uneblinstu's post game chatter: vol 5, ed 9 - Creighton

[uneblinstu]

- Feel free to cry about the officiating. I heard a lot of it at the game. Feel free to cry about the flopping that Creighton does. I heard a lot of that at the game, too. And while Creighton does look a little like an international soccer team at times, they know how to make contact look like a foul. And that works in this game, like it or not, it works and it won't be the last time we see it this year, and tonight wan't the first time we've seen it. Early in the season, Coach Miles said this team didn't know to get to the line and we saw that today. There were opportunities for NU to get to the line, but we don't know how to do that. Creighton does. Don't blame the refs (except for the non traveling call on Gibbs).

- The last two games were great and they weren't a mirage. Creighton is very good. NU got a little out of what it wanted to do and CU did a good job of taking away some of what Miles wanted to do and NU didn't have enough to respond.

- One of the things they took away was Ray. He was never able to get loose and NU couldn't find those points anywhere else.

- There were some interesting matchups tonight on McDermott. I think we saw about everyone get their shot at him and did ok on him for a while, but much like last year, after the technical and the brawl, the flood gates burst and he basically dominated the end of the game.

- Talley tried to too much the last ten minutes of the game. Creighton knew it and completely shut him down.

- I though Andre played pretty for most of the game. Thought he neutralized Echenique pretty well but I was curious why he didn't play much down the stretch when I think we could have used him. Echenique dominated the time when AA sat. I would have liked to see what would have happened if he had come in after the scrum and after Echenique came out of the game after he went careening into the NU bench.

- I thought the offense looked very tentative, especially in the first half. The movement we've seen in the past couple of games wasn't there, they weren't attacking like they usually do and when they did take shots, they couldn't get them to go down. It won't be the last time it happens this year, but we'll also see other days like the past two games.

- That was as good of a basketball atmosphere as we've seen in a long time. That is what this fanbase can be. That what games can be.

- The score may not have indicated it, but this game was played like a rivalry. We almost had a brawl, there was genuine dislike between these teams and the fanbases. If Miles can get this program up and running like we think he can and will, these games are only going to get better. I have a feeling that Mike Peltz will live in Creighton infamy.

- Shields looked a little overmatched on McDermott at times but he had a couple of big boy plays. His improvement over the course of the season could be the difference whether or not NU makes a post season tournament or not.

That's all I've got fun atmosphere, disappointing outcome.

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[Huskerpapa]

- CU is a better team, no shame in that at this point. Give us a year or two, then we can talk

- CU has a couple thugs on their team...but hey, we have to live with that as well.

- We had no player of the game...we kind of stunk tonight.

- There was no element of this game that we won.

- We have to work much, much harder to get quality shots, especially when some players either cannot or will not shoot the open shot.

- Coach Miles did not earn that T. That said, I had no problem with him getting it. Am I biased towards the Huskers...absolutely. But I really thought the refereeing was rather tainted against us...but hey, CU has earned the right to get the calls. We need to build that street cred.

- CU fans. Some of you are obnoxious asses, Many are not. Nuf said about that.

- I have lossed my mojo...this is going to be a tough season, but there luckily will be a few surprises along the way.

[huskerbaseball13]

Don't worry, we will repay the favor come baseball season like usual. Having watched Creighton a couple times this year they looked like I expected them to. One very good player outside of that they are nothing special. We needed some home cooking tonight and a good shooting night. Neither happened. Team played hard but we just don't have the talent yet. Our whole offense will depend on Gallegos who we already know is very streaky. Help is on the way next year. The two programs will look totally different two years from now.

[GATA]

Don't worry, we will repay the favor come baseball season like usual. Having watched Creighton a couple times this year they looked like I expected them to. One very good player outside of that they are nothing special. We needed some home cooking tonight and a good shooting night. Neither happened. Team played hard but we just don't have the talent yet. Our whole offense will depend on Gallegos who we already know is very streaky. Help is on the way next year. The two programs will look totally different two years from now.

Creighton did a good job of face guarding Gallegos at times. He is going to have to beat teams in more ways than 3-point shooting.

[uneblinstu]

Don't worry, we will repay the favor come baseball season like usual. Having watched Creighton a couple times this year they looked like I expected them to. One very good player outside of that they are nothing special. We needed some home cooking tonight and a good shooting night. Neither happened. Team played hard but we just don't have the talent yet. Our whole offense will depend on Gallegos who we already know is very streaky.

Not buying it. They've got an all american, another guy who went and got a double double, another who had ten assists and a sharp shooting 4 coming off the bench. That's not one guy and nothing special outside of that. This is a very good team. They'll still have to figure how to defend elite guards (of which NU doesn't have), but this is a very good team, it's actually ok to admit that, even if you don't like them.

Help is on the way next year. The two programs will look totally different two years from now.

I've heard this before. Until it happens, it's just talk.

[huskerbaseball13]

Oh I do think think they are a good team but Echenique isn't getting those numbers and Wragge isn't getting open threes without him drawing double teams the whole game. I do like Gibbs passing ability but as you could tell we dared him to shoot the ball because he's not a good shooter. You can wait and see all you want, I like the guys we are bringing in compared to what they are. The games will still be very competitive but they won't have the coaches son anymore.

[bball23]

Not buying it. They've got an all american, another guy who went and got a double double, another who had ten assists and a sharp shooting 4 coming off the bench. That's not one guy and nothing special outside of that. This is a very good team. They'll still have to figure how to defend elite guards (of which NU doesn't have), but this is a very good team, it's actually ok to admit that, even if you don't like them.

I've heard this before. Until it happens, it's just talk.

My guess is he is referring to CU more....in 2 years they lose Echinique, McDermott, Gibbs, Wragge, Jones.....And I believe all of them outside of Doug were Altman's recruits. Will be interesting to see if Greg McDermott can recruit that caliber of talent?

[Buglem]

I know the game wasn't pretty, on either side frankly. Creighton is a good team and this was kind of what I expected. That said, I was proud of how hard the team played, right to the end. They show a lot of heart and that could be the difference in a couple close games this year. Loved the crowd, hope we can see more like that in the coming years.

[bball23]

Oh I do think think they are a good team but Echenique isn't getting those numbers and Wragge isn't getting open threes without him drawing double teams the whole game. I do like Gibbs passing ability but as you could tell we dared him to shoot the ball because he's not a good shooter. You can wait and see all you want, I like the guys we are bringing in compared to what they are. The games will still be very competitive but they won't have the coaches son anymore.

+1

Doug does so much for this team its unreal. He opens up EVERYTHING for everybody else. Greg isn't getting another Doug to CU unless he just gets lucky.

[huskerbaseball13]

Yes I was. I'm sure they will still be solid. But I haven't really been all the impressed with Mcdermotts recruiting thus far. Looks to be bringing in more shooters. But guys who are not very athletic. I really like the 3 guys we have sitting on the bench right now not able to play and the 3 recruits we have coming in. We still need some help down low for the future but I have hope Miles will find the right fit.

[uneblinstu]

Oh I do think think they are a good team but Echenique isn't getting those numbers and Wragge isn't getting open threes without him drawing double teams the whole game. I do like Gibbs passing ability but as you could tell we dared him to shoot the ball because he's not a good shooter. You can wait and see all you want, I like the guys we are bringing in compared to what they are. The games will still be very competitive but they won't have the coaches son anymore.

Cool. We said the same things when Korver was graduating and we thought the tide would turn when this young stud from Florida named McCray was coming in and would be the savior of the program. I like where it looks like we're going too, but until we get there, I'm not going to start thumping my chest.

[uneblinstu]

My guess is he is referring to CU more....in 2 years they lose Echinique, McDermott, Gibbs, Wragge, Jones.....And I believe all of them outside of Doug were Altman's recruits. Will be interesting to see if Greg McDermott can recruit that caliber of talent?

I know what he was referring to, but as I said, we've been in that situation before.

[Cheap Seat Perspective]

+1

Doug does so much for this team its unreal. He opens up EVERYTHING for everybody else. Greg isn't getting another Doug to CU unless he just gets lucky.

That is no lie bball, those 2 alley-oop dunks for Echenique were because of McDermott, our guys were worried about where Doug was and not helping on the ball screen.

Creighton is just flat out better than us, it would have taken our best game and a mediocre to poor game for Creighton for us to have a shot at winning.

Give Creighton credit they came out ready to play.

The officiating was horrible, at least they evened it up at the end, by calling ticky tack fouls on Creighton to make it look like it was an even game. I've never seen so many charge calls in a game! That white haired ref called 2 fouls for us the entire game. He was on the crew that reffed the Oregon and Wake Forest game last year, if you remember how poorly officiated that game was.

Not saying it's the refs fault we lost, we lost by 20 that has nothing to do with the refs, just would like to see some consistency. And how about that Technical on Miles, the ref who called the T was at the other end of the court! Total show job, look at me I can call whatever I want.

[Norm Peterson]

So, which Creighton guy shoved Rivers from behind in the first half under the Nebraska basket when there were some Creighton players on the floor? There was this pile of bodies and Rivers trying to step around/over them, and some Creighton DB came up and gave a good hard shove to Rivers' blind side. Nearly knocked him down. Anyone catch who it was? I think it was 10 but I'm not sure. Whoever it was is a little beotch. Which kind of describes Creighton's team.

Frustrating night. I didn't expect us to win. What I expected was that we would lose. I was hoping we would keep it closer. There's no question that the way the officials called the game was advantageous for Creighton but it went beyond just officiating style. You know how Ray didn't seem to be able to gain much separation all night long? Manigat was holding Ray going around screens all night long and they called it once. They set moving screens to free up shooters and it never got called even once. At one point in time, there was a 15 to 3 differential in free throws but it wasn't because we weren't being aggressive. It was because Creighton got away with stuff we would have been called for. Officiating didn't make us lose but there's no doubt in my mind that the game would have been closer had the refs called the game evenly.

And what the hell was that technical on Miles? That was totally uncalled for.

You can talk about Peltz not shooting all you want, but Ray needs to be more than just a one-trick pony. He just HAS to learn to attack the basket. That's the only way he's going to get fouled and get to the line. If he's having an off night shooting, the best way to cure it is to get to the freethrow line and the only way to do that is to attack the basket. Aggressors generally get the calls.

Hey, Vucetic played. I think he almost got a rebound, too.

Guys, bottom line, we knew this was a team with significant limitations. We just don't have any depth and we have some major holes in the lineup. We're gonna get beat some this season. Maybe a lot. (We girded our loins for it, right?) This will be a game we can learn from and come back better the next time. This game didn't change my opinions about anything (including what I think of Creighton) nor did it dampen my optimism. If you're disappointed we lost, then you set yourself up with unrealistic expectations. I was glad to see the guys fighting to the end. It'll serve them well down the road.

[hhcmatt]

I've heard this before. Until it happens, it's just talk.

I went to this game and left this game thinking the same thing I've thought before and after every game: This season will be the worst of the Tim Miles Era.

We're going to have a lot more nights like this in the upcoming months. The point of not building the roster of this team to win 17 games this year will pay off soon enough.

[hhcmatt]

You can talk about Peltz not shooting all you want, but Ray needs to be more than just a one-trick pony. He just HAS to learn to attack the basket. That's the only way he's going to get fouled and get to the line. If he's having an off night shooting, the best way to cure it is to get to the freethrow line and the only way to do that is to attack the basket. Aggressors generally get the calls.

I'd actually like to see Benny Parker attempt to attack the basket on occasion or become a little more aggressive with his shot. This is a kid who put up 24 ppg last year so he has the potential.

[hhcmatt]

We said the same things when Korver was graduating

Could you please be more specific? Didn't they graduate 12 of the 14 Korver brothers?

[Cheap Seat Perspective]

A couple other points from the game I noticed. We just don't have a guy who can shoot the snot out of the ball, We have been missing a player like this since Marcus Perry left. We just don't have enough shooters and scorers. If you look at Creighton they can spread you out so thin, because they have guys who can shoot the ball.

Also when they were face guarding Ray like that, why did we never clear that side of the floor and back cut or throw a lob to him? He can jump out of the building.

Also one last thing I noticed, when we run that screen at the freethrow line, Creighton was jumping it and getting to the spot before we could set a screen, why weren't we just turning the screener around to set a flare screen? I just would have liked to seen us switch up the screens or cuts up a little bit.

[uneblinstu]

Could you please be more specific? Didn't they graduate 12 of the 14 Korver brothers?

Only one that graduated at the same time that McCray was coming in.

[uneblinstu]

I went to this game and left this game thinking the same thing I've thought before and after every game: This season will be the worst of the Tim Miles Era.

We're going to have a lot more nights like this in the upcoming months. The point of not building the roster of this team to win 17 games this year will pay off soon enough.

I feel similarly, I'm just saying, we've had this conversation before and it didn't work out the way we hoped it would.

[Silverbacked1]

I think Miles might have said it best in the post game, we kind of reverted back to some old/bad habits.

I know that we aren't built to go to the hoop and tonight I feel that we didn't after the flops were called.

Try to drive they fall down and get called for the charge. Makes you get a bit gun shy.

[hhcmatt]

BTW, first team to hold Creighton under 70 points this season #Silverlining

[GATA]

I think Miles might have said it best in the post game, we kind of reverted back to some old/bad habits.

I know that we aren't built to go to the hoop and tonight I feel that we didn't after the flops were called.

Try to drive they fall down and get called for the charge. Makes you get a bit gun shy.

Creighton players falling down like they got picked off by sniper fire was pretty frustrating. Really good teams shouldn't have to resort to that, but that's basketball nowadays.

[Norm Peterson]

The two programs will look totally different two years from now.

Absolutely true statement.

Creighton has 8 players averaging at least 12 minutes this season. So does Nebraska.

Creighton's 8: 3 seniors; 3 juniors; 2 sophomores.

Nebraska's 8: 3 seniors; 2 juniors; 1 sophomore; 2 freshmen.

In addition, Nebraska has three transfers sitting out this season who would each likely be contributing significant minutes on this team right now if they were not redshirting. One or two might even start on this squad. When our 3 seniors leave, those transfers will be playing. I don't think there's much question that the talent pool waiting in the wings at Nebraska is better. It'll be tough to beat McDermott in his house his senior year, but this worm is turnin'. This is their season; it's all down hill for them after this year. They won't be as good next year and they'll be even worse still the year after that. Meanwhile, we're just going to get better.

[HuskerBB]

Was really hoping we would make a better showing tonight and at least keep it close - but such is the state of things right now.

It sucks that our program is in the condition it is in where we have to endure games like tonight and not view it as a complete aberration. No disrespect to Creighton as they have a very nice team - certainly one of the best CU teams they have had over the years. That said - the game tonight has alot more to do with where we are at in relation to where we should be than where Creighton is at as a program. Creighton had a very good NCAA qualifying team in 90-91 - very comparable to this group - and we beat them by 30 in Lincoln that year. Now admittedly that was one of our very best teams - but for those of you who can't remember more than 15 years ago -there was a time when we dominated this series in the fashion that decent major conference schools should in comparison to good mid-major schools. Frustrating that things have been out of whack for so long - but that is on us for letting happen.

The good thing is that I am more optimistic than I have been for a very long time that we are at least on the road to recovery. Miles is doing a very nice job with ridiculously limited resources in terms of talent at this point. These kids play hard but we just don't have the depth, experience or star power to compete at a high level without getting breaks or having abnormally hot shooting nights. Obviously neither of those happened tonight.

Specific points about tonight:

Creighton fans are SO incredibly obnoxious it is hard to bear. That said if I was in their shoes maybe I would act the same way. Would like to think I would be more respectful to my state school but like alot of fans I can be pretty emotional at games in the heat of the moment and maybe that is what it is with many of them. Again if we don't like dealing with that from CU fans it is our job to fix that problem by getting our program back in form.

#22 for CU is a real twerp - and I thought that even before the ridiculous scrum w/ Peltz at midcourt. At my emotional worst in the early stages of the game I mentioned to my friend that we should have suited up Kenny Bell to set a good "screen" on Dougie. Not serious about that obviously, but I think this #22 is one of their younger players right? If so he needs to grow up before future games or we may need someone to put him in his place.

We really need Benny Parker to step up his game on the offensive end. Teams that really spend time game planning for us as CU obviously does will recognize that they can take Ray out of the games when we have so few other offensive options. I think Shields will step up a little bit on the offensive end as he gets more comfortable and that will help. Pelz works really hard but he is just too limited offensively and teams recognize that they don't really have to guard him. Parker needs to take over the role and get that minute distribution at that spot at least 30-10 in his favor. CU did not really play Parker honestly either but he certainly did not make them pay.

I did feel like our kids really battled at times tonight and showed some emotion that was good to see. That was something that was absent with Collier teams - particularly in the CU games. He never "got" what this series was about and it wasn't much different under Doc. I think this one will stick in Miles' craw a little bit - and also am pretty sure that we set the stage for our young guys to take this game seriously. Rivers and Shields in partcular took some emotional shots in the gut tonight that they are going to remember.

As we have said all along - this is going to be a long year and we are going to have more games like this. But I hope people don't give up on this team because they deserve our support and giving that effort as fans now will help them take those steps forward that we have been waiting for all this time.