Perspective

[Norm Peterson]

I mentioned in the HHCC thread that I have very low expectations for this season.  So, it won't take much for me to be happy with what I see. Some reasons to be a little chill about last night's debacle:

 

• Hoiberg built an entire roster from scratch in a roughly 30-day stretch ... in the spring ... when things were pretty well picked-over
• These guys have never played together before
• They don't ideally have the types of skillsets HCFH would recruit if he had more time to build a team
• So you had to figure there would be bumps in the road

 

• We start a 17-year-old center who is younger than half of the high school seniors playing basketball in this country right now
• We have three true-freshmen in our regular rotation all of whom played in their first official college games last night
• Our starting PG is a only a sophomore, and a juco to boot, and it generally takes jucos at least a semester to adjust
• We only have two seniors on the entire roster

 

• So, we're young, inexperienced, and undersized this season. What were you expecting?

[AuroranHusker]

13 minutes ago, Norm Peterson said:

I mentioned in the HHCC thread that I have very low expectations for this season.  So, it won't take much for me to be happy with what I see. Some reasons to be a little chill about last night's debacle:

 

• Hoiberg built an entire roster from scratch in a roughly 30-day stretch ... in the spring ... when things were pretty well picked-over
• These guys have never played together before
• They don't ideally have the types of skillsets HCFH would recruit if he had more time to build a team
• So you had to figure there would be bumps in the road

 

• We start a 17-year-old center who is younger than half of the high school seniors playing basketball in this country right now
• We have three true-freshmen in our regular rotation all of whom played in their first official college games last night
• Our starting PG is a only a sophomore, and a juco to boot, and it generally takes jucos at least a semester to adjust
• We only have two seniors on the entire roster

 

• So, we're young, inexperienced, and undersized this season. What were you expecting?

 

Pretty well nailed it. It still sucked last night, no matter what. I hope to see better cohesion on Saturday afternoon. That's the one element that this team can control, they obviously can't grow by then to be bigger & stronger and be better rebounders. I'd love to see Shamiel Stevenson sooner than later, but I digress.... I think it can be better, but the extent of "how good" remains the one part that seems up for debate. Just enjoy the ride, it's always a roller-coaster ride with Nebrasketball, anyway.

 

 

Edited November 6, 2019 by AuroranHusker

[Norm Peterson]

Having said all of that above, there were definitely bright spots last night.

 

• Yvan is a load on the defensive end. Opposing bigs, so far, aren't getting deep in the paint. I've seen them lower their shoulders and try to back him in and he doesn't budge. Which is really good to see. And he scored 9 points last night on 4-6 shooting. He'll eventually learn how to use his body to create some space to make those shots inside happen.
• Cam Mack is looking really solid so far. Not the best shooting night last night, missed a couple at the rim, but was 40% from 3-point range, scored 11 and grabbed 9 boards. He'd have had more assists but his teammates weren't making a lot of shots.
• Except for the shooting last night, the jucos are playing better than typical for a transition-to-D1 season. I think the shooting will eventually come around and we'll regress to the mean. This was just a really off night offensively. But those two have a lot of talent, and you could see it.
• The first ten minutes, they looked like a team. As the season goes on and they settle in, I think we'll see more of those stretches and less of the trying-to-force-stuff-because-we're-behind-and-I'm-trying-to-catch-up-all-at-once stuff.

[AuroranHusker]

3 minutes ago, Norm Peterson said:

Having said all of that above, there were definitely bright spots last night.

 

• Yvan is a load on the defensive end. Opposing bigs, so far, aren't getting deep in the paint. I've seen them lower their shoulders and try to back him in and he doesn't budge. Which is really good to see. And he scored 9 points last night on 4-6 shooting. He'll eventually learn how to use his body to create some space to make those shots inside happen.
• Cam Mack is looking really solid so far. Not the best shooting night last night, missed a couple at the rim, but was 40% from 3-point range, scored 11 and grabbed 9 boards. He'd have had more assists but his teammates weren't making a lot of shots.
• Except for the shooting last night, the jucos are playing better than typical for a transition-to-D1 season. I think the shooting will eventually come around and we'll regress to the mean. This was just a really off night offensively. But those two have a lot of talent, and you could see it.
• The first ten minutes, they looked like a team. As the season goes on and they settle in, I think we'll see more of those stretches and less of the trying-to-force-stuff-because-we're-behind-and-I'm-trying-to-catch-up-all-at-once stuff.

 

I think the zone D threw off NU, after that initial surge that had our Huskers jump out to a 19-10 lead. Lots of running & gunning early on, Burke being a quick dude scoring 5 of the first 8.

 

On another note: The incessant shooting by Cross -- especially after he made that 3 to go up 19-10 -- kinda hurt the offensive flow (and yes, I know he's supposed to take open shots, but still Kevin couldn't throw 1 in an ocean, it felt like...).

 

Positively speaking: I, too, was impressed by Yvan & Cam, for the most part. They seem like B1G dudes for the future makeup of the roster.

Edited November 6, 2019 by AuroranHusker

[jayschool]

TRIGGER WARNING: LOTS OF NEBRASKETBALL LOSSES IN THIS POST.

 

The masochist in me loves this sort of historical research. It's the same side of me that emerged last night after UC-Riverside went up by 15 and it was clear we weren't going to win. I started hoping every UC-R shot would go in just so we could point to this game as some sort of negative historical marker, something to measure our eventual success by. I know we're headed in the right direction, but I didn't expect the starting point to be so far back.

 

So in that spirit, here are Nebraska's worst regular-seasons since the end of World War II, compared with what Nebraska would have to accomplish this year in 32-33 games to equal the win percentage:

1. 1962-63 (6-19, .240, which would be 8-25 this year)
2. 1963-64 (7-18, .280, or 9-23 this year)
3. 1951-52 (7-17, .292, or 9-23)
4. 1959-60 (7-17, .282, or 9-23)
5. 1955-56 (7-16, .304, or 10-23)
6. 1972-73 (9-17, .346, or 11-21)
7. 1945-46 (7-13, .350, or 11-21)
8. 1989-90 (10-18, .357, or 12-21)
9. 1961-62 (9-16, .360, or 12-21)
10. 1999-2000 (11-19, .367, or 12-20)

And the only seasons under .400 this century:

1. 2002-03 (11-19, .367, or 12-20)
2. 2016-17 (12-19, .387, or 13-21)

Our lowest conference win totals:

1. Jerry Bush's 1963 team: 1-13
2. Doc's 2010 team: 2-14
3. Collier's 2003 team: 3-13
4. Nee's 1990 team: 3-11
5. Bush's 1956 team: 3-9
6. Harry Good's 1952 team: 3-7
7. Good's 1947 team: 3-7
8. Doc's 2012 team: 4-14
9. Nee's 2000 team: 4-12
10. Nee's 1996 team: 4-10
11. Nee's 1995 team: 4-10
12. Nee's 1989 team: 4-10
13. Nee's 1988 team: 4-10
14. Cip's 1973 team: 4-10
15. Bush's 1961 team: 4-10
16. Bush's 1960 team: 4-10
17. Good's 1953 team: 4-8
18. Good's 1951 team: 4-8

Again, this is pure masochism, but that side of me says, "If we're gonna be bad, let's be historically bad."

 

Luckily, as with football, my optimistic self prevails. I think we can beat Wisconsin in football, and I think we can reach 11 wins overall and 5-6 in the conference in basketball.

 

Go Big Red!

[Norm Peterson]

Yvan has tremendous upside. This season could be brutal, but he's going to come back next year an entirely different player, and potentially a difference maker. That drop-step (some people might call it something else) move he did to score is something few bigs on past teams could have executed.

 

Have some patience. We have some really young contributors seeing their first college action.  They're going to get better.

 

One guy not to sleep on:  Akol Arop. No, I'm not kidding.

 

He's learning the game right now but he has athleticism in spades and he has really excellent length.  Was watching him shooting in warmups and the kid has a pretty decent jump shot.  If he gets that jumper down to the point where he can reliably hit 40% from deep (which I think is doable) he can be a 3-and-D guy for us because he can guard so many different positions.

 

He's learning the game. Give him time. That jumper could get him on the floor.

[hskr4life]

I'm feeling a little better today.  I hope that game leaves a sour taste in our guys mouths.  

 

One nice thing that last night should show our guys is that nobody is going to lay over and die.  Not one team will be a for sure win.  We need to come out and play 40 full minutes each and every night.

[hskr4life]

Also interesting to point out that it isn't just that guys need to learn to gel together as a new team, but for 7/11 of the guys who played last night, this was their first EVER D1 action.

 

Edited to say that it was the first outside of our WSU scrimmage.

Edited November 6, 2019 by hskr4life

[Norm Peterson]

1 minute ago, hskr4life said:

Also interesting to point out that it isn't just that guys need to learn to gel together as a new team, but for 7/11 of the guys who played last night, this was their first EVER D1 action.

 

Edited to say that it was the first outside of our WSU scrimmage.

 

A point very much worth remembering as people look for window ledges to jump from as the season goes along.

[The Polish Rifle]

We have 3 coaches on our staff that have taken teams to the NCAA tournament as head coaches. I feel good about these guys diagnosing short comings and identifying strengths, these dudes will get this figured out. 

[AuroranHusker]

7 minutes ago, The Polish Rifle said:

We have 3 coaches on our staff that have taken teams to the NCAA tournament as head coaches. I feel good about these guys diagnosing short comings and identifying strengths, these dudes will get this figured out. 

 

Definitely in the long term, the short term could still be painful.

 

 

[Faux Mike Peltz]

Norm, mark my words. Cam Mack will deliver a Vince Carter like dunk over Frederick Weiss aka the dunk of death on some unsuspecting player this season. He drives and elevates BIG time. I noticed Arop’s shot looks nice and I saw him bury a few threes during warmups. My son and I counted Samari Curtis made 5 threes in a row during warmups, has that wrist flick of a shot but goes in. Yvan was a gem of a find. His back to the basket spin move and layup on the 7-2 guy had the crowd ooing and me getting a bit misty eyed. 
Cheatham and Burke need to be the leaders out there, let’s get em on Saturday!

[hhcmatt]

I can rationalize with the best of them but I was expecting us, with our roster of guys who would be too good to play for UC Riverside,  to be competitive last night.

 

[Norm Peterson]

1 hour ago, hhcmatt said:

I can rationalize with the best of them but I was expecting us, with our roster of guys who would be too good to play for UC Riverside,  to be competitive last night.

 

 

I get that, but ...

 

A complete list of all the Husker players who'd played a D1 game before last night:

 

Haanif Cheatham

Matej Kavas

Dachon Burke

Thorir Thorbjarnarson

 

Which of them are too good for Riverside?

[Mr. Red]

1 hour ago, Faux Mike Peltz said:

Norm, mark my words. Cam Mack will deliver a Vince Carter like dunk over Frederick Weiss aka the dunk of death on some unsuspecting player this season. He drives and elevates BIG time. I noticed Arop’s shot looks nice and I saw him bury a few threes during warmups. My son and I counted Samari Curtis made 5 threes in a row during warmups, has that wrist flick of a shot but goes in. Yvan was a gem of a find. His back to the basket spin move and layup on the 7-2 guy had the crowd ooing and me getting a bit misty eyed. 
Cheatham and Burke need to be the leaders out there, let’s get em on Saturday!

 

It's been a year or so since I watched "that dunk".

First comment on YouTube, damn:

 

Chiwa Fortnite3 years ago

Feel so bad for this guy, he lives in my city Limoges in france and evryone speak about this dunk evry time we see him even 15 years after ! Vinces Carter ruined his life.

 

2.5K

 

REPLY

 

 

 

 

 

[hhcmatt]

21 minutes ago, Norm Peterson said:

 

I get that, but ...

 

A complete list of all the Husker players who'd played a D1 game before last night:

 

Haanif Cheatham

Matej Kavas

Dachon Burke

Thorir Thorbjarnarson

 

Which of them are too good for Riverside?

 

All of them are accomplished enough to slot higher than a middling Big West team IMO

[cozrulz]

Shoot better.

[HuskerBB]

Yes.   My expectations for the season were not high at all - but I certainly did not expect to get blown out on our home court by UC Riverside.    Hopefully it turns out to be a teaching tool and at least somewhat of an aberration.

 

Edited November 6, 2019 by HuskerBB

[Chuck Taylor]

FWIW, TeamRankings still has our win odds as 89.6% against Southern Utah. Bad opener, but very likely our worst game of the year (or at least most unlikely loss). We'll beat somebody we shouldn't and even things up. 

[Handy Johnson]

6 hours ago, jayschool said:

TRIGGER WARNING: LOTS OF NEBRASKETBALL LOSSES IN THIS POST.

 

The masochist in me loves this sort of historical research. It's the same side of me that emerged last night after UC-Riverside went up by 15 and it was clear we weren't going to win. I started hoping every UC-R shot would go in just so we could point to this game as some sort of negative historical marker, something to measure our eventual success by. I know we're headed in the right direction, but I didn't expect the starting point to be so far back.

 

So in that spirit, here are Nebraska's worst regular-seasons since the end of World War II, compared with what Nebraska would have to accomplish this year in 32-33 games to equal the win percentage:

1. 1962-63 (6-19, .240, which would be 8-25 this year)
2. 1963-64 (7-18, .280, or 9-23 this year)
3. 1951-52 (7-17, .292, or 9-23)
4. 1959-60 (7-17, .282, or 9-23)
5. 1955-56 (7-16, .304, or 10-23)
6. 1972-73 (9-17, .346, or 11-21)
7. 1945-46 (7-13, .350, or 11-21)
8. 1989-90 (10-18, .357, or 12-21)
9. 1961-62 (9-16, .360, or 12-21)
10. 1999-2000 (11-19, .367, or 12-20)

And the only seasons under .400 this century:

1. 2002-03 (11-19, .367, or 12-20)
2. 2016-17 (12-19, .387, or 13-21)

Our lowest conference win totals:

1. Jerry Bush's 1963 team: 1-13
2. Doc's 2010 team: 2-14
3. Collier's 2003 team: 3-13
4. Nee's 1990 team: 3-11
5. Bush's 1956 team: 3-9
6. Harry Good's 1952 team: 3-7
7. Good's 1947 team: 3-7
8. Doc's 2012 team: 4-14
9. Nee's 2000 team: 4-12
10. Nee's 1996 team: 4-10
11. Nee's 1995 team: 4-10
12. Nee's 1989 team: 4-10
13. Nee's 1988 team: 4-10
14. Cip's 1973 team: 4-10
15. Bush's 1961 team: 4-10
16. Bush's 1960 team: 4-10
17. Good's 1953 team: 4-8
18. Good's 1951 team: 4-8

Again, this is pure masochism, but that side of me says, "If we're gonna be bad, let's be historically bad."

 

Luckily, as with football, my optimistic self prevails. I think we can beat Wisconsin in football, and I think we can reach 11 wins overall and 5-6 in the conference in basketball.

 

Go Big Red!

I was sitting courtside for that 10 win debacle in ‘89, and was bed ridden after a spinal fusion when Nee won his last home game vs Colorado in 2000.... I’m getting too old to sit through many more of these.

[tcp]

It's a crap loss and trying to polish a turd of that magnitude is pointless.

 

Most of us knew this was going to be a painful rebirth, with no guarantees that the baby isn't going to be Rosemary's. 

 

I'll worry a lot more if there's no substantial response to this debacle over the next few weeks. We'll find out at the very least what kind of character these dudes have. 

 

[thrasher31]

9 hours ago, Norm Peterson said:

 

 

One guy not to sleep on:  Akol Arop. No, I'm not kidding.

 

He's learning the game right now but he has athleticism in spades and he has really excellent length.  Was watching him shooting in warmups and the kid has a pretty decent jump shot.  If he gets that jumper down to the point where he can reliably hit 40% from deep (which I think is doable) he can be a 3-and-D guy for us because he can guard so many different positions.

 

This is what I've thought all off-season. 

 

Muscle development and a jump shot is what's holding him back. He can switch across the perimeter and has good timing on blocks. 

 

I think he might eventually overtake cross in the rotation. Both offer something different. It's about who can do their role better

[B1G Red]

11 hours ago, Norm Peterson said:

I mentioned in the HHCC thread that I have very low expectations for this season.  So, it won't take much for me to be happy with what I see. Some reasons to be a little chill about last night's debacle:

 

• Hoiberg built an entire roster from scratch in a roughly 30-day stretch ... in the spring ... when things were pretty well picked-over
• These guys have never played together before
• They don't ideally have the types of skillsets HCFH would recruit if he had more time to build a team
• So you had to figure there would be bumps in the road

 

• We start a 17-year-old center who is younger than half of the high school seniors playing basketball in this country right now
• We have three true-freshmen in our regular rotation all of whom played in their first official college games last night
• Our starting PG is a only a sophomore, and a juco to boot, and it generally takes jucos at least a semester to adjust
• We only have two seniors on the entire roster

 

• So, we're young, inexperienced, and undersized this season. What were you expecting?

More of this.

[hhcmatt]

I will say that if you haven't lately check out the cumulative star rankings on verbal commits for the B1G

You can go through and cherry pick through every roster (Cam Mack is a 2 star) but generally speaking it shows who has what people consider talent.

ATM we are dead last in the conference with the lowest number that I can find we've ever had.

 

 

I was looking at this because I was researching S. Utah who it was noted had a lot of upper conference transfers.

They're currently clocking in at 2.5

 

[Red Don]

23 minutes ago, hhcmatt said:

I will say that if you haven't lately check out the cumulative star rankings on verbal commits for the B1G

ATM we are dead last in the conference with the lowest number that I can find we've ever had.

I was looking at this because I was researching S. Utah who it was noted had a lot of upper conference transfers.

They're currently clocking in at 2.5

 

 

I wonder what it might have looked like had we retained Tim Miles?