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Fast forward a year


Norm Peterson

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2 minutes ago, Husker Hoops Penitent said:

Dead Dog Alley, that is one of the best posts in a long time. Great exhibition of your deep Husker knowledge. Regarding 1994, refresh my memory about "mystery big man". At first I thought it might be a reference to Osita Nwachukwu who Nee passed on, but that was in 1992. So I am stumped. By the way, kudos for remembering Johnny Benjamin! Your Husker knowledge is first rate. I remember being so excited about him (he averaged something like fifty points a game in h.s. 

 

While on this broad subject: how about a couple of other names that excited many of us: Delvon Harris and Ben Coupet! Both were school boy legends and were on their way to NU. Also, I read in a basketball book years ago and now cannot for the life of me find the source, that Wilt Chamberlain narrowed his college choices to NU and KU. When I read that I knew that something cosmic has happened....

 

I do not know who the mystery big man recruit was supposed to be, but Bruce Chubick referenced the situation it in a radio interview a few years ago.  He didn't mention a name, but it was about Bruce having to move to center his senior year because the guy didn't come here.

 

As for the Wilt claim, I've heard it from a couple of places but the only source I remember is Mike Babcock talking about it in interviews.  He said that he heard it from Nate Branch. I think the story went that Wilt was at Nate's high school and heard that he was going to Nebraska, and said that Kansas and Nebraska were his top two choices when he was going to college.

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Wow! I never saw him. Glad you got to. And yes, it was a shame about Benjamin. I never did find out why he didn't suit up for the Big Red. It must have been some disciplinary reason.

 

Isn't it staggering how many true "near misses" and just plain rotten luck NU has endured? They really were so close to becoming a power. Unless and until Hoiberg breaks through I will temper my optimism as best I can. Frankly, if Hoiberg can't take us to the promised land no one can or will.

 

Again, thanks for the great posts, insights and information!

Edited by Husker Hoops Penitent
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3 hours ago, cipsucks said:

 

On the other hand, Walker shot 26% from the free throw line and Stevenson played on a team that lost 19 straight games.  I think the proclamation that they would be starting at most Big Ten teams is a bit speculative.

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9 minutes ago, khoock said:

Honestly starting to think Yvan Ouedraogo and Thorir Thorbjarnarson are the only ones that are locks to return (or as close to locks as you can have in CBB).

And Thor could still go overseas to play pro ball. Pull a Jack McVeigh more or less, and I wouldn't fault him. But I agree

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2 minutes ago, thrasher31 said:

And Thor could still go overseas to play pro ball. Pull a Jack McVeigh more or less, and I wouldn't fault him. But I agree

If im Thor, which obviously im not, im thinking I sat through two full years of most fans calling me a waste of scholarship and then a full year of proving I can play but on a team that took its fair share of lumps. Now I wanna reap the benefits of contributing on a (hopefully) good team.

 

Plus another year under the tutelage of HCFH cant hurt, right?

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2 minutes ago, khoock said:

If im Thor, which obviously im not, im thinking I sat through two full years of most fans calling me a waste of scholarship and then a full year of proving I can play but on a team that took its fair share of lumps. Now I wanna reap the benefits of contributing on a (hopefully) good team.

 

Plus another year under the tutelage of HCFH cant hurt, right?

Which is fair. And the improved offense (we hope) will get him more open looks from 3. His 3 % dropped a bit after teams keyed on him a lot

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2 minutes ago, thrasher31 said:

Which is fair. And the improved offense (we hope) will get him more open looks from 3. His 3 % dropped a bit after teams keyed on him a lot

And i still think one of the three guards return and hope Arop does. No idea on Easley or Cross. I would welcome both back but understand if they decide to go.

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2 minutes ago, Husker Hoops Penitent said:

I don't think there is many reasons to think next year will be much better. It looks like a complete exodus is in the offing so next year's team will be "new" again. If the staff don't start landing difference makers the "Hoiberg momentum" will be swallowed by NU's historical futility.

 

Fortunately, in the game of basketball, you can be successful with a "new" team. Let's just hope we get the right player in place to turn this ship around.

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4 minutes ago, Husker Hoops Penitent said:

I don't think there is many reasons to think next year will be much better. It looks like a complete exodus is in the offing so next year's team will be "new" again. If the staff don't start landing difference makers the "Hoiberg momentum" will be swallowed by NU's historical futility.

I agree, but the sit out guys all will have been with the program for a while which helps significantly. This year there was only two guys with P5 basketball experience. Next year we'll have at least 6, which will help a lot. It will be better, that's for sure. The ceiling is just unknown 

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They better land PG Carter Whitt and C Adama Sanogo, plus a couple others. Perhaps the grad. transfer Kobe Webster from W. Illinois will sign, which might make Mack's likely (inevitable?) departure less consequential? I see Rivals still has NU at the top of the list w/ Top 100 big men (Clemence and Breidenback) so who know? If they could land these guys then we might have something. 

 

I wish a few of us were paid to worry about this shit-show....

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1 minute ago, Cazzie22 said:

Who knows in basketball.  Could we have predicted Wisconsin winning the B1G?

 

Maybe not. But you could predict just about every year that Wisconsin will be in the top half of the conference and Nebraska will be in the bottom half of the conference.

 

And that's what we need to fix.

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Not really worried about next year in terms of chemistry or transition to P5 basketball. We will have our three sit out guys plus 2-3 (maybe more?) returning from this years team. Remember, Thor and Burke were the only two players who had been on a team together coming in to this season. But didnt play together. And HCFH and staff system was new to everyone.

 

As for the players coming in, as mentioned above, they all have some degree of P5 experience.

 

We will be in a much better situation heading into next year. 

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I haven’t even remotely given up on Cross as a solid future contributor to our program.  I saw way too many good flashes at the 5 to not be curious about him at his natural spot next season.  Remember, he also busted his ass to get in shape before the season started.  He’s way more explosive than most realize.  Another offseason and he could take a huge step next season.  I realize he’s slumping now, but we’ve already seen what he’s capable of.  So it’s not a talent issue, but a consistency one, and that comes with practice reps and weight room.  

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