Looking forward to the Miles ERA

[huskerbaseball13]

I think Miles will build a winner here....but what I like even more is that we will be watching an exciting brand of basketball. I like the early looks of Miles offensive philosophy and thinkg it will be very fun to watch once we are able to get some depth and better talent in the program. Last night I saw some kids not afraid to take an open look early in the shot clock. Some of the shots were probably bad decisions but in time I think Miles will get his players to understand whats a good shot and whats a bad shot in this offense.

It's going to be a long year folks, we knew that.....but exciting times are ahead of us. Starting next year we will start to see this program build itself up. Really looking forward to watching many more years of GATA ball.

[Huskerbb73]

nm

[HuskerBB]

I was really encouraged by what I saw last night. This team is certainly going to struggle this season. But I saw offensive movement that resulted in some open looks in ways we have not seen here for a long time. We also had a very good defensive effort. Clearly Valpo had an "off" night shooting - but some of that is attributable to good defense.

In a sense it is a sad reflection on our program to be encouraged by a 2 point home victory over a mid-major school. But that is the position that we are in right now and for the group that we have this was a very nice win.

[kldm64]

Here is my prediction:

2012/13 season = no post season

2013/14 season = high NIT seed (thinking a 2 seed)

2014/15 season = NCAA tournament bid

[HB]

I was really encouraged by what I saw last night. This team is certainly going to struggle this season. But I saw offensive movement that resulted in some open looks in ways we have not seen here for a long time. We also had a very good defensive effort. Clearly Valpo had an "off" night shooting - but some of that is attributable to good defense.

In a sense it is a sad reflection on our program to be encouraged by a 2 point home victory over a mid-major school. But that is the position that we are in right now and for the group that we have this was a very nice win.

Agree. Not only was I encouraged by a 2 point home victory, I was exhilerated. Ecstatic. I resolve to enjoy every game we are even in. Against anyone. Don't care if it is 300 RPI team. Any game we can win is fantastic. More than ever I can overlook the problems and enjoy anything good that happens.

At any one time, there are usually 2 or 3 guys on the floor who aren't remotely high division 1 players. I mean, seriously, when Ubel gets triple teamed, what does that tell you about the talent on the floor? The laast couple years we had guys lamenting that Mike Fox got minutes. Well, we have guys way worse than him getting significant minutes, and would have 2 or 3 "Foxes" on the court at any one time. Enjoy EVERY single win this year.

I was thrilled to see the defensive game plan unfold last night. The effort of the guys. What a great night.

I still would take the unders if the over/unders line was 1 in conference. But I look forward to watching the effort, the improvement, and the Rudy's on the floor, no matter what happens.

[Silverbacked1]

Also enjoy the effort but forth by these guys.

They play hard and smart. That can win you some games.

We will lose a game this year where the wheels will really fall off.

That's when many will need to remember how hard these guys are working and not on the out come.

[49r]

Here is my prediction:

2012/13 season = no post season

2013/14 season = high NIT seed (thinking a 2 seed)

2014/15 season = NCAA tournament bid

Not saying anything here, but, I'm just saying. This is the template people were using about the progress they expected Doc to make - pretty much every year he was at Nebraska.

[Dean Smith]

The game is funny. Valpo missed at least 4 or 5 uncontested lay-ups that the defense had nothing to do with. They make those and we lose by eight. Nothing else would have changed but the tone of this board would have been completely different because the lens we would be looking at the game would be completely different.

I enjoyed the beginnings of the motion offense. Imo the big problem now is the familiarity and confidence in the offense. The key to motion has to be if the guy guarding you can't, go get a lay-up. There were several times players had lanes to the basket and weren't willing or didn't have the confidence to take them. Rivers was the most obvious. Valpo figured it out and weren't even positionally taking away his driving lanes, they knew after awhile he just wasn't going to go.

I appreciated the defensive effort, but there were too many uncontested lay-ups given. If they shoot a normal percentage for them, and the defense looks a whole lot more porous.

I really enjoyed watching the game and think that Nebraska will be a fun team to watch in the future.

[Norm Peterson]

I don't think they missed any more wide-open, uncontested shots than we did. Talley's missed dunk as one example. Rivers had two, nearly point blank shots from the short corner that he missed. Andre whiffed on just about everything, or else he travelled. So, I'm not going to play that "if they had hit X number of layups" for this game. We missed some too. For me, we're up 14 and really couldn't close the door. That's what I look at. At the time we needed to slam the door shut, we go cold and can't buy a basket. But, even so, we STILL managed to ouplay Valpo for 30 minutes. Significantly outplay them. I think if they had hit some of those open shots, we probably respond differently than we did being up 14.

I agree with what you say about Rivers' driving lanes. I remember a couple of times he passed on taking the ball to the hoop. And that is something I really think he needs to have in his arsenal to be the kind of player we need for him to be. I'd love to see him be able to slash and get to the rim and, alternatively, to be able to shoot that contested 3 with a hand in his face. I've seen him shoot. I think he has the ability to catch and shoot in rhythm and when they aren't right out on him closing him out when he catches the ball, they essentially are giving him that shot. I'd like to have seen him hit a couple of those.

[HuskerFever]

I'm confused.... are we talking about Coach Miles' ERA or the Coach Miles era? I didn't know they kept baseball stats during basketball games. I'm done

[49r]

I hear coach has got a pretty filthy slider, but has some trouble working from the stretch.

[HB]

I don't think they missed any more wide-open, uncontested shots than we did. Talley's missed dunk as one example. Rivers had two, nearly point blank shots from the short corner that he missed. Andre whiffed on just about everything, or else he travelled. So, I'm not going to play that "if they had hit X number of layups" for this game. We missed some too. For me, we're up 14 and really couldn't close the door. That's what I look at. At the time we needed to slam the door shut, we go cold and can't buy a basket. But, even so, we STILL managed to ouplay Valpo for 30 minutes. Significantly outplay them. I think if they had hit some of those open shots, we probably respond differently than we did being up 14.

I agree with what you say about Rivers' driving lanes. I remember a couple of times he passed on taking the ball to the hoop. And that is something I really think he needs to have in his arsenal to be the kind of player we need for him to be. I'd love to see him be able to slash and get to the rim and, alternatively, to be able to shoot that contested 3 with a hand in his face. I've seen him shoot. I think he has the ability to catch and shoot in rhythm and when they aren't right out on him closing him out when he catches the ball, they essentially are giving him that shot. I'd like to have seen him hit a couple of those.

There's probably a reason Rivers was hesitant to take the ball to the hoop. His offensive skills are not good. He probably has some awarenes of the fact, thus the hesitance. He can't shoot, dribble, or catch the ball (bad hands). Norm, he ain't going to hit those shots very often for a reason--he's a very poor shooter. Having recognized all of that, he will help us this year. He's a good, long athlete. We're better with him playing 20-28 minutes then if we didn't have him. He will makie some plays with his effort and athleticism, and he helps us defensively. It would be nice if we could put 4 shooters on the floor with him, so not having to guard him away from the basket isn't as big an issue. Problem is there are often 2 or 3 non shooters at a time on the floor, which will make Talley have to earn everything this year.

[Dean Smith]

There's probably a reason Rivers was hesitant to take the ball to the hoop. His offensive skills are not good. He probably has some awarenes of the fact, thus the hesitance. He can't shoot, dribble, or catch the ball (bad hands). Norm, he ain't going to hit those shots very often for a reason--he's a very poor shooter. Having recognized all of that, he will help us this year. He's a good, long athlete. We're better with him playing 20-28 minutes then if we didn't have him. He will makie some plays with his effort and athleticism, and he helps us defensively. It would be nice if we could put 4 shooters on the floor with him, so not having to guard him away from the basket isn't as big an issue. Problem is there are often 2 or 3 non shooters at a time on the floor, which will make Talley have to earn everything this year.

Not talking about shooting anything but lay-ups. He made one drive early and made a three foot shot over a much smaller player. Had more opportunities to do that later, but did not have the inclination to do so. He made lots of dribbles under pressure, but away from the basket. When they realized he wasn't going to the basket, it actually allowed the defense to get more aggressive with him because he made himself no threat. He just needs the experience in the motion and some confidence. One or two dribbles and he's at the basket. You don't need to be a great ball handler or shooter to be successful doing that.

[HuskerBB]

Not talking about shooting anything but lay-ups. He made one drive early and made a three foot shot over a much smaller player. Had more opportunities to do that later, but did not have the inclination to do so. He made lots of dribbles under pressure, but away from the basket. When they realized he wasn't going to the basket, it actually allowed the defense to get more aggressive with him because he made himself no threat. He just needs the experience in the motion and some confidence. One or two dribbles and he's at the basket. You don't need to be a great ball handler or shooter to be successful doing that.

But you have to be comfortable on the floor and feel confident enough to make plays. I think Rivers is much improved in those areas over last year - but he also still has a long ways to go. HB is correct in that he is a poor ball handler for this level at this point so I am sure mentally he just isn't thinking about driving to the basket. Hopefully Miles will show him the things you saw and get him to develop that mentality and continue to improve.

[hhcmatt]

Wasn't Rivers battling a twisted ankle to the point we was questionable to play in the game?