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It was an exhibition game against an undersized and underwhelming team. I am going to put a positive spin on the scrimmage rather than focus on some of the negatives that existed. I do this because last year was horrible and there were things I enjoyed seeing: * Overall effort was good * Rebounding effort and positioning was positive * Ball sharing was better. Hero Ball was not present. * Overall team athleticism is better. Plus we appear to be stronger/bigger. * We have a good mix of youngsters and experience. ---Dawson is an athlete---

Notes and quotes Nebraska Coach Fred Hoiberg Opening statement “I was really pleased with our overall effort tonight. I thought guys came out and played the right way for the most part played extremely hard. It is what we were looking for out of this game was to come out and really try to establish ourselves on the defensive end. I thought we had some really key moments out there when Denim (Dawson) came in the game and Juwan (Gary) came in the game. Just all over the place and all over the glass picking up full court. Emmanuel (Bandoumel) was huge in that as well after a tough start offensively. We did not shoot the ball well although we kept that about as basic as you possibly can. For this game what we were looking to get out of it I thought we accomplished. Playing with great effort and having some good solid sustained defensive possessions. I thought the run that Chadron went on to start the second half was good. I thought the guys stayed together through that adversity which you have to have and then went on two big runs I think 13-2 and 21-0 in the second half to really open it up. So we are really pleased with the effort. We have plenty to clean up which we will get back to this week heading into our next opportunity against Colorado and hopefully be where we need to be when we open up on the seventh.” On the struggles with shooting and defensive effort “It certainly been the message early on in the season especially when that ball is not going in the hoop you have to find a way to string together stops and I thought what that did is it got us out in transition and then the second-chance points we got was a great sign. I talked about changing our philosophy on the offensive glass just based on personnel. I think you saw some of that tonight, but you have to get stops. I thought (Sam) Griesel was phenomenal all game long. I think that is what you are going to see out of him as a stat-sheet stuffer all season long. We were efficient besides shooting the ball from the three-point line. I thought in transition we were pretty good.” On Juwan Gary “Juwan was all over the place. I am proud of him for his overall mentality of coming in the game and being a difference maker and a guy that can completely change the pace and the fabric of the game based on effort. His athleticism certainly showed but like I said, he and Denim (Dawson) I thought were terrific as far as changing the overall pace and getting into the ball and certainly giving us some opportunity. It was good to see Juwan (Gary) continue to shoot the open ones. They were playing way off of him. He has worked extremely hard on his three-point shot. We have looked at a lot of things from Alabama and he had a big shift on his left side. He has really worked on his balance, and he shot the ball very well especially on his open three-point looks so it is good to see him knock a couple of those down.” Nebraska Forward Derrick Walker: On adjusting to the game “It was our first time playing with each other against somebody else. To go out guns blazing, that’s what we wanted to do, but we needed to settle into the game. There’s a lot of pregame jitters, and for a lot of people that was their first game in PBA. Getting the jitters out was the biggest thing for our group, we just had to settle into the game.”0 On the team's energy and togetherness: “This team is amazing Everyone was standing because we were so happy for each other. We gel well together. To see our other guys get into the game, we got a team that everyone can be in the rotation or start. Knowing that everyone is bought in and playing together and happy for each other, that's our thing right now, we are all happy. We can't wait to put on a show for PBA and play for each other.” Nebraska Guard Sam Griesel: On the slow start to both halves: “It’s just part of basketball. It’s a game of runs, obviously. In the second half we didn’t start the way we wanted to. I think coach said we went on a 21-0 run, so that’s basketball. Believing in your teammates. We have a really together group. I was talking to Derrick at the end of the game there, I love playing with these guys. When we can rely on each other and maybe we aren’t executing as we should be or shots aren’t falling, we have that trust built in and it showed today.” On Juwan Gary’s performance: “I think at some points they kind of guarded him disrespectfully based on his talent level. We have the utmost confidence in his shot making ability, and if teams are going to guard him like that, we will feed him. He brings that dog mentality, and that showed tonight on the offensive boards. He's a really confident player and coming off the bench he brings a certain level of juice with his game and that is very infectious for the rest of us.” On his first game at PBA: “I’ve been waiting for this day for a very long time. I didn’t sleep very well last night. I am just kind of glad we got the jitters out. Like Derrick said, to play against someone else. At the end of the day, it is just a basketball game, and it is important for a lot of guys to remember that.”

Think the doom and gloom is a bit premature, saw a lot of good thing to go with the bad.. This game did not make me any more or less excited. Dominated inside against a team we should, hasn’t been the case in recent years and Walker did not play much. We have nice length across the board and good effort on Def for the most part. Very few hero ball shots (CJ had one) Good ball movement overall which led to good shots that we want but didn’t make (as it should against poor teams) Fast breaks were run efficiently. How many 3-1, 3-2 breaks have we F’d up the last few years? Were as basic as you could be on both ends. Lloyd looked good handling the ball and Lawrence has a nice looking shot. Will be interesting to see if they get minutes. If KT does not shoot better one of them will get his. Bad 3point shooting, which will probably be our killer all year. Turnovers we’re mostly just lazy passes. Hope that improves when there is more intensity Dribble drive defense, hope we see some zone or match up at some point but we were basic today Hope Blaise would show more shot blocking and offense. He moved ok but tried taking a block every time. Him and Oleg need to get a little more physical. Hope they stream CU game. Fred said they crushed a good Wyoming team

These games are always "lose-lose" situations. Even if you win by 80 there isn't much excitement that comes from them. In my experience a team in Nebraska's position may not even scout the oppenent so it forces the guys to have to adjust to what they are seeing on the fly. Not saying they did that, but its pretty common.

Halftime. Thank you to the student body, for showing up...not. Lot of positives so far. A few things I can rag on, but won't. Effort is there.

Maybe "basketball iq" was the wrong phrase by me because Cam Mack's A/TO ratio could never explain how many dumb things that guy did

exhibition GAMEDAY LETS GO

I'm predicting a Nebraska team will win this game. I'm not going to get too excited preseason. Drank the Kool Aid last year. Not doing that this year. Just looking forward to year 45 with my dad.

Legit get out of your seat moment. Was fun to see the hometown kid connect on a Trey McGowens special

Doom and gloom after Hoiberg called the same play on offense and defense? It was an exhibition game, my God. 1) great to be back at PBA. Strange to see my fellow fans with a beer but good for them! 2) Gary has a high motor. That counts. I won’t name names but last year players could literally loaf and not get benched. 3) We will be scrappy and defensive minded. I like that. 4) I expect there to be some rust. It’s a friggin exhibition game. Sam and Juwan were bright spots. Tominaga will play more because of his 3 pt shooting threat. 5) I’m not panicking yet

That seems awfully personal, jimmy. But, yes, and it was glorious.

After this game? The

I honestly think Oleg could be a decent player if he stuck around to his rs JR year.

If he’s not going to make 3’s…..just stick Dawson at the two and let him use his athletiscm to defend. Tominaga offers nothing.

Gary needs starter minutes for sure. Goodness.

KT doesn’t belong on a D1 basketball court. Zero concept of spacing or Team Basketball IQ. Just an individual out there trying to make individual plays.

Glad I got the beer

Bought one 24 oz from consession stand. Probably only one I'll buy this season. Just for the novelty of it. Get a chuckle over some of the comments. "At those prices". They must not go to too many concerts.

really have no complaints, fun time being at PBA again and watching a real "game", the only thing I really want to say is that Keisei as it currently stands is brutal, otherwise, a fun game with the insane Sam dunk the highlight and also the crowd giving off great appreciation for Gary after his gritty performance today

This team is cooked

Gary, Dawson, Lawrence need KTs minutes split between them.

These games always feel like clunkers even when we have a decent team. Guys feeling each other out. Hard to take away anything.

Glad I wasn’t able to watch then lol.

Oh my God Griesel just killed a man

There is a reason why this team is picked near the bottom.

My enthusiasm is trying to last as long as it can…. But…. Uhm….

I like the effort on the offensive glass, especially when it seems like all our guys are taller than Chadron States center

37 23 Huskers 3 mins left in 1st half.

Okay, our reserves are where our dynamic athletes are. Some quickness and hops out of our second group. I also do like the clear emphasis on defensive effort. This team will definitely be a defense-to-offense team. I can’t see us scoring consistently in the half court until we get rolling with offensive sets.

We do not look particularly talented or dynamic early. Clearly a work in progress.

If I recall it's 8 for a 16 oz and 10.50 for a 24 oz.

Well I can say some people are buying beers.

I don't want Fred fired either, but reality is his teams the past 3 years have lost at a historic rate at a place that lost a lot before he got here. At least 95% of D-1 head coaches -- and a huge chunk of D-1 assistants getting their first head coaching job -- could've easily duplicated what he did here the past 3 years in the W-L column. And that's ultimately what counts. It's well past time to win at even a moderate rate, but I'd be stunned if this group can do it. Hopefully the new assistants have a huge influence. Regardless of the metrics, if it doesn't improve quite a bit this year, it's clearly time to give someone else a shot. Just not sure how dedicated Fred is anymore to the grind that's required.

If you are using Roman numerals, then he's already done that last year.

And I still don't trust Fred to not lose at least one of those games.