rebounds per game. He ranks second on the team with 27 assists compared to 15 turnovers.

• A strong defender, Watson leads the squad with 19 steals. He’s been great at the free-throw line making 17 of his 19 attempts (89.5 percent).

• The Bellwood, Ill. native has scored at least 20 points in four games this year.

• His older brother, Demetri, was a three-time All-Big Ten pick at Illinois, earning first-team honors in 2009-10.

• QUOTE: “We’ve got something to prove to ourselves because other people aren’t expecting very much from us,” Watson said. “It’s about playing for Nebraska. …We’ve got to put this team on the map.”

No. 0 — G Tai Webster | 6-4, 195, sr.

Nebraska's Tai Webster (0) goes for a layup past Creighton's Justin Patton (23) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Lincoln, Neb., Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2016.

• The only upperclassmen in the starting lineup, Webster leads the Huskers with 17.2 points per game on 47 percent shooting. He’s also averaging 5.4 rebounds and 3.8 assists in 32.7 minutes.

• Nebraska’s top three-point shooter, Webster is shooting 39 percent from behind the arc, connecting on 14 of his 36 attempts. He’s even better at the rim, making 70.3 percent of his shots when he’s around the basket, according to hoop-math.com.

• Webster played for the New Zealand National Team in an Olympic qualifier last summer, averaging 16.3 points and 9.7 rebounds a game. He was the youngest player on the roster. He scored four points against Team USA in the summer of 2014 in the FIBA World Cup.

• His dad, Tony, played at Hawaii, earning first-team All-WAC honors in 1983 and ranking fourth on the school’s career steals list.

• QUOTE: “Tai is a go-to guy,” Miles said. “I just love the look in his eye, I like his body language, I like the way he’s approaching everything as a challenge.”

No. 10 — F Jack McVeigh | 6-8, 215, soph.

Nebraska's Jack McVeigh (10) tries to get past Creighton's Cole Huff (13) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Lincoln, Neb., Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2016.

• Nebraska’s top-long range threat is shooting 33 percent from behind the three-point line (17 of 52). McVeigh is averaging 8.7 points and 4.0 rebounds in 28.6 minutes per game.

• Almost exclusively plays from the perimeter. According to hoop-math.com, McVeigh has only attempted four percent of his shots at the rim this year.

• From Cabarita Beach, Australia, McVeigh was the captain of Australia’s U-19 National Team in 2014. In the summer of 2015, he averaged 11.1 points and 5.7 rebounds at the FIBA U-19 World Championship.

• QUOTE: “One of the things he does, he’s a very good help defender,” Miles said. “He talks and gets other guys in their position and helps out, and his on-ball defense has been clearly better, too.”

No. 12 — F Michael Jacobson | 6-9, 239, soph.

Nebraska's Michael Jacobson (12) goes for a basket against Creighton's Cole Huff (13) with Jordy Tshimanga (32), Maurice Watson Jr. (10) and Justin Patton (23) watching, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Lincoln, Neb., Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2016.

• After some strong play during last year’s Big Ten Tournament, Jacobson is averaging 6.1 points and 5.7 rebounds per game in nine starts. He leads the Cornhuskers with 13 blocks.

• Despite his 6-9 height, Jacobson has only taken 21 percent shots at the rim, according to hoop-math.com.

• His father, Bill, played at Nebraska-Omaha from 1983-86, helping the Mavericks to a pair of Div. II playoff appearances.

• QUOTE: “To be honest, it was probably a little more grueling than I anticipated,” Jacobson said of his freshman season. “I definitely had an expectation for what it was, but once I got into it — maybe some of it was playing at the five and battling down there with those big guys — but I definitely thought it was more grueling.”

No. 30 — F Ed Morrow Jr. | 6-7, 234, soph.

Nebraska's Ed Morrow (30) is defended by Creighton's Justin Patton (23) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Lincoln, Neb., Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2016.

• Nearly averaging a double-double in 25 minutes per game with 10.1 points and a team-best 8.1 rebounds a game. He’s fifth in the Big Ten in total rebounds, but leads the conference with 3.6 offensive boards per game.

• Shooting 56 percent from the floor, Morrow is converting on 68 percent of his shots at the rim according to hoop-math.com. He’s recorded two double-doubles this season.

• The Chicago native battled foot injuries during his freshman season.

• His dad, Ed Sr., played football for the Cornhuskers and was a member of the 1994 national title team. His mother, Nafeesah, scored more than 1,000 points in three seasons with the Nebraska women’s basketball team.

• QUOTE: “I feel like we have a great bond,” Morrow said. “Especially bringing in the new guys. We made them feel like they were at home, no strings attached. That’s the biggest thing, just the continuity we have this year as a unit. Everybody seems like they’re on the same page and everybody seems happy. Then at that point, we have the same mindset, and those are the teams that come out and win games.”

NEBRASKA BENCH

No. 15 — F Isaiah Roby | 6-8, 214, fr.

"No no no, not today." ☝️

• He missed a large portion of the offseason and fall camp because of recurring pain from a stress reaction in his pelvis.

• In nine games off of the bench, Roby is averaging 3.1 points on 32 percent shooting (9 of 28). He’s only shooting 1-of-7 from deep.

• During the last two games, Roby has scored 12 points in 30 minutes with 10 rebounds.

No. 1 — G Anton Gill | 6-3, 195, jr.

• A transfer from Louisville, Gill missed part of fall camp battling chronic knee tendinitis. In two seasons at Louisville, he averaged 2.0 points in 54 games.

• After sitting out for a season, per NCAA transfer rules, Gill is scoring 2.9 points per game in 15.4 minutes. He’s added six assists and 10 turnovers, shooting 5-of-21 from behind the three-point line.

• QUOTE: “It’s tough to sit out,” Gill said. “But when you look at it, you get a year just to work on your game.”

No. 11 — G Evan Taylor | 6-5, 206, jr.

• In 14 minutes per game, Taylor is averaging 2.3 points and 2.0 rebounds. He’s shooting 36 percent from the floor.

• His father, Kyle, played at Xavier and helped the team to an appearance in the 1987 NCAA Tournament.

• QUOTE: “He can contribute in a lot of different ways being a bigger, physical guard,” Jacobson said. “He does a great job playing defense. He can rebound the ball. He can score it. He can get in the lane and do some things, definitely a good passer.”

No. 32 — C Jordy Tshimanga | 6-11, 275, fr.

Nebraska's Jordy Tshimanga (32) shoots past Creighton's Justin Patton, rear, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Lincoln, Neb., Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2016.

• Only averaging 9.2 minutes, Tshimanga is recording 3.1 points and 3.2 rebounds per game with five blocks and four steals. According to hoop-math.com, he’s only taking 18 percent of his shots at the rim.

• His brother, Link, plays at Texas-Arlington after starting his career at TCU. His sister, Yasmine, plays at LSU. His family is originally from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

• Pronounced: shuh-MAHN-gah.

• QUOTE: “Jordy Tshimanga is going to be a guy who is a feature element for what we do,” Miles said.

No. 2 — F Jeriah Horne | 6-7, 222, fr.

• Horne played at Barstow, leading the Knights to three straight state championship game appearances. He lost in the Class 3 state title game last year against top 2017 recruit Michael Porter.

• Averaging 1.8 points and 1.3 rebounds through eight games.