nustudent

2 hours ago, GhostOfJoeMcCray said:

 

I'm with you. We really just need Kyle and Milicic and then the other spots do not matter much to me because then you're already looking at Nick Janowski and Sam Hoiberg being guys 9 and 10 (that's with Mast being out) and if Janowski and Hoiberg are your 9 and 10 then you're in good shape. 

It’s more or less this simple.  And if Mast is healthy, Igor isn’t even a need.  Theres no dynamic players outside of those 3 that are going to come here. 

1 minute ago, Art Vandalay said:

They would role players here on hopefully a real good team, exactly what we want. I hope Jano can do it too but those guys are experienced high level shooters in major conferences and we have plenty of room. Better safe than sorry, get talent here and go from there.

Not sure I agree on high level or on a real good team. Will agree that we have room.   But I’d be disappointed if Jano cant beat them out. 

Just now, Art Vandalay said:

Absolutely will have to agree to disagree on that, I think they are both well above average shooters.

They’ve been decent players on marginal teams and role players on good teams.   If Janowski can’t match that, then what are we hoping for from him. 

2 minutes ago, Art Vandalay said:

I think he or the Nova kid would be great as 7-8 type guy both probably as good ot better as Wilcher as overall players. I probably favor the Nova kid a little more. I’m high on Jano too. PT at guard and wing will be competitive which is great.

Neither are anything above average.  I’d actually be pretty disappointed if we can’t get their production out of Janowski.  

4 minutes ago, Art Vandalay said:

You can’t replace Keisei but Griffiths and Essigan / Nova kid would be an upgrade in my opinion.

 

if Mast is out and we get Milicic and Kyle (or some other rim protecting 4/5)  

 

I’d call that a 3 run homer

I’m meh on Essegian.  Id rather almost roll with Janowski.    If we get Igor and Kyle, I’ll feel good about next year 

8 minutes ago, hugh42 said:

 

Tominaga shouldn't be listed as he is out of eligibility, whereas Rice made a choice and I wish him the best of luck at PSU.

 

As for Rice over Griffiths, I have to disagree there as GG's ceiling is a lot higher than ER's IMO. He has a better overall skill set, can defend multiple positions and has better length. He was pretty impressive at times in our game at home against Rutgers, especially when he was matched up with Gary. Blocked Gary's shot twice when he tried to take him to the bucket, rebounded over Williams down low and drew a foul and scored over a taller defender taking the ball to the basket making a difficult finish look easy. I think we really got a good one.

If the goal is to improve, then you need to list him.  we don’t have the high school class to replace the guys that we lost. So we need to add more from the portal. 

35 minutes ago, hskr4life said:

I wouldn’t necessarily call a multiple year starting PG at Utah, a former top 25 SG, and a big man who we beat another B1G team (who was closer to home than us) underwhelming.  Especially when we’ve basically upgraded/equaled out each position we’ve lost.

 

Lawrence - Woosley 

Diop/Keita - Morgan 

Rice/Tominaga - Griffiths

 

and we still have 3 ships to fill.

4 scholarships to fill.

And I'd take Rice and Tominaga over Griffiths

If you can get Hepburn...you take him.  He's better than what we have.

That being said...I don't see anyway he ends up here at this stage.

Just focus on Kyle.  

6 minutes ago, B-town hoopsfan said:

2 bigs, 1 that’s a stretchier 4 with some bounce and another who’s more traditional to play opposing 5s.

 

Then just 2 guys we think will have a chance to actually be here next year regardless of position.  Suspect these two need to be from towns within X miles of Lincoln. 
 

At some point whatever we call what the current portal is will get some restrictions put on it(hopefully sooner than later imo) and just adding 10 new players each year is gonna be tougher than it is now.  Plus this is the last round of covid seniors so the portal should shrink next year regardless 

It will mostly be the last round of covid guys....but we're still technically two more classes before the covid impact will be completely erased.

Ex.

2020-2021  Covid

2021-2022  True Frosh

2022-2023 RS Frosh

2023-2024 RS Soph

2024-2025 RS Junior

2025-2026 RS Senior

There will be fewer examples of this after this season, but it is still technically possible.  Especially for guys who were injured post-Covid.

1.  Kyle

2.  

-A.  Explosive combo guard if Mast is healthy

-B.  Igor if he isn't.

3.  Best young player willing to sit a year before playing time

4.  Scholie to Sam H. or Jacobson

I don't really believe we can add 4 more high quality players who are ready this year.  There are only so many minutes to go around.

5 minutes ago, Cookie Miller Wasn't Dirty said:

As much as I like our new additions, I’m not sure I’d say we’re maintaining our offensive identity with these changes. Neither Worster nor Ulis are good shooters, especially not as good as the guys they’re replacing. If we replace Allick with a guy like Kyle or Payne, that’s a big change from Allick stretching the floor. Neither of those guys are three point threats.

 

My concern is we’re overreacting to the last game we played, and the changes we make could do more harm to the offense than good to the defense. Not to mention I don’t think we’ve actually added any great defenders… just guys who are improvements over bad defenders like Keisei and Wilcher.

A.  Worster and Ulis won't be on the court much at the same time.  

B.  While they aren't as good of shooters as Keisei, their ability to distribute will allow guys to more shots in catch and shoot situations.

C.  Allick is a better shooter from 3 than a Kyle, but he's hardly Dirk Nowitzki.  Kyle's ability to finish inside and at the rim will help open up more kickouts as well.  

Not everyone on the team will be an explosive freak.  And not everyone on the team is going to be a Larry Bird in skill and IQ.  The key is to find the right pairing.  

Mast is an incredible resource at the 5 because of his ability to shoot and pass.  He's an okay rebounder.  But he struggles blocking shots and finishing at the rim.  That's why a guy like Kyle is key.

You can also get away with a guy like Gary at the 4 if Morgan is in.  He's more of your traditional post.   Which frees Gary up some.

It's about balance and complimentary pieces

It’d still be nice to had an explosive combo guard, if for nothing else other than defense.   

Ideally….

PG:  Worster/Ulis

SG:  Williams/Hoiberg

SF:  Gary/Griffiths

PF:  Kyle/Morgan

C.    Mast or Igor/Morgan.  
 

Frager redshirts.  
Jano gets spot duty at the 2.  

6 minutes ago, Cookie Miller Wasn't Dirty said:

I hope not. I think people are forgetting Ulis was like… Plan D in our portal PG search last year. Then he got suspended and we went to Boogie as Plan E.

 

Based on their careers prior to Nebraska, Worster seems more poised to be starter.

Yep.  He’s far more productive than Ulis. 

5 hours ago, Art Vandalay said:

He definitely could but we are apparently paying him a lot more and he likes our Ag program. Plus we are looking like a tourney team. Not saying it is likely but it is a possibility that would be ideal. Probably more likely Mast is out.

Even if we are paying him more, I have a hard time seeing him come here to sit.   And I have a harder time seeing us paying him a lot to be a 3rd string guy.

5 hours ago, GhostOfJoeMcCray said:

 

I get what you are saying, but I also don't think Boogie Coleman was coming here planning to be the #10 guy on our team...but in the end somebody had to be. Boogie accepted that ri$k because it had a good deal of benefit to him even if he ended up being the 10th/11th man. And in this era of college basketball, it's not hard to imagine some kids would rather take a big pay day and potentially not play than get a few hundred bucks and play a lot. And based on what we're seeing it would appear our NIL game is in very strong shape. 

 

Kyle visiting here a second time can't hurt, but I can't get a good read on that one. Milicic has said he wants to decide after this upcoming weekend. I guess I like the order of how it's playing out. Morgan signed first, but Milicic probably sees plenty of potential to play right now given Mast's risk of missing some/a lot of time, and also not knowing what Kyle plans to do. Then if they're both signed by the time Kyle decides in late April/early May, well you have to figure Kyle still believes he walks in and starts at the 4 on this team. 

 

And then Rienk says I'm good, I'll be ready by November :) 

 

One can dream. 

 

 

 

 

Boogie was also a late in the game pickup up after we lost Ulis.  
 

He commit til August.   A lot different than in mid-April when these guys have other options.  

5 hours ago, big red22 said:

So basically you are saying we aren't getting Igor unless Mast doesn't come back.  Igor seems like a more athletic version of Mast IMO.  Morgan is definitely the most aggressive of the bunch, but as I said somewhere when he committed... Morgan needs to distribute the ball better to work in Hoibergs system

I’m saying I don’t believe that Kyle, Igor, Mast and Morgan will be on the same team playing together.   3 of those guys are seniors.  Those guys can go elsewhere for more minutes or better programs if they want to be a reserve.  Igor makes perfect sense if Mast is out though.  

Just now, big red22 said:

Milicic is 100% the perfect fit for Hoibergs offense, but I agree we only get one more Big and I would prefer Milicic over Morgan and Kyle

Kyle is a perfect 4 in the Big Ten.  Him alongside one of Mast/Igor/Morgan is ideal. 

2 minutes ago, Art Vandalay said:

If they got them all, Morgan would be on the outside for minutes. That is what happens on really good teams and I hope we are working to get there. Milicic >>> Morgan in my book and I like Morgan.

I don’t think Morgan is committing to be our 3rd string center.  He could go and start at Minnesota next year.  
 

Neither are bad players, but I don’t see us ending up with all 3 (if Mast is healthy)

26 minutes ago, HuscurAdam said:

 

I'm not sure how it's debatable. Professional teams aren't lining up to sign guys who need surgery and rehab and need to sit out a year. Other leagues don't have the deep pockets of the NBA.

Because he can get paid a fair amount in Europe.  Even if he needs surgery.    Doesn’t the same issues apply with him as the other foreign players from an NIL standpoint.  

5 minutes ago, Art Vandalay said:

Dang I love Milicic, a legit shooter who would thrive in our offense. I love Kyle because he is different than what we have but would be psyched for either and if we got both that would be incredible 

If it’s true that Mast is out for next year, then my interest in Milicic goes up quite a bit.   
 

Theres only so many minutes to go around.   And I don’t see these guys coming to split a bunch of time.  But if Mast is out, it’s now a lot easier to rotate Kyle, Igor and Morgan.  

I'd probably take Worster between the two.  But they are going to be similar types.  More distributors than shooters.

Just now, HuscurAdam said:

 

If Mast has to be sit out either way, he is better of staying at DONU on our "payroll" and taking advantage of our world-class sports medicine. 

Debateable on that.  

But I won't be complaining about it.  I'd definitely keep him here to replace Morgan than in '25-'26

He was a bigger part of our success than people care to admit it.

14 minutes ago, millerhusker said:

Sounding like Mast is going to have surgery and sit out all of next season. If so, I'd be surprised if we didn't take 3 bigs. There are 80 minutes to go around at the 4/5 spots, so in that scenario Morgan, Kyle and Milicic could/would all play about as many minutes as they did for their teams this past season. 

Then that makes more sense.  I'm actually surprised he'd sit out rather than just go back to Europe.

Just now, GhostOfJoeMcCray said:

 

Gotcha. Kyle is the biggest must get for our roster, especially if Mast is done because we need bigs badly then. Milicic I want very much for his skillset though.

I think Milicic is really good....but if Mast, Morgan and Kyle all come....I don't see why he is coming here.  There's going to be a log jam of minutes there, especially since Gary can play the 4 at times too.