How good are we?

[Norm Peterson]

There was a game in the '91 season when Nebraska went 26-8 and was a #3 seed in the NCAA tourney where I sat up and said, "We're for real."

 

Actually, it wasn't the 2 point win over #5 Michigan State in the first home game of the season.  Right after that game, Dick Vitale called the Michigan State game "a fluke" and who could really argue with him?  We were coming off one of the worst seasons in recent memory and Michigan State might have been over-rated that early in the year.

 

No, the game where I sat up and said, "this team is really good" was two games later when we beat Creighton at home by 34 points.  That wasn't a fluke.  That was an ass-kicking of a Creighton squad that had two of their best players ever in Bob Harstad and Chad Gallagher.  And we killed them.  That's when I knew the '91 team was going to be special.

 

I don't think this year's Huskers are special.  But I do believe they could be better than what a lot of us think.  So far this year, we have losses to UMass (realtime rpi #4) on a neutral floor by 6 pts; 13 pt neutral floor loss to #137 UAB; 15 pt loss at #10 Creighton; by 15 at #21 Cinci; by 10 at #32 Iowa; by 31 at #16 Ohio State; by 1 pt against rpi #20 Michigan; and by 6 pts at rpi #105 Purdue.

 

We haven't lost at home to anyone except rpi #20 Michigan and we haven't been blown out (more than 15 pts) by anyone except #16 Ohio State on the road.

 

I think this team might be getting better as the B1G season rolls along.  We had a lot of newcomers to work into the rotation and getting all of those new guys on the same page at the same time probably took some doing.  And some time.

 

People are poo-pooing the NCAA talk and that's still such a longshot at this point that it probably should be poo-pooed.  But what if this team goes into Happy Valley tonight and wins convincingly?  Let's say by 10 points or more?  And then comes back on Sunday and beats Minnesota at home?  Then what? 

 

Is there a point in time where we maybe say this team is better than we thought?

 

We've been in every game except at Ohio State.  And we went toe to toe against them until the last minute of the first half when the wheels fell off.  But every other game, including at Iowa and at Creighton, we made it a contest until at least the last media timeout of the second half.

 

I'm not saying we are that good because I'm expecting us to go into Penn State and lose tonight.  I think that's the probable outcome.

 

Let me say that again because a lot of times people accuse me of saying or thinking things I didn't really say.  I think we go into Happy Valley tonight and probably lose.

 

But if we don't lose.  If we win.  And let's say we win comfortably -- 10 points or so.  Then, in my opinion, the talk about the NCAA bubble isn't so far-fetched that it's craziness to even go there.  Sure, it'll still be wishful thinking.  But if we pick up a road win even at PSU, you have to think this team has a shot at doing some things this year that could finally get us over that hump.

 

Just sayin.

[hhcmatt]

Opinions on program trajectory tend to vary from game to game.

I like to think that I'm in the majority when I have the opinion that the overall trend of the program is upward.

[uneblinstu]

Yeah, sure there is, but we're not to that bridge yet. When (if) we get there, feel free to cross it.

 

Also, I was at that Creighton game. We did not remotely keep that a contest. We played well enough in the second half to make it respectable and frankly, I'd make the same argument for Iowa. I like this team. I think they've got a lot of grit and character to keep fighting in those games, but we weren't in them, at least not the Creighton one.

[MichHusker]

Yeah, sure there is, but we're not to that bridge yet. When (if) we get there, feel free to cross it.

 

Also, I was at that Creighton game. We did not remotely keep that a contest. We played well enough in the second half to make it respectable and frankly, I'd make the same argument for Iowa. I like this team. I think they've got a lot of grit and character to keep fighting in those games, but we weren't in them, at least not the Creighton one.

 

I would argue that only the Creighton and first OSU game weren't contests. In the Iowa game, we were only down 7 at the half and with about a minute and a half I think it was we were only down 5. If that poked ball would have gone our way, who knows how that game would have turned out.

[uneblinstu]

 

Yeah, sure there is, but we're not to that bridge yet. When (if) we get there, feel free to cross it.

 

Also, I was at that Creighton game. We did not remotely keep that a contest. We played well enough in the second half to make it respectable and frankly, I'd make the same argument for Iowa. I like this team. I think they've got a lot of grit and character to keep fighting in those games, but we weren't in them, at least not the Creighton one.

 

I would argue that only the Creighton and first OSU game weren't contests. In the Iowa game, we were only down 7 at the half and with about a minute and a half I think it was we were only down 5. If that poked ball would have gone our way, who knows how that game would have turned out.

 

Maybe, but we got worked over most of that second half. Don't get down 20 and then there might be a better opportunity to win that game.

[GoBigRed]

NCAA Tournament talk is so pointless for us, because there is about 0.1% chance, but it's fun to do and if we aren't aiming for it, then why even be a fan?

 

I know most on here think we lose tonight, but I think if this team plays as well as it can and has in some games this season, we can win tonight. If we do win, I won't be that surprised and won't believe we are much better than I had anticipated.

But if we beat Minnesota, then I will start to believe we are making real progress. That's a darn good team.

 

First things first, get a W tonight. If we take care of business, the league standings could look like this entering our Sunday night game vs. Minnesota:

 

Michigan State 8-0

Michigan 6-1

Iowa 5-2

Minnesota 4-3

Wisconsin 4-3

Ohio State 3-4

Purdue 3-4

Illinois 3-5

Northwestern 3-5

Nebraska 2-4

Indiana 2-5

Penn State 0-7

 

We'd be playing Minnesota at home to get into a T-6th. I'd take that in heartbeat. Man, can things just work out as we hope, for once!

[MichHusker]

 

 

Yeah, sure there is, but we're not to that bridge yet. When (if) we get there, feel free to cross it.

 

Also, I was at that Creighton game. We did not remotely keep that a contest. We played well enough in the second half to make it respectable and frankly, I'd make the same argument for Iowa. I like this team. I think they've got a lot of grit and character to keep fighting in those games, but we weren't in them, at least not the Creighton one.

 

I would argue that only the Creighton and first OSU game weren't contests. In the Iowa game, we were only down 7 at the half and with about a minute and a half I think it was we were only down 5. If that poked ball would have gone our way, who knows how that game would have turned out.

 

Maybe, but we got worked over most of that second half. Don't get down 20 and then there might be a better opportunity to win that game.

 

it was definitely too little too late, and maybe to a casual basketball fan we didn't really get back in it, but I think that Iowa game really helped our guys grow up and show some resiliency.

[royalfan]

The real conference ratings as I see them(yes I understand, that some teams have beaten other teams rated ahead of them)

1. Michigan St.

2. Iowa

3. Wisconsin

4. Michigan

5. Ohio St.

6. Minny

7. VERY CLOSE between 7-11  but give lean to Indiana

8. Illinois

9.  Nebraska

10. Penn St.

11. Purdue

12. NW

[uneblinstu]

 

 

 

Yeah, sure there is, but we're not to that bridge yet. When (if) we get there, feel free to cross it.

 

Also, I was at that Creighton game. We did not remotely keep that a contest. We played well enough in the second half to make it respectable and frankly, I'd make the same argument for Iowa. I like this team. I think they've got a lot of grit and character to keep fighting in those games, but we weren't in them, at least not the Creighton one.

 

I would argue that only the Creighton and first OSU game weren't contests. In the Iowa game, we were only down 7 at the half and with about a minute and a half I think it was we were only down 5. If that poked ball would have gone our way, who knows how that game would have turned out.

 

Maybe, but we got worked over most of that second half. Don't get down 20 and then there might be a better opportunity to win that game.

 

it was definitely too little too late, and maybe to a casual basketball fan we didn't really get back in it, but I think that Iowa game really helped our guys grow up and show some resiliency.

 

It very well may have, I think that's a separate conversation, though.

[Huskerpapa]

We are okay...

[Norm Peterson]

OK.  Well, nevermind.

[hal9000]

Yeahhh, not so good.

[GoBigRed]

Terrible

[tcp]

Babies gotta teethe and all that. Let's wait until next year to fire up the cannibal cauldrons for the new regime.

[colhusker]

Not very