NORTHWESTERN GAME DAY THREAD

[12dozen]

6 minutes ago, caveman said:

50 turnovers in the last 2 games: brutal to watch, but really just poor coaching.

Earth to hey coach, teams are going press you until you show you can handle it.

The lowest turnover average, of the last four years, was 2020. We averaged 13.9 turnovers a game that year.  Prior to the last 2 games, we were averaging 15.8 a game this year. Imagine we are 16+ turnovers a game by now.  Looks to be an ongoing problem, not being fixed.

[HuskerFever]

6 minutes ago, 12dozen said:

If opponents don't press us from the opening tip, I'll be surprised.

 

They seemed fine when they found their go-to inbounder and could move the ball around. But too many times they were stuck standing or lobbing up passes without getting any help.

 

Fortunately, some of this can be addressed quickly with extra attention in practice. Will that translate to game-time? We will soon find out.

[Neb Nets]

You’d think after a game with 26 turnovers, this coaching staff would have placed a huge premium on ball security in the practices leading up to tonight’s game. 
What did we have tonight, 23 turnovers? 24? And mind you, this was against the cellar-dwelling team of the B1G. 

[longtimefan]

Unfortunately this team just doesn't play smart basketball.  I have to think they must play this way in practice. Apparently the coaches can't teach them to play smart.

[hskr4life]

That was the longest last few minutes of basketball ever.  Did my kids entire bedtime routine with 2:30 left on the clock.

 

We got the W!

[AuroranHusker]

That Northwestern had 34 points in the 1st three quarters, then scored 32 in the 4th quarter, well, that's ridiculous enough. But, at the same time, I also felt that the refs allowed NW to ramp up their pressure by fouling somewhat regularly without consequence for a sizeable stretch of the 4th, then suddenly those same refs called foul after foul on NW once the Huskers were in the bonus. Weird how it played out, not even discussing the inane number of turnovers, oh wait, I just did. Sheesh, that was way too stressful for a game "out of reach"!

 

 

[NUtball]

1 hour ago, 12dozen said:

If opponents don't press us from the opening tip, I'll be surprised.

They'd be insane not to.

[All About the Corn]

This team has some serious problems. Too much experience on this team to make this many errors. It can not just be the players. This is more than loosing one player (Allison). Thursday could be a long night. 

[Huskerpapa]

For  the life of me  I do not understand the turnovers and the absolute debacle in our attempts to break a pedestrian press.  Lordy.

[Red Don]

WBB vs Northwestern Highlights!

(seems like a lot of feel-good cherry-picking going on; basically ignores what happens when the treys are NOT falliing in, i.e the 12 min scoring drought in the second quarter broken by the quarter-ending trey by Jaz (Huskers scored only 7 pts all qtr, after scoring 30 in the first Q), nor the difficulties overcoming Northwestern's Press. Doesn't show the scoring FAILS, allowing Northwestern to get back in the game.)

 

 

[redsteve]

10 hours ago, AuroranHusker said:

That Northwestern had 34 points in the 1st three quarters, then scored 32 in the 4th quarter, well, that's ridiculous enough. But, at the same time, I also felt that the refs allowed NW to ramp up their pressure by fouling somewhat regularly without consequence for a sizeable stretch of the 4th, then suddenly those same refs called foul after foul on NW once the Huskers were in the bonus. Weird how it played out, not even discussing the inane number of turnovers, oh wait, I just did. Sheesh, that was way too stressful for a game "out of reach"!

 

 

 

That (in bold) had an awfully lot (not all obviously) to do with the turnovers in 4th.  We made some quizzical passes all game long, to put it nicely. 

Watch the game replays/highlights and see how different their defense was fouling compared to the crazy 4th qtr.  Penn St was similar...they got away with stuff.

 

Like the turn of a switch at about 2 min left, late in the game, the refs starting calling all of NW fouls, and  the game got back to sanity. Had the fouls been called all game long like that, we would have won be 25 possibly. 

 

Anyway as exhausting as it was....we got  the win. It was an important win at this stage of the B1G standings. Have some really tough games coming up. Making the NCAAs brackets will be nip and tuck to the end. Having a chance that's all we can ask for at this point. 

A win is a win folks!!

 

Whenever Issie decides to leave we'll really miss what she can do on the court. She has another dimension we can't duplicate right now. Just a great reliable and respectful kid, we have to be so appreciative of her coming to UNL

 

Edited February 7, 2023 by redsteve

[Huskerpapa]

I will not say this in a negative manner...we are a finesse team rather than a physical team.  When an opponent is allowed to play physical, we tend to crack a bit.  Sam and Allison (before her injury) and Alexis to a lesser extent, seem to handle physicality okay, yet not great.

 

I think the player's name was Rainy last night who pushed (I think) Maggie down.  I am certainly not advocating violence; but how did Maggie react at that moment, and how did the team as a whole react?  I would not have swung or shoved anyone, but I certainly would have been up pretty darn quickly and my chest would have Invaded her personal space.  You cannot back or shy away from physicality on the court.  We sorta do.

[Redhac]

The level of turnovers is disturbing but in part caused by the Northwestern muggings with lack of fouls called. However what is also disturbing was the the number of turnovers by our top players with Haiby with 6, Izy with 5 and Jaz with 5.  These experienced players need to play smarter but also need to go help out when another players is getting boxed in.

[12dozen]

1 hour ago, Redhac said:

......players need to play smarter but also need to go help out when another players is getting boxed in.

So much dribbling, while others watch.  Movement please.  Motion please.  Screens please.  Imagine "hot potato". Turn that pressure into easy buckets?   Easier said, than done.  I know. 

 

Why does "Groundhog Day" come to mind?    

[whoopdeedoo]

btw..........NW has had 3 highly touted recruiting classes in a row. expected NW to be much better. 

[Cazzie22]

We need to adjust to how the game is being called.  I can’t blame Northwestern for being aggressive and physical because they sensed the panic in the Huskers.  When trapped, we need to be STRONG with the ball and not throw feeble passes.  Teammates need to come to the ball instead of running away from it.  Live ball turnovers are killers.  I would rather the trapped player get tied up than throw the ball away.  We have enough veteran ball players to prevent this from happening.  Glad we found a way to win.

[Red Don]

19 minutes ago, Cazzie22 said:

We need to adjust to how the game is being called.  I can’t blame Northwestern for being aggressive and physical because they sensed the panic in the Huskers.  When trapped, we need to be STRONG with the ball and not throw feeble passes.  Teammates need to come to the ball instead of running away from it.  Live ball turnovers are killers.  I would rather the trapped player get tied up than throw the ball away.  We have enough veteran ball players to prevent this from happening.  Glad we found a way to win.

 

At least in a tie-up you have a chance to keep possession depending on the possession arrow.  Throw it away and you get a turnover; and maybe transition leading to easy scores.

[NUtball]

On 2/7/2023 at 10:48 AM, Huskerpapa said:

I will not say this in a negative manner...we are a finesse team rather than a physical team.  When an opponent is allowed to play physical, we tend to crack a bit.  Sam and Allison (before her injury) and Alexis to a lesser extent, seem to handle physicality okay, yet not great.

 

I think the player's name was Rainy last night who pushed (I think) Maggie down.  I am certainly not advocating violence; but how did Maggie react at that moment, and how did the team as a whole react?  I would not have swung or shoved anyone, but I certainly would have been up pretty darn quickly and my chest would have Invaded her personal space.  You cannot back or shy away from physicality on the court.  We sorta do.

Krull got shoved to the ground by Rainy and as Krull was sitting on her backside with a look of surprise/confusion on her face, while I'm no lipreader, she looked up at Rainy and basically said "WTH was that for?"

[All About the Corn]

NUtball, I think this also goes back to my point in the other thread. We need to play with more aggression. We play too passive. Krull should have got up and locked in defensively and let her know we will not take that type of play from them.