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Take a break and relax man.

What I'm realizing is Rienk Mast was a bigger loss than I anticipated. Here are some fun facts: -Mast averaged 0.5 blocked shots per game. Rim protector Braxton Meah averages 0.4 blocked shots per game. -Mast averaged 7.5 rebounds per game. Meah averages 3.5. Morgan averages 4.6. Berke leads the team with 5.9. -Mast led the team in assists at 3.0 per game. True point guard Rollie Worster averages 2.6 per game. -Mast had an A:TO ratio of 1.64. Worster is marginally better at 1.81. -Mast shot 34.4% from 3 and made 1.3 per game. Only Connor and Brice are making that many 3s per game on our team.

After having a healthy lead Iowa loses it's 5th game in a row at Oregon 50 to 49. Hannah Stuelke didn't play due to concussion protocol which happened in the Nebr. game. Probably why she didn't play in overtime against us.

Some positives. Sam Hoiberg: In the last 7 games he's 12/15 from the field and 6/8 from three. Also had 20 assists to 8 turnovers, and 8 steals. He only played 16 minutes today and 17 minutes against Rutgers. On the season he's now shooting 54% from the field, 47% from three and 82% from the line. He's improved as a secondary ball handler. And still doing all the little things that don't show up in the box score. Maybe needs to play more. Andrew Morgan. Should start playing more than his 17 mpg. Ahron Ulis. 10 assists, 2 steals, 1 turnover (that was arguably Brice's fault). Played good defense and handled the full court pressure very well. We seem to still be struggling to figure out what Berke is in the offense. But his shooting is improved. In the last 7 games he's 10/21 from three. Now up to 35% on the season. Connor is still shooting the ball with confidence and shooting it well. 41% on the year on high volume. He's still moving relentlessly off the ball. IMO it's on his teammates and coaches to get him more shots in rhythm. Still thinking we need to prioritize offense more. We do have guys who can make shots. Play the guys listed above, along with Brice and Juwan. When this team is making shots, the defense amps up. That's not how it should be with a team who is supposed to have a defensive identity, but it is what it is. Last year at this time, we had a much, much better defense than we do right now, while playing guys who should be negative individual defenders (Mast, CJ, Keisei). Prioritize shot making, and the momentum and defense will follow.

Some good things today but lots of really bad as well. Loved a lot of what Uhlis brought to the game - seems like he finally figured out how to play defense in our system and in many ways is our best guy with the ball. But he also got sloppy at times - including what was really a lazy turnover at the end. As I said in the game thread - Morgan was terrific at times - but terrible on other possessions. In the end the main problem is lack of scoring threats. Teams just completely focus their defense on Brice and we don't really have an answer to address that, particularly when they let them hold and grab Brice whenever he tries to use a screen. Plus - Brice is best when other players can create for him - but we don't seem to find a way to do that. At the end of the game we needed someone other than Brice to have the ball because he is not great at beating people off the dribble. Should have let him and Connor run off screens and have somebody with the ball trying to get it to them. The failure of Griffiths developing into the contributing player we thought he would be has left a big deficiency in our lineup. We substituted Worster/Uhls for Lawrence - which helps in some ways but neither of them is a threat to shoot at all. We needed Essegian to be Keisei and Griffiths to at least be Wilcher on offense - but Essegian is really just giving us what Wilcher did - and Gavin obviously is giving us nothing at all. Berke is more of a threat than Allick - but offensively neither Meah or Morgan is even close to Reink Mast - particularly from the perimeter. You need to have multiple guys who can make jump shots in today's college basketball and we don't have enough of them on this team.

Our defense was good enough to win. They shot 40% from 3 but they also shot 48.5% from 2 which is their second worst home mark this season. We held Queen to 3. To me it was missed FTs and mindless turnovers...execution stuff. Also this is the second game in a row we've lost by three to a team that made a 3pt shot to end the half.

100% agree. And I'm fairly certain we do close out most games like this - if we have the lead. That said, I still think the starting lineup needs a change if for no other reason than for a shot in the arm. You never know what you might find. If we change our rotations and beat USC by 20, that could be the momentum we need to kickstart something. Other than Brice coming off the floor, I'm really not opposed to anything. That includes Juwan coming off the bench. Brice and Connor are the only two players on our team opponents really need to strategize their defensive gameplans around. They both need to be on the floor TOGETHER as much as possible and we actually need to make defenses work to defend us. Our starting lineup is way too easy to defend.

Be so great if Iowa becomes a no name big ten program a year after Clark leaves lol

Maybe it's just me, but it feels like our offense might need some more work than our defense does.

As a matter of principle, firing talk can only occur in the rock bottom thread (please no one actually revive that one from the dead)

Discrepancy in 3's is part the way we play defense - but I think even more due to the fact that we don't have enough shooters.

Ulis needs a look in the starting lineup if he is going to perform like he did yesterday. 10 assists is huge for our point guards that can't seem to shoot. I thought he was pretty good both on offense & defense. One steal from him was all because of hustle. Brice and Juwan both appear lackadaisical. The past couple games have made me question if they have been sick or something. I still like this team and hoping this was just a big rough patch. Hopefully the crowd & team bring some energy for the USC game. I don't know if Meah is a matchup problem for them or us. Can he draw some early fouls against USC? Or does it make the three ball for them more open?

Instead of the starting five I will look at the finishers at this moment. One prerequisite for being on the floor at the end of games is the ability to make free throws. So who are our top five free throw shooters, AND, do those five hit free throws when the pressure is on. The easy first choice is Brice. 92% from the line and he makes them when they count. Shoot, we may be watching one of the best free throw shooters we've ever had. Secondly, Sam Hoiberg. He shoots 82%. This may sound strange, but I think the coaches should rethink his offense/defense switches at games end. He hasn't really had to make a free throw under pressure; but I have little doubt about his ability to do so. Besides, if he missed it he would likely turn around and steal the outlet pass. Third, Connor Essigian. He shoots 81% and his free throws seem a lot smoother since the first several games this year. He is a shooter and is comfortable launching his shots from anywhere, including the line. Fourth, Juwan Gary. He has improved his stroke; and although I often scream "oh no" when he shoots from the outside; and "dunk the damn ball" when he misses a bunny; I trust him from the line, and he is shooting 76% Braxton 27%, nope. Ulis 37%, nope. Morgan 64%, not quite good enough. Rollie has improved; 69%; but he would be #6 My fifth would be Berke. He is 68% and we need a big. I don't believe he lacks the confidence he simply needs to find his stroke. Yes, I know that many other things go into the equation. Including handles, rebounding, defense, yada-yada. What do ya think.

We actually rose a spot in NET. So as good a paper loss as we could get. Went from 50 to 49

Fricking hate to jump up so much on a week where I picked the Huskers to lose both. Gahhhh!

I'll be there. I don't really care about OSU and ND. The new CFB playoffs seems like it just goes on too long; CFB should be over on New Years Day. Oh well, GBR beat Wiscy!

NU 82 USC 68 GG sighting??!! GBR!!!

I'm going to my first game this season.

However if we do revive a rock bottom thread for something like this, it basically makes us a blue blood right? a whiney blue blood… but one nonetheless.

Sam/Ahron/Rollie Connor/Gavin Brice/Gavin Andrew/Juwan Berke/Braxton Sent from my SM-S908U using Tapatalk

Seems like we blew opportunities for lobs to break the press when he was in there. He might not be a very good basketball player but we don't exactly utilize his strengths most times. I'm not sure Meah will play many minutes against this weird USC roster where they have 1 post player and KenPom lists Saint Thomas as either a PG or a center

I feel like last year bought him two more. Not that it matters because what's a "next years" roster worth anyway, but I like what we have coming back next year.

We have forgotten how to win. Hint, it starts with the little things.

@thrasher31 and @No Place Like the Vault 100 losses in 5.5 years for Hoiberg. Supposed offensive genius with a timeout in his pocket, standing with his hands in his pocket on the last possession. I assume this will get downvoted too?

Sorry to quote again but if we make 1 more per game and opponent makes 1 less there is really good possibility we are 3-1 rather than 0-4. Or am I trying to be too positive?

We do too many things that good teams with good players don't do. When your best players aren't solid and reliable, that's a bad deal. I can't imagine we'll play another team that's more disinterested and less cohesive than Maryland this year. We needed this one.

Want to upvote for content but downvote for result of content.

Turnovers, missed FTs, missed layups, defensive lapses allowing too many open 3's. We are playing like one of the youngest teams in the conference, not one of the oldest

3 out of last 4 were winnable. Need more out of seniors and Fred.

Another wasted opportunity. That one would have counteracted the Rutgers game metrics wise.

I will be at the Vault.

As Nebrasketball as it gets. Loser program. Just a joke. So tired of this crap. We deserve so much more.

Hoiberg Fire-O-Meter 10 = Izzo Lifetime Contract 1 = “Fire Mike Woodson” chant at halftime. I was at 6 before this game and I believe for the first time in quite a while I’m going below a 5 to the fire side. One nice run, that ultimately still didn’t result in anything, and the rest has been absolutely trash.