WBB: Game #15 vs Purdue

FYI, I just went to set my dvr and the game is not being broadcast in the Omaha area! Fortunately for the rest of Nebraska who can't make it to the "Bob" it should be statewide.

Dammit Huskers lose a win-able game in OT 69-66.

They had a tough time overcoming that slow start.  Once again another last second game against Purdue.

quality nailbiter this one. Couldn't defend Purdue well in the paint, and Hooper was off today. Pretty evenly matched squads. Have a feeling they'll meet in the tourney again.

I'm telling you, it's the curse of Debbie Antonelli lol.  I don't think we've won a game with her calling it that past 2 or 3 years  .

On a more serious note, Cady and Sample HAVE to make their layups/bunnies.  We have to get scoring in there in order to ease up the pressure on the outside.  But....everyone already knew that.

The good: 

1.  We defended pretty solidly for the most part.  Active with the help.  That's a good offensive squad we faced.

2.  Lindsay Moore is simply a great player.  In all phases of the game.

3.  Jeffrey gave us a boost in the first half after being awol most of the year.  Laudermill did the same in the OT.

The bad: 

1. Having 2 or 3 players who can't score on the court at all times makes us easy to defend.

2.  We can't shoot a lick.  If we just shoot 35% we win handily.  The 2 starters other than the Big 3 go a combined 3-19.  And they're guards.  I don't think it's just an off day.  Lots of poor shooters on this squad.  Sure wish we would have recruited one big and one shooter for Lindsay's senior year.  Who's that player to make them pay for running defenders at Moore and Hooper?  Not on the squad.

Row 6:  Why wasn't Maurer suited up?  Back acting up?

You have got to protect your homecourt!

The dreaded "lack of any kind of quality big" crept up and got us again. We had no answer for #32 especially on the boards, plus the fact I couldn't believe how time and time again they left her open for a 10-15 foot jumper. And how discombobulated did we look on offense that overtime period?

Can't our coaches see what the other teams are doing by letting our bad shooters shoot? Creighton gave everyone we've played since the game with them a blueprint on how to shut us down and I've yet to see anything to combat that way of defending us.

Theriot has got to step her game up and start hitting those shots, if she can't get Brandi or Tee back in there. She was wide open on practically every one.  I'm also not sure why with 5 minutes left in regulation till the end of the game Brandi never got off the bench. I think she's our best option at slowing down the opposing point guard. I've just about given up on Sample. Much to my surprise we saw some zone defense today!!

Definitely should have won this game.

HB I totally concur with everything you wrote. There were times that Lindsey had 3 on her towards the end and yet we still threw up some sort of junk just hoping to at least draw iron. Since I'm letting my ire out, answer me this HB do you ever recall a time where holding the ball on the other end of the court with 25 seconds left in the first half only to move up and attack with 9 or 8 seconds left ever worked? Haven't heard what's up with Maurer.

  A nice way to enjoy a good game. WIne, chocolate and good basketball. Overall a dang good effort and after a rough start had a shot to win.

  Down the stretch I think we need to take advantage of higher percentage shots when we get them. In the overtime, Jordan Hooper putting a three, when the drive is open, not the best move. She had a lot of opportunities to put the ball on the floor and work to get a better shot. But then again, she nailed the three in regulation and it looked short. F-35 Lightning fought back from a slow start. You gotta click "like" for that.

  Lindsay Moore was, Lindsay Moore...and offensively, once she hit stride she set up a lot of good shots for people. Some fell some didn;'t. But defensively, she took some plays off, and some time when you can't do that...And so does Theriot. At times, that kid gets lazy defensively. Maybe it's just a freshman thing but the lasses are getting beat on that first step too often. On-ball defense across the entire team needs work. Too often its fundamental things that lose that first step. Four times in the final three minute of regulation you have Purdue getting a dribble past the sidelines and through the baseline-back door. Those are the area you do not give up cheap as a defender. Don't waste the sixth defensive player.

   A LITTLE BIT OF UPSIDE: T Laudermill coming off the bench bringing some energy boost and getting after it on defense. I'd like to see her continue to polish those rough edges and keep getting better. She could be another good arrow in the quiver come March

  We don't have an Iowa State-style nuclear response, but we do have a team that could be a good pass-set up team that create better shots, and its something the team look at more. When the Huskers do that in a number of games, its work to the team's advantage.

   There were too many times when we misses shots and we didn't have at least one player hustling for the rebound. There were too many instances were the hustle wasn't there for the lose ball. Those are the type of things a team like this one has to win to be successful. I didn't see consistent work rate there, and this team has the wherewithall to make that extra effort. We have commit to consistently doing it.

  OVERALL OUTLOOK -- I'm liking this rivalry budding with Purdue. Liked what I saw with the crowd, a good red partisan crowd on national TV. It was good first half of a fun doubleheader...and seeing my house guests frown when Notre Dame beat Connecticut took away a little bit of the sting of losing.

  There's a lot of work that needs doing, but 1-1 in the league for now I see the gold along the flaws.  The fight is there, but it has to be consistent, especially with team that has more talent.

  Next up: Two hard the way...On the road. Lets gets two more and push through these Ardennes

Chipper:  If you had to play 45 minutes, you might just take a couple of plays off on defense.  And if you were playing with a foot injury, it might make it look like you weren't all out on every defensive possession.  It's a playing hurt thing, not a freshman thing.  It's not a "lazy" thing if you've been following the team this year.

A win at Indiana is a must because I don't think we can beat Penn St. at their place.  I recorded the game and missed the ending because time expired....Wondered why Jeffery wasn't in the game late to force some turnovers...shooting was atrocious and shot selection by Hooper is sometimes questionable.

 And if you were playing with a foot injury, it might make it look like you weren't all out on every defensive possession.  It's a playing hurt thing,

  If you are on the floor, you make the play or you don't. No excuses offered, none accepted.

 And if you were playing with a foot injury, it might make it look like you weren't all out on every defensive possession.  It's a playing hurt thing,

 

 

  If you are on the floor, you make the play or you don't. No excuses offered, none accepted.

Coming from a non-athlete who questions an absolute WARRIOR.   You've been bitching about Moore's defense for 4 years.  It's improved each year, and its just fine.  The players won't use it as an excuse; they're way too proud; they play through the pain and fatigue and offer no excuses.   But when you use words like "lazy", and "taking plays off" from your keyboard, I will point out facts defending the effort of these players.  You've been doing it for years, upsetting parents of players while you're at it, and I'll call you on it every time.  

Moore gets beat a lot, that just the facts. She's improved but then again,  still gets beat a great deal more than she wins. Offensively, Moore is the woman, there's no question and for four years..I've said that too, but as usual you kinda miss that party. .     "lazy" tag was more on Theriot. She got beat with no resistance on a few plays today. She's gets lax on the D side, like many freshman do at first.

"The players won't use it as an excuse; they're way too proud; they play through the pain and fatigue and offer no excuses.

That exactly why I don't offer any excuses either, because they don't do it.

"You've been doing it for years, upsetting parents of players while you're at it, and I'll call you on it every time."

You mean Lindsay Moore was setting things up for people is bad thing. She's the best in the league at it.

The T-Mill can be another key piece as she improves?

Those are bad things.

Okay.  

"Coming from a non-athlete who questions an absolute WARRIER.

Okay. Unlike you I have no need to make personal inferences. I just stick to the ballgames, babe.

Go Big Red...On to Bloomington

Chipper:  If you had to play 45 minutes, you might just take a couple of plays off on defense.  And if you were playing with a foot injury, it might make it look like you weren't all out on every defensive possession.  It's a playing hurt thing, not a freshman thing.  It's not a "lazy" thing if you've been following the team this year.

At one point in the second half Purdue got a steal and Theriot was trying to run full speed when she hit mid court dhe pulled up a bit with pain on her face. I turned to my wife and told her that Therio was hurting and she asked as in tried hurting or injury hurt and I told her Injury hurt. I thought that maybe she would come out of the game at that point but she hung in there and finished the game.

Chipper:  If you had to play 45 minutes, you might just take a couple of plays off on defense.  And if you were playing with a foot injury, it might make it look like you weren't all out on every defensive possession.  It's a playing hurt thing, not a freshman thing.  It's not a "lazy" thing if you've been following the team this year.

At one point in the second half Purdue got a steal and Theriot was trying to run full speed when she hit mid court dhe pulled up a bit with pain on her face. I turned to my wife and told her that Therio was hurting and she asked as in tried hurting or injury hurt and I told her Injury hurt. I thought that maybe she would come out of the game at that point but she hung in there and finished the game.

You are correct, Bugeater.  She tweaked it a lot worse against Wisconsin, and got along better against Purdue,but your observation was correct. 

Chipper doesn't live here, doesn't attend many games, and doesn't know the details of what some of the players are dealing with. So instead of praising someone who is trying through no fault of her own to play through something that should frankly have had her redshirting if we had any depth at the position, he makes it personal by calling her lazy.  She may get beat, but it ain't about lazy.

"Coming from a non-athlete who questions an absolute WARRIER.

 

 

Okay. Unlike you I have no need to make personal inferences. I just stick to the ballgames, babe.

 

Go Big Red...On to Bloomington

Actually Chipper, you do make it personal, and that's the problem. But instead of making personal inferences against some message board poster, it's always been directed at players.  Including on days they find out their dad has been diagnosed with a serious illness.  So have some accountability. 

I was at the game.  And Moore didn't take plays off.  That's what you said.  In your next post you tried to change it to "getting beat"--but first you made the statement that it was due to lack of effort.  And what i saw, at the game, is a warrior who gave us everything she had for 45 minutes without being taken out of the game once. 

The team I saw on TV fought pretty hard. It was impressive just to get to overtime.

I think you're right, HB. Gotta find a way to get a couple of other players to step up and make the defense not swarm 2 or 3 players.

But on D we struggled against Purdue's post game. Their players seemed a little quicker, especially down low.

But in spite of all that, Hooper has an average game, we probably win that one.

I think that the game Saturday and the South Dakota game was in away a bit of pay back from last year when the Huskers found ways to win the games in which they didn't play thier best ball. If they hadn't missed the first 16 shots, The Huskers win easily. But they did miss thethose shots and they did lose. But is was not from a lack of effort on anyones part. Maybe it was just the oppsitet hat they were trying to hard and just needed to relax a bit.