HHC Report Card: 2012 Northwestern Away

Explaining The Grades:

Near Flawless	Poor
Good	Awful
Average

OFFENSE:

Nebraska earned a "B" in this game for "bi-polar."

In the first half, the Huskers scored just 26 points en route to 40% shooting and only three free throw attempts. Honestly, this was more because of lack of execution than Northwestern's defense. Had Nebraska hit some open jumpers they would have been in the 33-35 point range, which is definitely acceptable.

In the second half, Nebraska was en fuego, making nine of their first ten field goal attempts and finishing the half at 62%, including 54% from downtown. Nebraska also doubled their free throw output, getting to the line six times, though that's still not enough.

Bo Spencer put in a game high 24 points, but he gave back 8-10 of them on turnovers and played one of the worst first halves I've seen out of a Nebraska point guard in many, many years. Just awful in half number one, with 6 turnovers and only 5 points.

Toney McCray is our Player of the Game for his 16 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 0 turnovers in 32 minutes.

DEFENSE:

Nebraska was spectacularly bad defensively in this game, especially in the first half, thanks to a GENIUS coaching display by Doc Sadler.

Honestly, I think it was a bad game plan in the first place, to "pack the lane, take away back cuts and give Northwestern the outside shots." I doubt it was quite as bad as the announcers kept saying, because I certainly don't think Doc just wanted the Wildcats to get open three's.

However, his defensive game plan of sagging and setting up around four feet under the three point line left the Wildcats with open look after open look. In fact, out of Northwestern's TEN first half three pointers (out of 21), NINE were WIDE FREAKING OPEN. NINE OF TEN, WIDE OPEN.

Doc knows much more about basketball than me, so even if his game plan was sound, FREAKING DITCH IT BY THE UNDER TWELVE MEDIA TIMEOUT. That's what Northwestern did in the second half when we were lighting up the 1-3-1 zone. We didn't see it from about the 12 minute mark until the 2 minute mark, and our scoring slowed down from that point forward.

Doc was absolutely embarassing tonight. We had a week to prepare for this game, Northwestern has virtually ZERO post presence and yet, we sit back and allow open shot after open shot after open shot without adjusting our defense until halftime.

Enjoy that $2.5 million dollars coming your way Doc, and I'll enjoy waiting another three years for the next guy to turn it around while being pushed further from the court in the new arena, having less atmosphere and having the genius that is Marc Boehm in charge of the basketball program during arguably the most crucial time in school history.

Life couldn't be better!

REBOUNDING:

The Huskers were fine rebounding the ball. Both teams shot lights out so its tough to judge this one. For the game, Northwestern out boarded NU by two (29 to 27) while grabbing 11 offensive boards. That's a bit high, which is why its a "C."

BALL HANDLING:

As aforementioned, Spencer had 8 of the 14 NU turnovers in this one, and Dylan Talley appeared he'd never seen a 1-3-1 zone in his life. I did, however, enjoy his pump fakes after he'd given up his trouble, 35 feet from the hoop. Very constructive and I'm glad our mastermind coach decided he should play 27 minutes over Caleb Walker, who was the unsung hero of this game and played only 23.

Walker was 3-4 from the field for 6 points, had 3 assists and 1 turnover. He defended well in this game and the hi-low him and Brandon Ubel had going at the beginning of the second half worked well.

However, we felt the need to go with Talley for 27 minutes.

That's okay, we've got another rejected former Pitt coach with connections to Pederson and Boehm coming next year. I'm sure that'll end well.

COACHING:

This game was ALMOST as bad as the WORST coached Divison I game I've ever seen, which was last years home loss to Iowa State. That game was butchered more than a chicken in a slaughter house.

We had a week to prepare for this team and came up with that piss poor defensive game plan.

We took TWENTY FREAKING MINUTES to adjust. TWENTY. Only took ONE first half timeout.

We played our 3rd best player in this game (Walker) for only 23 minutes, while we had a robotic 27 minutes out of Talley.

We played in a high school gym, in front of 5,239 diehard, nutty fans, and still couldn't win.

We played a team with no post presence and decided to leave them wide open from downtown.

We have three scholarship freshman on our bench that we'll be relying on big next year, except that two of the three will transfer once Doc is fired.

This is pathetic and unacceptable.

The way Doc has been coaching in recent months makes Barry Collier's last two years look like the UCLA dynasty under John Wooden.

OVERALL GRADE:

No more to say.

Hope Doc enjoys the nice buyout.

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Toney McCray

SEASON TOTALS:

Bo Spencer - 5

Brandon Richardson - 5

Toney McCray - 5

Jorge Brian Diaz - 3

Brandon Ubel - 1

Dylan Talley - 1

Josiah Moore - 1