halfway through conference schedule...

[whoopdeedoo]

any thoughts? surprises? disappointments?

 

i think we are seeing what most predicted, the huskers would be playing better the deeper they reached into the season---but, the stinkin' injury bug still rears its ugly head. 

 

minny (6-3) is a little better than i thought they would be---even tho most are seeing what they expected from banham and wagner. believe they are the second highest scoring duo nationally. they do have some tough ones coming up. especially the last 3-4 games. 

 

pretty surprised where northwestern sits now (2-7?). watched a good share of the osu-nw game thurs night. looked more like the team that pummeled the huskers. gave osu all they could handle. even with the record, i still think this is a team that can make a very deep run in the BTT. not sure why they haven't been able to keep it together. they have some really good talent. 

 

no surprise---osu and maryland are still the teams to beat. still a pretty good gap between those two and the rest of the big ten. i would say osu has the ability to stumble a little more than maryland, but, they have the talent to play with just about anybody. 

 

i haven't seen much of msu at all. i thought they may be a bit overrated, but, they seem to be hanging tough. same with indiana, as far as being able to watch them. they do seem to be a tough out at home.

 

didn't expect purdue to make this big of a jump this quick from last year. i thought they could be right back to being a pretty good team next year. 

 

iowa surprised me at first, but, seems like they have come back to earth.

 

anyway, just a few thoughts.

[redsteve]

Agree that our injuries are the biggest bummer. When the freshman started, it was fun to watch them learn on the fly. Then illness and injuries hit Burns, Maddie, and Washington. Now RT's injury has returned.   With them healthy we're even better..... considerably. 

 

Other than OSU, Maryland, it will probably be a dog fight for everyone else for NCAA bracket seeding. But that's the trend for years. .....Expected. At least we're back in the mix now.

 

After the 0-3 B1G start, it was uncertain just where we were going. But wow, we have turned it around. That has been pleasantly surprising.

 

Knew Jess was going to be good, but after her ACL injury, wasn't sure she would even play to start the season, or maybe not at all. But she has made a huge difference with her scoring capabilities. She is more advanced in her mental phase of the game that most freshman. Nothing seems to bother her, and she has blended with the team real well. Maybe not surprising, but many good freshmen, don't make her impact so quickly.

 

Nat's three shooting improvement. Outstanding !

 

Allies escalated development is a little surprising, and great for the team....and herself. Great team player.

Both Nat and Allie are the most improved this year. (next year with Allie as a Sr, and Jess and Burns as sophomores, they'll be an awesome group.)

 

Our early youth was problematic...love to re-play some of the teams we lost to.

 

Uncertainty....Washington....still have no idea how she can fit into the line up. But she's just a freshmen.

 

Concern?

If the injury situation continues...it may hurt our chances for the "grind" ahead. Need RT obviously, and lack of healthy subs hurts.  Plus it will wear out our starters....most thought our bench would be a big asset last fall. Maddies was doing so well, then she missed crucial floor time.

 

There's a long way to go from here. We're still a very young team, so we're still not all the way to where we can to be.

Our injuries will be a big part of how we can do from here on out.

 

I guess the turnovers are somewhat expected with so many new players, but still make me flinch at times. That and lack of defense which is also due to lot's of newbies. (both improved though)

 

Half way through...the second half will be very tough to survive....but we've taken many positive steps to improve...and we have definitely improved.

[whoopdeedoo]

should have stated, not necessarily "all huskers". looking at the whole conference. 

 

agree completely about the husker injuries. i am a bit nervous how they are going to affect the rest of the season. maddie hasn't looked anywhere close to what she was before the injury. rachel "game to game"-------ugh. i knew burns didn't play much against wisconsin (mainly due to the great performance of allie), but, was a little surprised when i read it was only 5 minutes. really hoping it has nothing to do with the knee---we may be able to speculate more after the game with rutgers. burns is too valuable to the squad. actually, clark has held up better than i thought she might. i thought she would probably need a game off here and there. especially after coach yori had stated such. keeping fingers crossed clark handles the 2nd half as well as the first. it looks like washington's knee is pretty heavily taped (from a quick camera glance during wisconsin game). haven't seen or heard anything on that. maybe the only positive for washington and burns, at least they aren't wearing braces?

[HUD]

We have the potential to equal or improve on our first half 6-3 record.  We want a 4 or higher seed in the tournament.   Count the O.St. road game as a loss and 50/50 on the Rutgers game at best.  We will probably lose another unexpected one as well.  The huge game is the home game against Mich. St who is playing well.  Two years ago they came to Nebraska in a similar situation and it was predicted to be a toss up.  We annihilated them and they kind of went into a funk after that.  Barring any more bad news I expect us to finish 3rd in the conference and make the Big Dance with an 8 or better seed.

[huskerchode]

I've noticed the past few weeks that Brooke Kissinger has either started or come off the bench and scored some good points for Illinois. However, they still only have 1 conference win. Honestly, it will be a real head scratcher for me if Bollant keeps his job after this year.

Saw on the Illinois board that his Big10 record is 18-45 (.286).

[whoopdeedoo]

watched the illinois-minny game and she was keeping illinois right in the game with some nice three's. it also happened in another illinois game that was on BTN---think that was at illinois and she was draining some three's in that one too. she missed a layup or two and i was thinking, heck, why drive the ball, just shoot the three!!!    she does have a nice shot. 

 

if there were/are any coaches on the hot seat, i would think it would be bollant and kelsey from wisconsin. there was a bit of discussion whether kelsey would survive last year. not sure what to think of bollant---i really wasn't sure if he would survive last years mess, but, he hangs in there. he got a good one in whittinger(sp?) and was thinking he has a good one coming in from, maybe missouri? so, maybe things are looking better for him next year. a lot may be decided when they hire a new AD. in wisconsin's case, kelsey definitely has the team playing hard for her, plus, she does have a couple of nice recruits coming in next year, so, maybe she has all that going for her and wisconsin hangs on to kelsey for another season.

[HUD]

My concern early in the season has only increased through out the year.  That is we only have one good 3 pt shooter that the coach will play.  R.T. and K.C. as seniors should have had that ability but the injuries set them both back.  When you have a great shooter like Romeo as your only outside threat good defensive teams can shut her down as in the Indiana game.  Connie has recognized this weakness with 4 players coming next year very capable in this area.  If Clark would have regained her shooting for this season on a regular basis things might have been better.  

[B1GN]

My biggest concern,along with the injuries,has been the amount of unforced turnovers. Some games have been unwatchable.the most recent of which was the game at Indiana.On the other hand,the previous game against Penn St was one of their better performances of the year IMO.It's maddening!

I would like to chalk it up to inexperience,but by the time a player has made it to college,at any level, it should be known that you don't throw the ball to the other team,you don't throw it out of bounds,you don't make lazy passes,etc.,etc. It's got to be driving Connie nuts.

[Bugeaters1]

My biggest concern,along with the injuries,has been the amount of unforced turnovers. Some games have been unwatchable.the most recent of which was the game at Indiana.On the other hand,the previous game against Penn St was one of their better performances of the year IMO.It's maddening!

I would like to chalk it up to inexperience,but by the time a player has made it to college,at any level, it should be known that you don't throw the ball to the other team,you don't throw it out of bounds,you don't make lazy passes,etc.,etc. It's got to be driving Connie nuts.

You haven't watched much NAIA basketball then, As that is pretty much the norm down there.

[B1GN]

You got me! I have not watched any NAIA games.

I have,however,watched a lot of HS games,and 25+ turnovers is not the norm.

At any rate,my point being-it simply is unacceptable for a team of P5 scholarship bball players to value the ball as little as this team SOMETIMES does.

[Bugeaters1]

You got me! I have not watched any NAIA games.

I have,however,watched a lot of HS games,and 25+ turnovers is not the norm.

At any rate,my point being-it simply is unacceptable for a team of P5 scholarship bball players to value the ball as little as this team SOMETIMES does.

You dont' want to go watch an NAIA game then, as it isa  turnover fest.

[KarlHessEatMy....]

I seen someone tweeted Charlie Crème asking what the Huskers needed to do to make into the tournament and he responded with win a bunch more games to make up for the weak NC Schedule. He said we need some more quality wins. This was just an hour ago too.

[HB]

I seen someone tweeted Charlie Crème asking what the Huskers needed to do to make into the tournament and he responded with win a bunch more games to make up for the weak NC Schedule. He said we need some more quality wins. This was just an hour ago too.

 

Not surprising.  Connie was doing some soft lobbying on her postgame show yesterday for 20 wins getting us in, but I have felt for some time it would take a minimum of 21, maybe even 22.  We need to get our home games a game or 2 in the tournament. 

[KarlHessEatMy....]

 

I seen someone tweeted Charlie Crème asking what the Huskers needed to do to make into the tournament and he responded with win a bunch more games to make up for the weak NC Schedule. He said we need some more quality wins. This was just an hour ago too.

 

Not surprising.  Connie was doing some soft lobbying on her postgame show yesterday for 20 wins getting us in, but I have felt for some time it would take a minimum of 21, maybe even 22.  We need to get our home games a game or 2 in the tournament. 

 

 

I did see someone asked about Minnesota as well. He says Not in. In fact Solidly an Out. Need some good wins which is possible with their upcoming schedule.

 

I seen they are getting votes to be in the top 25 in the AP poll. Is it possible for a team to be in the top 25 and not make the tournament from a big conference?

[HUD]

A 5 or 6 seed in the Conf. Tournament is within reach.  That would give us the potential to win 2 games in the tournament before having to face Maryland or Ohio St.  A chance to get 2 more victories may be what it takes to get use in the NCAA T.

[whoopdeedoo]

looking at the rest of the schedule: still think msu finishes in 3rd at 12-6, and minny ends up 11-7 (w@indiana, losses to osu, msu, and maryland). should be good enough for at least a tie for 4th place. rutgers sits at 7-7 at the moment, but, think we can cross them off (msu, maryland, @purdue, michigan)---i see rutgers losing a minimum of 2 of those games. gives them at least 9 losses. michigan sits at 7-7 (@maryland, psu, @nw, @rutgers) i see 2 losses there. would put them at 9-9. 

 

purdue could very well sneak back into the talk---sit at 7-7 (@iowa, @neb, rutgers, wisconsin) not under the realm of possibility they could win out---i think it will be tough for them to win the road games, so i am guessing 9-9, but, wouldn't count them out. 

 

huskers sit at 8-6. the osu game will be very difficult, just gotta count that a loss. then have nw, purdue, indiana at PBA. not any sure things left. i think huskers could finish anywhere from 11-7 to 9-9. 

 

so, looking at things, i have to believe best bets for ncaa are osu, maryland, msu, and minny. really hoping huskers do not end up in a tie with purdue. due to rpi, probably lose any shot at ncaa. 

[huskerchode]

We absolutely have to win those last 3 home games.  Maybe the ugly loss to Minnesota resulted in a more focused team - that would be one good thing to come out of that.

 

And if we wind up playing Minnesota again in the Big10 tourney, maybe put Cincore on Banham?