Scott Gleeson

USA TODAY Sports

THE FIRST WORD: "It's not how you start, it's how you finish."

Nebraska coach Tim Miles knew this sentiment to be true in January when his team started the Big Ten slate 1-5 and the program's first trip to the NCAA tournament since 1998 seemed out of reach.

Then the Cornhuskers went on a program-defining "championship style" run, winning 11 of their last 14 games to finish fourth in the conference, propelling Nebraska into the NCAA tournament.

Miles returns all five starters, including Big Ten player of the year favorite Terran Petteway, and isn't shy in admitting his plans for an encore.

"We want to compete for a Big Ten title," Miles said. "We set the bar high with the way we finished. Now we're ready for that next step.

"I feel strongly about this team. We made a historical run for Nebraska basketball. We had the most conference wins, all these superlatives. ...But I think our guys remember we blew an 18-point lead against Ohio State (in the Big Ten tournament) and that we didn't perform well against Baylor (in the NCAA tournament). They've used those games as fuel for fire."

So, while the turnaround saved the season, the end — those disappointing losses to Baylor and Ohio State — didn't exactly fit the statement how you finish. That should leave a sour taste for a team entering the season with high expectations. And as bullish as Miles' championship aspirations sound, Nebraska is perfectly positioned to give the Big Ten's hierarchy a new look.

2013-14 IN REVIEW: 19-13 overall, 11-7 (fourth place in Big Ten), lost in NCAA tournament second round to Baylor.

PATH TO THE DANCE: Big Ten at-large bid.

PROJECTED TOURNEY SEED: No. 6 seed.

NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE GRADE: B. See full schedule here.

Nebraska could realistically be one of the last undefeated teams in the country with this schedule. They play at Florida State in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge. Then games at home against Creighton and Cincinnati will be challenging. But until late December (where they'll draw either Wichita State or Loyola Marymount in Diamond Head Classic) there aren't many games Nebraska should lose.

TEAM BREAKDOWN: See full roster here.

STAR WATCH: Petteway (18.1 ppg, 4.8 rpg) is the most talented player coming back in the Big Ten. The 6-6 junior and Texas Tech transfer with a high motor scored more than 20 points eight times and more than 30 twice last season. His alpha dog presence will again be the driving force for Nebraska. "He's the heart and soul of our team," Miles said.

Shavon Shields (12.8 ppg, 5.8 rpg) played well toward the end of last season, and the 6-7 wing playing alongside Petteway can the Cornhuskers difficult to guard.

Walter Pitchford (9.3 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 41% from three) returns as a soft-shooting 6-10 junior who can stretch the floor with his long-range (48 three-pointers) shooting.

X-FACTOR: Tai Webster (3.9 ppg) played more of a conservative, distributor role while running the point last year. But the 6-4 sophomore, after a season to mature plus international experience (playing for New Zealand this summer), should be ready to take a significant step forward. Backup Benny Parker, a 5-9 junior, is capable of filling in.

KEY NEWCOMERS: Tarin Smith, a 6-2 freshman, will add immediate depth in the backcourt, but his role might be undefined — either he's spelling minutes for Webster or playing alongside him. Miles loves Smith's ability off pick and rolls. Also expect 6-7 redshirt freshman Nick Fuller to see decent minutes after bulking up.

TEAM STRENGTH/WEAKNESS: Nebraska is capable of being one of the best teams in the Big Ten and the country, evidenced by top-10 wins last season against Michigan State and Wisconsin. But consistency will be key. "I thought we started off atrocious," Miles said. Playing at an elite level all season is what seperates the Wisconsins from the rest.

Experience will be an obvious strength, but there are still areas of concern. For instance, the defense (53rd, 65.2 points allowed) was better than the offense (274th, 66.8 points a game) last year. Much of that is because of the grinding Big Ten season, but higher shooting percentages and better execution will be musts. The front line took a hit when Leslee Smith (5.4 ppg, 4.8 rpg) tore his ACL in his left knee during the summer. With the 6-8 senior out at least half the season, others will have to step up. Georgetown transfer Moses Abraham (6-9 senior) and true freshman Jake Hammond (6-10) could fill in, while David Rivers (6-7 senior) should provide depth.

FUN FACT: In 1892, Nebraska was surrounded by an iron fence to prevent cows from grazing onto the main campus.

BASICS: The University of Nebraska is in Lincoln, and the Cornhuskers play their home games at Pinnacle Bank Arena, which opened in 2013 and seats 15,147.

***

About this post: Every week day for the next three months, one of the 68 teams in USA TODAY Sports' projected field will be dissected. In November, the final bracket will be revealed.