OFFENSE: D+
Nebraska shot just 43% from the field and 66% from the line.
More than that, they had no offensive structure or identity, outside of let Terran Petteway shoot whenever he wants and for small stretches, remember to try and run some stuff for Shavon Shields.
Seriously, this "motion offense" is going to be more fun to watch than in years pass because of the athletes we have. However, at the moment, it looks like there is no structure and no offensive identity outside of Petteway. That's not good. A strength of this team should be that it has plenty of potential scorers and that anyone could carry you on any given night. But it looks like we have no clue what we want to do most of the time and no semblance or structure.
A lot of that is that guys are just playing their third game together as a full team and the last two against superior competition. That's hard to accept - but true. UAB and UMass are better than us right now, and it's not really close.
I expect this team to get better as the year progresses and think we'll score our fair share of points, but between bad decisions, bad shots leading to early offense the other way (and transition points), bad free throw shooting and no semblance of strategy, this is not good at the moment, 74 points or not.
DEFENSE: F
Three stops in the second half. Against UAB. Not Michigan. Not Indiana. Not Michigan State. UAB.
I'm not joking when I say this - I would put GOOD MONEY that Nebraska Wesleyan could get three stops in a half against UAB. Being serious. Not trying to mock anyone. That's how mind blowing that stat is.
UAB shot 54% for the game and 83% from the field in the second half. 83%. Scoring 56 points. And that was all legitimate - no fouls at the end to drag it out.
Nebraska played even more careless on defense (hard to imagine) than it did on offense. Gamble here, gamble there. Dumb mistake here, dumb mistake there. And on the once in five possessions UAB missed a shot, they got the damn rebound and scored or were fouled.
I don't claim to know the answers, I'm just telling you what is obvious - Nebraska is the worst looking defense team (right now) that I have ever seen out of the 20 years I've been following this program inside and out. Even Danny Nee's "bad" teams played much better defense than this.
REBOUNDING: F
Walter Pitchford needs to become a guard. He's softer than Charmin.
6 rebounds? Not awful on the stat sheet.
But good lord, how many times did he not box out? Or when he did, get shoved four feet? Some of the offensive boards UAB got off of missed free throws were insane.
And it's not just Pitchford - its probably not fair of me to single him out that much. He's a good kid and I expect he'll become a solid player by the time he's done here. I know he's certainly capable of much better on the boards.
Leslee Smith with ONE rebound?
Totals - UAB 41 (14 offensive), Nebraska 28 (11 offensive).
BALL HANDLING: D
Nebraska only turned it over six times. Good thing.
Bad thing? The GOD AWFUL inbounds pass by Petteway that took us from down 2 to down 4 in the blink of an eye (literally). That was the beginning of the stretch of the game where things got away.
Nebraska struggled with spacing and once again, had virtually no assists (seven). But that's what happens when you have no semblance of offensive structure.
COACHING: F
Eye test, as far as athleticism and improvement? No doubt - very solid.
Eye test, as far as team concept (offense and defense)? No doubt - completely inept.
Coach Miles is seeing virtually no passion from his team, especially on the defensive end. No structure. His team looks lost. This crap is unacceptable, rebuilding year or not. Three stops in a half? Huck and chuck offense? Don't box out?
Once again, I love Coach Miles and this is a bump on the road. But I'm embarrassed as a Nebraska basketball fanatic right now, based on these two games, than any time in recent history. I can take losing when its hard fought and a lot of effort, and when their is competence on at least one side of the floor.
But this? I'd rather watch CSPAN.
BTW, are we still glad we didn't want Fahro Alihodzic in favor of Serg? Didn't think so.
OVERALL GRADE: F
I may as well have just copy and pasted yesterday's report card.
Nebraska played truly pathetic. I can't think of any other way to put it. Especially in the second half - NO INTENSITY ON DEFENSE. Ever. No fire. Ever. Notice how yesterday, UMass slapped the floor on "D" and would get excited to play it? Their sidelines were really into it.
Today, UAB looked aggressive and like they enjoyed playing defense.
Our guys look like they are getting their wisdom teeth taken out when they try to play "defense." They don't want to do it. They hate it. We have so many offensive minded and selfish players right now that it needs to be pounded into their heads that they can actually GET POINTS off of defense. If we told them that, maybe they'd start caring.
No fire. No passion. Lackluster. Maddening.
I'm fully aware its game five and we are young. This is a long season. I still expect Nebraska to compete for the NIT and 8th place in the Big 10.
But if this is how we're going to play defense and rebound, and if our offensive philosophy is going to be to just jack up shots and play like we're at the Rec Center, then the pre-season pollsters know a hell of a lot more about this team and its future fortune than any of us around here did.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: TERRAN PETTEWAY
2013-2014 PLAYER OF THE GAME TOTALS:
Terran Petteway - 3
Tai Webster - 1
Shavon Shields - 1
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