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I just wanted to say I am happiest for you guys (and others who I unintentionally neglected who have been following Husker Hoops for way more years than Matt & Scott & I). EVERY SINGLE PERSON HERE - I feel great for ALL OF US. But man... I'm so happy for those who have been around since Cipriano and Iba and even before. I just wanted you guys to know I was thinking about you today leading up to the selection - especially you, Jimmy. I haven't met some of you but I consider you friends. OK, off to watch a Nicholas Sparks movie with all this sap.

I sure hope it's a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Nebraska has had this experience 7 other times. You can only win your first NCAA tournament game once.

One of things I like about this board is it's one of the few places I still feel young . I had never paid much attention to college basketball growing up; I liked the NBA at the time and only thought of Nebraska football. During my freshman year at NU I had a buddy from Virginia who was a big Nebraska basketball fan and convinced me to get student season tickets. This was in 1993 and I was hooked immediately. My first game was an exhibition against Pella Windows or Athletes in Action/Marathon Oil when they still did those...didn't matter. Those Nee squads played a fun brand of ball and I was shocked at how much more fun it was to go to basketball than football games. I watched all of the (Raycom-Phillips 66) road games on the big screen in the Selleck game room and had the high of winning the Big 8 tourney and low of getting smoked by Penn in the Big Dance that year. I figure if I could survive the Collier era after that exciting start, I can handle anything!

... in the old Coliseum. Joe Cipriano was the coach. Jerry Fort lost a contact lens and they stopped play for probably 5 minutes while people spread out on the floor looking for it. Never forget it. Guys, I feel like I've paid some dues and earned this.

As long as Natalie Potts stays firmly within the fold, then whatever else they get in the portal will be 'gravy' from my perspective... gotta keep Potts at all costs.

I've already told my story on my first Husker game in the Coliseum. I don't want to be " that guy" who keeps telling the same story over and over. But, I will say, I really like this team! My early memories following the Huskers: this had to be the 70-71, season. I watched the Huskers play on TV on a few Saturday afternoons, during the Big 8 season. Never on every Saturday but at least 3-4 conference games a season. Marvin Stewart was a senior, Chuck Jura a sophomore. Usually won in Lincoln. I remember Marvin Stewart being so good! Probably my favorite memory from that same time period, was Wednesday night games. I grew up in the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, and my dad was the organist for our church for 40 years. Of course, Lenten services could not be missed. They started at 7 pm, same time as Husker tip-offs. Remember, I'm 10- 14 years old, so I talk my mom into giving me the car keys so I can warm up the car the second the service is over. Usually caught the last 15 minutes of the second half.

Last winter, I said the list of portal needs for this year was short and manageable. I said whatever happens to finish the year, given the way the team was playing despite season-ending injuries to two starters, I was firmly on the side of giving Fred another year. And this is coming from someone who was ready to dump him after year 3. After the open practice this past fall, I said I was geeked and that it looked like we'd checked the boxes with our off-season roster moves. Through the first 7 games, we looked solid and impressive, but we really hadn't played anyone yet. And then we got drilled at home by Team Voldemort by almost 30 points and followed it up with a 2nd half collapse at Minnesota, and my Husker Hoops PTSD kicked in. I wasn't sure how well this group would bounce back. We had some new players that we didn't yet know a lot about. The Michigan State win at home could be a fluke. But, when we positively kicked Kansas State's ass in Manhattan, I knew this team was good. I knew we were at least a bubble team from that moment. And then we beat Indiana. And then we beat Purdue. And, while beating Purdue didn't seal a bid, I was sold on the idea that we were good enough to finish the job. And the next day, I started a thread about drivable 1st round venues. I believed what my eyes were telling me. And I said we have so many pieces that each kick in something different of value, and the whole is truly greater than the sum or our individual parts. And then the coaches moved Jamarques Lawrence to the bench, chose to start Brice as our primary ballhandler, and play all three big men on the floor at the same time. And while I was skeptical at first, I'll be damned if it didn't work. This is the best season-long job of coaching I've ever seen from a Husker hoops staff. And we are finally on the cusp of winning that elusive, first ever first-round NCAA tournament game. If this team shoots the way it is capable of shooting, it'll be like the Ohio State game at home: we'll just gradually pull away. And we'll be up 15 with a minute left and Norm will breathe easy. I agree with what @millerhusker said somewhere: Our defense is designed to stop a team like Texas A&M. They have two guards who score nearly half their team's points but neither is very good from deep. We're going to force them to the baseline where we have help and they don't have any good shooters to kick it out to. They have one guy who is a prodigious rebounder at nearly 10 a game. Put a body on him and clean the defensive glass and we're going to win this game. My dudes, that monkey is sprouting wings.

I cut DeCoursey some slack, since his real job is reporting. Palm and Lunardi, on the other hand, get paid to be utter failures. Lunardi preparing to throw another dart at his bracketology dartboard:

I don't know what my first game was, but I'm sure it was no later than Dave Hoppen's freshman year. I'm certain our family had season tickets that year, and together with my uncle's family we had nine in a row in section C16, row 22. I kept score along with a cousin who was my age. I distinctly remember the NIT games with the ABA ball and along with Hoppen, my favorite player was Stan Cloudy.

My wife and I are in 114. I told my dad, we had to go, it’s a once in a lifetime experience. He quickly told me, I hope it’s not a once in a lifetime experience.

Just pathetic by Bluder. The Big 10 gave her team a double bye. The system she says is so horrible rewards a team's regular conference record at a high level--the bottom 4 seeds would have to play 5 days in a row. So just shut it, Bluder.

I remember that. Seemed like the band would play music that would fit the "race" kind of vibe. Egg 'em on a bit. Something like the Lone Ranger theme (William Tell Overture) but I maybe embellishing my memory.

I remember the two janitors(custodians) moping the floor at halftime. They would start together in the middle of the court and work their way outward. When they got to their last path, they would pick it up and speed walk to the end. The crowd loved it. They didn’t showboat, just a sly smile from the winner.

Don't recall when I went or who we played or really anything other than going in likely the late 80s with my father and a relative who had tickets. I shall ask him on the trip to Memphis if he recalls.

I want to thank my mom who took me to my first game in 1965. The only thing that scares me is the Huskers winning a game, because watching them win an NCAA game is the second to last thing on my bucket list…

I want to thank my dad who bought 4 season tickets in 1988. He said “I think this Danny Nee could get us pretty good”. Enjoyed a fun run in the 90’s. Saw some great finishes against KU and other teams. Endured the end of Nee’s tenure, was hopeful for BC and his “disciplined” style of coaching. Was a proud member of the “6500” as one writer from the OWH coined us. Marveled at the talent of seeing Michael Beasley and Kevin Durant in person. Was entertained by Doc’s personality and him rolling out a bunch of under 6’ guards. Still can hear him call Sek “Sack” And I remember his emotional last press conference like it was yesterday. Introduced my son to PBA and Florida gulf coast’s dunk city - as we continued our season tickets w Tim Miles and Tommy Lee and the UNL drum line - and got hot w the Petteway 26 footers in east Lansing. No Sit Sunday is still my favorite sports moment I’ve ever had with my family. I remember not loving the Baylor matchup and marveled how tall they were. Took my son to every single Nebraska Basketball Buddies with my kids. I was a Miles fan. But was excited and hopeful when we hired Fred. And now, 10 years after Coach Miles got tossed from the game and watched it from the Creighton locker room, here we are. I will cry if we beat Texas A and M. I’m almost 50 and will cry and won’t care who sees me. Go Big Red!!!!!

TWO THINGS THIS HHCC ROUND: 1) Score prediction for Nebraska neut. Texas A&M (as usual). 2) (BONUS -5 points) Predicting the exact number of NCAA tournament wins by Nebraska (e.g. I am looking for an answer like "6").

Now is when we Establish ourselves as a regular NCAA Tournament Participant & Re-Claim the Head to Head Lead over that Team from Up North.

Survive and advance...Survive and advance

The point was that we are going to be Champions. Sent from my SM-S911U using Tapatalk

That's what he's listening to now. Last year it was:

In honor of Fred.

Hopefully, the university got those shirts printed.

He's just a Fred Hoiberg shooting camp away from becoming someone who can make 86 out of 100 3pt shots during a drill

The Pat Mcafee show is all about Keisei Tominaga and Nebrasketball today

I don't know exactly what my first game was, but it was in the womb for the 1986-1987 season.

Anyone wishing the full story on Naismith should read this book. Review: The birth of basketball (journalstar.com)

The last time we played Texas A&M was at home during our last year in the Big 12. They came in coached by Mark Turgeon and powered by sophomore and Future NBA player Khris Middleton. We ended up shutting them down defensively and winning 57-48, a classic Doc Sadler game. Students rushed the court afterwards.

Sounds like you will be in 112 on Sunday then!

My memory is not very good. I know my first game was at the Coliseum. I too remember the floor brightly lit but the stands were totally black. I also remember it being extremely smokey. I’m not sure if the smoke was artificially created or just the cigarette smoke. My dad and I were located behind a huge pillar. I had to stretch my neck to see the game. I fell in love with Husker hoops that night. I know Jerry Fort was playing. My favorite player but he sure had a flat shot. I want to say we were playing Kansas but not positive. I also remember we had a 6’10” center something Taylor. Skinny as a stick. I have had tickets both at the Bob and the Vault, but it all started back when I was 10 or 11. Over 55 years this journey has taken me.

My memory is kind of hazy, but I think that was my first game too! I was 8 years old. K-State had 7 footer Nick Pino at the time. Dad and used to listen to K-State and Kansas games on radio (WIBW), as well as Nebraska games (KFAB). Smoking was allowed at games in those days, and I remember being bothered by all the smoke in the stands. Our family could only afford to go to one game a year, but Dad and I listened to or watched all the others without fail.

Thanks, Dave! What a long, strange trip it's been. While you guys are in Memphis cheering on the Huskers, we will be here declaring and decreeing the Huskers going to the Sweet Sixteen! I've already started. A&M and Houston have no idea what's headed their direction!

Palm’s brackets drove me nuts the last couple months. Just put some effort into it, guy.

Eliminate the NIT and CBI and put 128 teams in the NCAA tournament. It would only add one more round.

My memories of individual games is not very clear, but Bernard Day has always been my favorite player. Much later in life, I remember sitting with my kids during a media timeout. They were all staring intently at the floor. I asked each, one by one, what they were looking at. My oldest daughter, a cheerleader, said she was watching the cheerleaders and the dancers. My younger daughter, a dancer, was watching the dancers and the cheerleaders. My oldest was watching the band. No surprise. But my youngest son said he always watched the boys mopping the floor. My best memory even though it wasn’t about the game.

I'm just going to leave this here

As another movie, "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance", states "When the legend becomes fact, print the legend".

My first game in the Coliseum was the great Tom Baack, Grant Simmons, Willie Campbell, Nate Branch and Stuart Lantz team in 1966 against a Tex Winter coached Kansas St. That Husker team would have been an NCAA Tourney team and would have won a tournament game but only conference champions qualified. Kansas had JoJo White and Walt Wesley. It was fun for a High School Freshman to witness. Texas Western was the champion in 1966.

B1G Boyd's World RPIs through 5 weeks: 4 Nebraska (13-5) (-1 spot vs last week) 32 Maryland (15-5) (3 H) (+7) 39 Rutgers (10-4) (3 A) (+23) 53 Ohio St (10-8) (3 H) (+18) 64 N'western (7-9) (3 A) (-15) 65 Indiana (9-6) (3 H) (-10) 79 Purdue (12-4)* (-14) 91 Iowa (10-9) (3 H) (+6) 136 Michigan (7-13)* (-20) 140 Illinois (7-11)* (-13) 165 Michigan St (7-10) (3 A) (-13) 169 Penn St (11-6)* (-40) 212 Minnesota (8-9) (3 A) (-19) * NU doesn't play Non-con opponents: 5 Oklahoma (13-6) -- L (1 N) (+5) 56 K-State (13-6) (1 A, 1 H) (+26) 57 bluebirds (14-3) (2 A, 1 H) (-17) 66 South Alabama (12-8) -- LWW (3 H) (-15) 70 Texas Tech (14-6) -- L (1 N) (-25) 71 Wichita St (13-6) -- WL (2 A) (-23) 93 Kansas (10-8) (1 A, 1 H) (-25) 95 Grand Canyon (11-8) -- WWLW (4 A) (+14) 103 Nicholls (17-6) -- WWW (3 H) (+25) 124 North Dakota St (5-14) (1 H) (-26) 127 South Dakota St (10-10) (1 H) (+31) 132 Coll of Charleston (12-6) -- WWW (3 A) (+56) 155 Baylor (7-12) -- W (1 N) (+8) 233 New Mexico St (10-10) (3 H) (+26) 300 Omaha (3-15) (1 H) (-7) The Pac-4: 47 Oregon (13-6) (+19) 104 Washington (6-8) (+32) 171 USC (6-13) (+7) 176 UCLA (7-11) (-65) What our quads look like right now: Q1: 0-1 (7 total games) (-1 game) L – Oklahoma (N) XX – bluebirds (A) X – K-State (A) XXX – Rutgers (A) Q2: 4-3 (14 total games) (NC) L – Texas Tech (N) WWLW – Grand Canyon (A) WL – Wichita St (A) XXX – Northwestern (A) XXX – Maryland (H) X – Kansas (A) Q3: 6-1 (25 total games) (+1) W – Baylor (N) WWW – Coll of Charleston (A) LWW – South Alabama (H) X – bluebirds (H) XXX – Indiana (H) XXX – Ohio St (H) XXX – Iowa (H) XXX – Michigan St (A) XXX – Minnesota (A) X – Kansas (H) X – K-State (H) Q4: 3-0 (9 total games) (NC) WWW – Nicholls (H) X – N Dakota St (H) X – S Dakota St (H) XXX – New Mexico St (H) X – Omaha (H) Living in Quad 4 this week - need to go 5-0. Season is 1/3 over already, so RPIs are starting to hold some actual weight. Amazing that we're still top 5. If they aren't already, expect every team south of us to start crying about how we're gaming the system. Still lots of moving up and down the RPI rankings for all our opponents. Nicholls is close to Q3, which would be nice. If we could end the year with only 6 Quad 4 games, that'd look really good on a Northern team's resume - would show we made a big effort to upgrade the schedule. C of C took a big jump this week and is closing in on Q2, which would also be nice. Quite a few B1G teams had an RPI dip last week, but 4 of the teams that lost ground aren't on our schedule, so not quite as bad as it could be. Hopefully Minnesota doesn't fall much farther. Quad 1: Home games vs. RPI 1-25, neutral site games vs. 1-40, road games vs. 1-60 Quad 2: Home games vs. RPI 26-50, neutral site games vs. 41-80, road games vs. 61-120 Quad 3: Home games vs. RPI 51-100, neutral site games vs. 81-160, road games vs. 121-240 Quad 4: Home games vs. RPI 101+, neutral site games vs. 161+, road games vs. 241+

It will be a tough conversation but they'll understand why they'll all see you when you get back on Monday

Don’t really remember the first game. Was maybe 4-5 years old in 1964/1965. Do remember standing in line at the Coliseum to get tickets, the bright court and dark stands. An opposing coach said it was like playing in a bowling alley. The popcorn machine in the one corner. The concession where under the bleachers and they put plastic wrap with a rubber band over your drink cup so noting fell into your drink. Then having the Bob open and it was WOW. We got something here. Sitting on the plank seats and getting my first season tickets in 1988. Enjoying the 90’s taking my sons. Then they opened the Taj Mahal with the Vault. Now having 6 season tickets. And still taking middle son to every game. Have gone to at least 1 home game a year since 1964. Only have missed maybe 5-8 home games since 1988. it is just what I do and my sons do. 🩷

I hope this doesn't hijack this thread because I will feel bad if it does. I lost my Dad to cancer in 2002. A big part of his influence on me was his love of Husker athletics. This song by Bread is about losing a father and captures how I feel about my Dad very well. What a great example I had. It makes my heart ache for so, so many young people who have no father active in the lives. If you want to read a powerful book on the topic I recommend "Fatherless America" by David Blankenhorn.

If this is in person, It was 86-87 Nit game against Washington. I took my dad how had never been to any big time college games. Whether it was basketball or football, sadly my dad passed away in 89 from cancer. It was so great to be able to spend that time with him.

Nebraska 76 Texas A&M 68 What the hell. 6.