Don't forget that our best players had very little experience coming into this season and are still very young.

[FredsSlacks]

Tai- Freshman. First year living in a new country and playing U.S basketball

Shields- Soph that missed first half of season last year.

Petteway- Soph that barely played as a freshman

Pitchford- Soph that barely played as a freshman

Biggs- First year of D1 basketball

Smith- Played very little minutes before this year.

 

All these guys will be back next year and be much improved.

Plus we'll have some new additions too: Hammond, Fuller, Unknown recruits/transfers.

[TheGov21]

Very good point and I think that's overlooked.  But something I don't get is this team should still have some better cohension.  Yeah Pettaway, Pichford and Biggs didn't play last year, but they were a part of the program.  They were practicing all year.  Now they probably ran the scout team, but they still played with the rest of the guys.  Shouldn't they have some comfortability with each other? 

[bball23]

TheGov...I agree to a degree.  But practicing and getting "under the lights" are two different things.

 

What is so hard thinking about this season is the fact that NU lost a heart breaker to Michigan and a BAD loss last night.  Had we just found a stinkin way to win those games we are 3-3 in the B10 in a very tough stretch.

 

I'm really hoping we can kind of blue print like Iowa.  Last year Iowa just couldn't find ways to win close games with a very young team.  This year they look to be a force to be reckoned with in the B10. 

 

The other "silver lining" I try to tell myself is that we have played 4 of our first 6 games on the road.

 

I still think we are a tough out at home this year.

 

Home games left:

Minnesota

Indiana

Illinois

Penn State

Purdue

Northwestern

Wisconsin

 

Honestly, if we play well and the fans continue to come out, I think we have a shot in every single one of those games if we can continue to get better. 

 

I guess it all starts Sunday.

[bigred4]

I'll play devil's advocate here.

 

Shields played 28 of 33 games last year averaging 28.7 minutes per game.  He has played 46 games in his career.

 

Petteway played 28 games at TT starting 11.

 

Leslie played 25 games at SMU starting 6 and averaged around 15 minutes a game.

 

Pitchford has been around High major basketball for 2 and a half years.

 

Gallegos is a senior.

 

Rivers is a junior.

 

Webster is struggling adjusting to American basketball, but he has a lot of International experience.

 

I believe they say it takes about a half of a season for a junior college player to get going, so Biggs should be hitting his stride (he has been here a year and a half), and it should be quicker for Leslie since he already had a full year of D1 basketball under his belt.

 

I'm not saying that there shouldn't still be some growing pains, but we are about two-thirds of the way through the season and 3 of top 8 that are "new" were here last year and also had all off season together. 

[PimpMario]

We are 18 games in and that may have been our worst game yet.  I seriously don't understand what we are trying to accomplish on offense.

[GoBigRed]

Just curious then, with that same group next year, what do you expect out of them as far as Big Ten pecking order/postseason expectations?

[hskr4life]

Just curious then, with that same group next year, what do you expect out of them as far as Big Ten pecking order/postseason expectations?

My expectations for next year will be based off of this WHOLE YEAR. not just 1 game or up until now. This season is only "over or lost" in some fans minds. I will wait to see how the players play out the rest of this season before talking about where I want them to be next.

[Ron Mexico]

I'll play devil's advocate here.

 

Shields played 28 of 33 games last year averaging 28.7 minutes per game.  He has played 46 games in his career.

 

Petteway played 28 games at TT starting 11.

 

Leslie played 25 games at SMU starting 6 and averaged around 15 minutes a game.

 

Pitchford has been around High major basketball for 2 and a half years.

 

Gallegos is a senior.

 

Rivers is a junior.

 

Webster is struggling adjusting to American basketball, but he has a lot of International experience.

 

I believe they say it takes about a half of a season for a junior college player to get going, so Biggs should be hitting his stride (he has been here a year and a half), and it should be quicker for Leslie since he already had a full year of D1 basketball under his belt.

 

I'm not saying that there shouldn't still be some growing pains, but we are about two-thirds of the way through the season and 3 of top 8 that are "new" were here last year and also had all off season together. 

How long has that group played together on the same team? I bet you can't find a team in the BIG that has less experience playing together than ours.

[Norm Peterson]

You're right.  This group came into the season lacking experience.  And so next year's they'll be experienced.

 

But let me ask you this:  Once they have the experience, does this group have the talent to get us to the NCAA tourney (and win a game when we get there)?

[hhcmatt]

But let me ask you this:  Once they have the experience, does this group have the talent to get us to the NCAA tourney (and win a game when we get there)?

 

Talent? Yes.

Team Play? Don't know yet. Kentucky was one of the most talented NIT squads last year.

[49r]

You're right.  This group came into the season lacking experience.  And so next year's they'll be experienced.

 

But let me ask you this:  Once they have the experience, does this group have the talent to get us to the NCAA tourney (and win a game when we get there)?

 

Yes.

[uneblinstu]

You're right.  This group came into the season lacking experience.  And so next year's they'll be experienced.

 

But let me ask you this:  Once they have the experience, does this group have the talent to get us to the NCAA tourney (and win a game when we get there)?

Raw talent, I think so. I do think the "one big man away" thing is real, though. 

[REDZONEDAN]

If I recall correctly, only once did Miles show drastic improvement during his second year at his previous schools. I have faith in Miles. We need to keep our expectations realistic and have patience.

[FredsSlacks]

The 2 things we are missing right now is a shooter and a legitimate big man. I think Fuller and Hammond could potentially fill both those roles. We are also likely to add 2 more recruits along with those guys.

 

I think Vucetic and Parker will be gone after this year, and we will be able to replace them with legitimate contributors.

(Deng Deng, Trey Dickerson)

 

We should be a much better Team next year. We've been close in every game this year besides @OSU and @Creighton

[hugh42]

 

I'll play devil's advocate here.

 

Shields played 28 of 33 games last year averaging 28.7 minutes per game.  He has played 46 games in his career.

 

Petteway played 28 games at TT starting 11.

 

Leslie played 25 games at SMU starting 6 and averaged around 15 minutes a game.

 

Pitchford has been around High major basketball for 2 and a half years.

 

Gallegos is a senior.

 

Rivers is a junior.

 

Webster is struggling adjusting to American basketball, but he has a lot of International experience.

 

I believe they say it takes about a half of a season for a junior college player to get going, so Biggs should be hitting his stride (he has been here a year and a half), and it should be quicker for Leslie since he already had a full year of D1 basketball under his belt.

 

I'm not saying that there shouldn't still be some growing pains, but we are about two-thirds of the way through the season and 3 of top 8 that are "new" were here last year and also had all off season together. 

How long has that group played together on the same team? I bet you can't find a team in the BIG that has less experience playing together than ours.

 

 

FWIW, Illinois and Indiana are just as inexperienced as we are and Minnesota isn't far behind.

[uneblinstu]

Well, in Minnesota's top eight they've got 3 SR's, 4 Jr's and a sophomore.

[hugh42]

Well, in Minnesota's top eight they've got 3 SR's, 4 Jr's and a sophomore.

 

Talking about who has played together and who hasn't.  Not class year.

[uneblinstu]

 

Well, in Minnesota's top eight they've got 3 SR's, 4 Jr's and a sophomore.

 

Talking about who has played together and who hasn't.  Not class year.

 

Even so, five of those guys were in the program already and contributors at 10 minutes a game or more. They're not really that close to us in terms of experience. I realize they've got a new coach and are learning a new system, but they've got much more experience both in terms of games played and playing together than we do.

[jimmykc]

I'm not sure experience means anything in college basketball terms any more. Kentucky, Kansas and other programs of their ilk have practically made "building a program" obsolete unless the success of this years team "builds" into better recruiting for next year. The life span of a successful team's personnel any more is about the same as that of a mayfly.

[Huskerpapa]

NO excuses.  We played like dog poop against Penn State.  It was horrible.  We are better than that, and from this point forward the team that played Penn State can not show up...EVER again.

[hugh42]

 

 

Well, in Minnesota's top eight they've got 3 SR's, 4 Jr's and a sophomore.

 

Talking about who has played together and who hasn't.  Not class year.

 

Even so, five of those guys were in the program already and contributors at 10 minutes a game or more. They're not really that close to us in terms of experience. I realize they've got a new coach and are learning a new system, but they've got much more experience both in terms of games played and playing together than we do.

 

 

Hollins 1021 min - Gallegos 1237 min

Hollins 1013 min - Shields 804 min

Eliason 452 min - Rivers 829 min

Ahanmisi 357 min - Parker 681 min

Osenieks 284 min - Peltz 213 min

Walker 198 min

 

3325 minutes 3083 minutes.  FWIW.

[uneblinstu]

 

 

 

Well, in Minnesota's top eight they've got 3 SR's, 4 Jr's and a sophomore.

 

Talking about who has played together and who hasn't.  Not class year.

 

Even so, five of those guys were in the program already and contributors at 10 minutes a game or more. They're not really that close to us in terms of experience. I realize they've got a new coach and are learning a new system, but they've got much more experience both in terms of games played and playing together than we do.

 

 

Hollins 1021 min - Gallegos 1237 min

Hollins 1013 min - Shields 804 min

Eliason 452 min - Rivers 829 min

Ahanmisi 357 min - Parker 681 min

Osenieks 284 min - Peltz 213 min

Walker 198 min

 

3325 minutes 3083 minutes.  FWIW.

 

Peltz. lol.  You just listed almost all of Minnesota's rotation. You're missing about half of Nebraska's.  Minnesota's core group is vastly more experienced than Nebraska's.

[ajb5856]

Well, in Minnesota's top eight they've got 3 SR's, 4 Jr's and a sophomore.

Talking about who has played together and who hasn't. Not class year.

Even so, five of those guys were in the program already and contributors at 10 minutes a game or more. They're not really that close to us in terms of experience. I realize they've got a new coach and are learning a new system, but they've got much more experience both in terms of games played and playing together than we do.

Hollins 1021 min - Gallegos 1237 min

Hollins 1013 min - Shields 804 min

Eliason 452 min - Rivers 829 min

Ahanmisi 357 min - Parker 681 min

Osenieks 284 min - Peltz 213 min

Walker 198 min

3325 minutes 3083 minutes. FWIW.

Peltz. lol. You just listed almost all of Minnesota's rotation. You're missing about half of Nebraska's. Minnesota's core group is vastly more experienced than Nebraska's.

Having Peltz on that list at all only proves how inexperienced we are. One of our 'more experienced guys' transferred here, played limited action last year before shutting it down to have knee surgery and now rides the pine this year.

[throwback]

 Minnesota's core group is vastly more experienced than Nebraska's.

 

Agreed - for the Gophers the two Hollinses alone entered this season with about 130 career starts and about 1,675 pts combined.

 

NU's entire roster entered the year with about 100 career starts combined and about 1,325 career points combined in D-1 games, and that includes all of our walk-ons. And more than 10% of those starts and points occurred at D-1 schools other than NU.

[Nighthawk]

As far as next year goes. Only prediction I'm going to make this far out is that we FINALLY can start our next run at beating Creighton year after year with a big win over them at PBA.