Handy Johnson Posted March 16, 2016 Report Share Posted March 16, 2016 Some might say this is an exercise in masochism. Some might say it is pathetic on several levels I'm not comfortable going into today. I found it cathartic. Name the Nebraska tournament losses in the order of most disappointing/devastating. 1. '91 NU vs. Xavier - The deepest and most talented Husker team ever. Their greatest weakness was not understanding how truly good they were. 2. '94 NU vs. Penn - Red hot off a Big 8 tourney win, we fell in love with the 3 ball and lost to an Ivy league school. An IVY league school. 3. '14 NU vs. Baylor - Finished 4th in a tough B1G, then got smoked like a New York joint. 4. '98 NU vs. Arkansas - A Lue/Belcher back court couldn't get past a so so Razorback squad. 5. ' 93 NU vs. New Mexico St. - In a parellel universe NMSU is STILL dunking on us somewhere. 6. '92 NU vs. UConn - Didn't think we'd win this one, and we didn't. 7. '86 NU vs. W. Kentucky - Hoppen was hurt, Bernard Day was the best player. So unexpected it really was a "just happy to be there" moment. jimmykc 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cazzie22 Posted March 16, 2016 Report Share Posted March 16, 2016 The '91 loss is by far the most devastating. NU had a very good team but didn't show up when it counted. Pete Gillen was a hot coach at Xavier at the time. I was in San Antonio when Baylor exposed NU and that was disappointing. The '86 team, though short handed, battled WKU the entire game. (mostly remember that game for Moe Iba's resignation in the post-game press conference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hskr4life Posted March 16, 2016 Report Share Posted March 16, 2016 '14 NU team was very mental fragile. I think that got exposed after our complete meltdown against OSU in the conference tourney. They looked like they had no confidence with anything after that game and through our Baylor loss as well. They were also very strong mentally when things were going good. Almost like they didn't think they could lose during that long winning streak we had at the end of the year. There was never really a balance. I think that if you put that team in our situation this year, they would have had more than a 4 game winning streak that we had when we beat MSU, Rutgers, Minny, and Illinois. Likewise though, I think we lose to Rutgers and if not, certainly Wisconsin in the tourney. Just based on the losing streak that we endured to end the year. jdw 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hal9000 Posted March 16, 2016 Report Share Posted March 16, 2016 The '98 game we got the closest to advancing. I think we had something like a 10 point lead with 7 minutes left and all the momentum, but then Arkansas couldn't miss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huskerpapa Posted March 16, 2016 Report Share Posted March 16, 2016 Ughhhh. I can't...even....look...at our record....Ughhh, my eyes! hhcmatt 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dead Dog Alley Posted March 16, 2016 Report Share Posted March 16, 2016 The '98 game we got the closest to advancing. I think we had something like a 10 point lead with 7 minutes left and all the momentum, but then Arkansas couldn't miss. Arkansas realized that pressing against Lue was a mistake, so they quit. And then had a big comeback. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmykc Posted March 16, 2016 Report Share Posted March 16, 2016 I had horrible seats near the top of the Metrodome in 91, a horrible place to watch a horrible game. Highlights of trip: 1)Riding the elevator with Coach K and Billy McCaffrey in our hotel which was the same one as Duke was staying. 2) Watching LSU with two 7 footers (one being Shaq) play poorly. 3) Seeing Rich King sink a three pointer near the end of the game-I think it was his only one. AuroranHusker 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
49r Posted March 16, 2016 Report Share Posted March 16, 2016 I recall Penn jumped out to like a 10-0 lead, they just couldn't miss from 3. We were sunk in that game from the tip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brfrad Posted March 16, 2016 Report Share Posted March 16, 2016 I have watched the Xavier game and the Penn game on Youtube. The Xavier game, we blew numerous lay-ups. The Penn game we couldn't hit a 3. We started 0 - 14, I believe, and didn't make one until there was 13 1/2 minutes to go in the game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Handy Johnson Posted March 17, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2016 Sad to watch March Madness and not be a part of it- next year right? next year... AuroranHusker 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fastbreaker Posted March 17, 2016 Report Share Posted March 17, 2016 Sad to watch March Madness and not be a part of it- next year right? next year... No around here it's not next year, it's always the year after next year. But it never happens. Been following husker hoops since Al Maxey and Hershall Turner played for Jerry Bush. I will tell you how far back that is. Al Maxey played on the team from Indianapolis that got beat by the Huskers in the movie 'Hoosiers'. I am 68 years old and keep hoping but it just never seems to happen. AuroranHusker 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norm Peterson Posted March 17, 2016 Report Share Posted March 17, 2016 Sad to watch March Madness and not be a part of it- next year right? next year... No around here it's not next year, it's always the year after next year. But it never happens. Been following husker hoops since Al Maxey and Hershall Turner played for Jerry Bush. I will tell you how far back that is. Al Maxey played on the team from Indianapolis that got beat by the Huskers in the movie 'Hoosiers'. I am 68 years old and keep hoping but it just never seems to happen. I think the runners up were from Muncie, IN. AuroranHusker 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norm Peterson Posted March 17, 2016 Report Share Posted March 17, 2016 Trivia Question: En route to their 1954 State Championship, Milan High played against a team that consisted not only of a future Husker Basketball Hall of Famer (Al Maxey) but also a future NBA Hall of Famer. Who was he? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silverbacked1 Posted March 17, 2016 Report Share Posted March 17, 2016 Oscar Robinson Norm Peterson 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silverbacked1 Posted March 17, 2016 Report Share Posted March 17, 2016 Xavier loss was the worst. At the time it was one of the first 13 beating a 4 and if we could have taken care of business basketball at Nebraska could have been much different. Also the Xavier game was the one where we found out after that some of the guys might not get to play and it was a great big cluster, If we had the internet back then we might have known more pre game and then known we weren't ready to play. It was just tough to watch. Norm Peterson 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swan88 Posted March 17, 2016 Report Share Posted March 17, 2016 I prefer to look at how close we actually are this year. Some key injuries at the wrong time took us down: no Shavon at Wisconsin, no Shavon and no Ed in multiple games, and a <100% Shavon, Ed, Andrew, etc., at the same time in several games. With those injuries, a lack of depth is the real killer this year, resulting in some heart-breaking and close losses. But the development of our freshmen and the influx of high-quality new talent will solve a significant part of the depth problem 2015-16 is an "almost" year with better days ahead. The 2015-16 season and recruiting commitments actually show a program on the rise, with great young talent to build upon. Red Don, Norm Peterson, AuroranHusker and 2 others 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Handy Johnson Posted March 18, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2016 Sad to watch March Madness and not be a part of it- next year right? next year... No around here it's not next year, it's always the year after next year. But it never happens. Been following husker hoops since Al Maxey and Hershall Turner played for Jerry Bush. I will tell you how far back that is. Al Maxey played on the team from Indianapolis that got beat by the Huskers in the movie 'Hoosiers'. I am 68 years old and keep hoping but it just never seems to happen. As someone who spent their salad days worshipping Carl McPipe and then Andre Smith, 5 years of courtside seats during the Danny Nee era, truer words were never spoken. It's NEVER wait til next year, it's ALWAYS the year AFTER the next one... Silverbacked1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AuroranHusker Posted March 18, 2016 Report Share Posted March 18, 2016 Xavier loss was the worst. At the time it was one of the first 13 beating a 4 and if we could have taken care of business basketball at Nebraska could have been much different. Also the Xavier game was the one where we found out after that some of the guys might not get to play and it was a great big cluster, If we had the internet back then we might have known more pre game and then known we weren't ready to play. It was just tough to watch. It was a 14-seed vs 3-seed in '91. Sad to see, unfortunately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silverbacked1 Posted March 18, 2016 Report Share Posted March 18, 2016 That's right it was even worse. Aren't we like only one of two or three teams to lose the 3/14 first round? And at that time we were first if I remember correct. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Handy Johnson Posted March 18, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2016 When I met Coach Miles his 1st year here, I told him when I graduated we were a 3 seed and that he could get it done here. I don't see why this shouldn't be what we aspire to instead of a once every 25 year phenomenon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norm Peterson Posted March 18, 2016 Report Share Posted March 18, 2016 Oscar Robinson Robinson, Robertson. I knew who you meant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickey Posted March 19, 2016 Report Share Posted March 19, 2016 That's right it was even worse. Aren't we like only one of two or three teams to lose the 3/14 first round? And at that time we were first if I remember correct. Bob Huggins just phoned in and wanted me to relay that it is not nearly that rare! Nor were we the first. In the 14 vs. 3 matchups... There have been twenty-one 14 seeds that have defeated 3 seeds in the first round: Year Winner Loser Score 2016 Stephen F. Austin West Virginia 70-56 2015 Georgia State Baylor 57-56 2015 UAB Iowa State 60-59 2014 Mercer Duke 78-71 2013 Harvard New Mexico 68-62 2010 Ohio Georgetown 97-83 2006 Northwestern State Iowa 64-63 2005 Bucknell Kansas 64-63 1999 Weber State North Carolina 76-74 1998 Richmond South Carolina 62-61 1997 Chattanooga Georgia 73-70 1995 Old Dominion Villanova 89-81 (3OT) 1995 Weber State Michigan State 79-72 1992 East Tennessee State Arizona 87-80 1991 Xavier Nebraska 89-84 1990 Northern Iowa Missouri 74-71 1989 Siena Stanford 80-78 1988 Murray State NC State 78-75 1987 Austin Peay Illinois 68-67 1986 Cleveland State Indiana 83-79 1986 Arkansas-Little Rock Notre Dame 90-83 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swmckewon Posted March 19, 2016 Report Share Posted March 19, 2016 Not all 14 seeds are created equally. Weber State and Stephen F Austin and Xavier are on the high end. That UAB team last year sucked. That 1991 Xavier team had 3 returning starters from a Sweet 16 team and a freshman named Brian Grant. Xavier had been to six straight NCAA Tournaments before that game against Nebraska. It was a trap all the way. And, quite honestly, Nebraska got a lot of junk pairings. Penn was a laugh. A 24-2 11 seed that outscored teams by 12 per game and hadn't lost in 2 months? A 11 seed? UConn was a tough one, because it really had lost a ton of games toward the end of the season and probably earned a No. 8 seed. The best shot Nebraska had was in 1998, against Arkansas, because Arkansas pressed and Nebraska had Lue, who could break presses. Arkansas went zone late, as I recall, and Nebraska couldn't hit a thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Taylor Posted March 19, 2016 Report Share Posted March 19, 2016 Not all 14 seeds are created equally. Weber State and Stephen F Austin and Xavier are on the high end. That UAB team last year sucked. That 1991 Xavier team had 3 returning starters from a Sweet 16 team and a freshman named Brian Grant. Xavier had been to six straight NCAA Tournaments before that game against Nebraska. It was a trap all the way. And, quite honestly, Nebraska got a lot of junk pairings. Penn was a laugh. A 24-2 11 seed that outscored teams by 12 per game and hadn't lost in 2 months? A 11 seed? UConn was a tough one, because it really had lost a ton of games toward the end of the season and probably earned a No. 8 seed. The best shot Nebraska had was in 1998, against Arkansas, because Arkansas pressed and Nebraska had Lue, who could break presses. Arkansas went zone late, as I recall, and Nebraska couldn't hit a thing. Agreed, the Xavier and Penn games were not the upsets they appear. Xavier had Byron Larkin (Barry's brother) and another terrific guard, and our strength was in the front court. Penn had Matt Maloney, who played for the Rockets and a couple of other NBA teams. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmykc Posted March 19, 2016 Report Share Posted March 19, 2016 Anyone care to check how many of those #14 teams won their next game? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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