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He's under the weather. I took the liberty of flawlessly photoshopping him in.

In case you were curious, the team is 100% vaccinated

This stuff was always there and apparent from the start with him. You can go back to when I watched Him in Portland as a Junior in Hs. He is no nonsense, does everything the way it’s supposed to be, is the ultimate team player, is very respected by his teammates, and plays hard but looks like the dude at the YMCA. Other teams will grow to hate him as much as we love him over time like similar Wisconsin, Ohio State, and Iowa players we all despise.

Was really hoping to open up my favorite site today and see someone else write this... highly disappointed everyone. Highly. First off, if you think you can make any definitive assumptions on this team after that, you're a lot better at this than I am. They were just having fun and playing pick-up - with the intention to entertain and have fun. I'm going to start off with the main topic I'm sure everyone is wondering. Yes, Wilhelm Breidenbach will play this year and yes he's probably the greatest pick-up in Nebrasketball History. As soon as he signed his LOI looking through his thick goggles the program changed. Wait? Who? McGowens? Trey? Trey's has a brother on the team? That's so nice! SO...... Two things can bet true at once. 1. Bryce McGowens has an NBA frame, skill set, etc... etc.. etc.. to be a Lottery Pick. 2. Bryce McGowens might not necessarily be ready to (or need to?) lead a B1G team as the go-to guy, give him the ball and get out of his way, 23ppg or whatever else a lot of us are thinking a 5-star could be. In other words, I don't think this is Kevin Durant for Texas. THAT'S OK - THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD, PRODUCTIVE SPACE BETWEEN KEVIN DURANT AND YOUR TYPICAL 5-START YOUNG LOTTERY PICK - PLEASE TAKE YOUR CAPS LOCK OFF AND DELETE THE POST YOU'RE MAKING GETTING READY TO SCREAM AT ME. There's a really good reason why I say the last paragraph. That reason - there's a lot of other dudes on this team who can tote the rock and be the guy any given night. We're gonna have Lat's night, Trey's night, Verge's night, etc.. Heck - maybe even Keisei's night (good lord it's scary to think of the runs he could go on if the match-ups are right). Anyways - I'm not going to spend too much more time on the scrimmage. I don't believe you can draw much from what they showed Friday. But I will say I can foresee two potential issues: 1. Rebounding/Girth. This has plagued us in the past. Especially if we can't play our tempo and make shots. We're kinda skinny again. I don't see a guy who I'm like, "that guys gonna get double digit rebounds a game." I hope Walker can withstand the pounding down there, and I really hope Andre is serious about trying to be more "Rodman-like" as he's mentioned on a podcast. 2. Who's team is this? I see some potential conflict brewing... Who's our leader? Who's gonna have their hand on the ball in crunch time and late in the shot clock? I feel like there's a bit of a conflict between who believes they're that guy and who actually is. We'll see! Could be (I hope it is) nothing.

And to think we could have avoided this extreme step if certain people would have just waited a few more minutes before they hit the exits or, alternatively, climbed up the stairs to leave so as not to make a public spectacle of fans streaming out before the end of the game. This is all their fault.

If Fred and Matt flew out to watch him work out and offered on the spot, they saw something they really liked. I trust Fred’s ability to assess players completely. Welcome to the family Denim!

Why did it take a change of AD to make this happen? The herd of olds pushing towards the parking garages within feet of the court has been an embarrassment since PBA opened. Good on the new administration.

Coach Hoiberg: Excited about our group this year - first time bringing back some players who had a key role They're providing great leadership to our newcomers with 4 freshmen & 4 transfers Continuity is very important - took over a big rebuilding project, which has created some difficult moments Proud of how our guys fought through last season's struggles - 10 players & 4 coaches had covid last year 14 games in 29 days - our guys that found a way to fight through that adversity are really helping mentor this season Impressed with maturity of newcomers - like the uniqueness and skill set of the roster Very competitive team, gives great effort daily Love coming back to Indy - fun to see all of the Pacers greats' names that I know hanging in the rafters - awesome years in Indy for me May see transfer numbers increase with no sit-out rule Transfers are key for increasing the roster talent quickly What we have now is a good mix of older and younger transfer players Verge, getting him late was big for backcourt depth & to add ball handling Edwards, Wilcher & Keisei all can spread the floor Shooting is huge, opens up driving lanes - 82% of our shots last year came in restricted area & behind 3 pt line, which is ideal - we're better equipped to finish those shots this year Difficult to figure out a rotation, who starts and who finishes games Must stress to team that role acceptance is big - go out and do your role - still have 3 weeks to figure it out I played every role imaginable - understand how big it is to go out and accept your role Creates highly competitive practices as guys fight for valuable minutes Probably have 12 guys right now who could take key minutes - probably start the year narrowing that to 9 or 10 guys playing key minutes May not be same guys in those roles to start the season as will be at the end of the season Nice to have an event like this to gain some normalcy for our lives We are 100% fully vaccinated, but we are being cautious with testing & keeping an eye on it - no positive tests so far this season Excited about having fans back in PBA - our fans give us a huge home court advantage - appreciate our fans' patience as we build this

Way ahead of where they were a year ago in terms of installing the system. Biggest change is shooting ability and then depth. A name we might not look at a lot who was mentioned twice is Keon Edwards, once because of his shooting and the second time because of his defense -- his ability to move his feet and his length. Depth, it's like in the past, if we had 8 legit players that could cover all positions, we felt pretty good. This year, there will be legit players who will almost never see the floor because our rotation won't go nearly as deep as our bench. In the past, our rotation was limited by the quality of the bench. This year, we could go as deep as we want and still have quality players who just won't get minutes.

I could see Lakes being the "who TF is this guy and why is he making all these threes tonight" against a few teams this year. Kind of like every conference game we play where some random dude goes off for 15-20.

The one thing I know about rotations is they rarely have more than 8 players by the time teams are deep into conference play. I remember Tulane with the “posse” having 10 players consistently play, but that is it in my recollection for a team going that deep. It mainly has to do with getting the chemistry right. With that said, you can make a credible argument for 11 players possibly being in the rotation. If Lakes has his 3 point shot back he could have a role. I think we may be more surprised by what 2-3 players end up NOT being in the rotation.

I kinda feel bad for Trevor Lakes. From the sounds of things, he's been shooting lights out in practices. His shoulder is finally fixed and he seems to have fully recovered. I wish I knew he was having shoulder problems last season; I would probably have gone easier on him in anything I posted. We're set to lose Verge and Kobe to exhausting their eligibility and the McGowens brothers to the pros. Lat Mayen, it's been speculated, could leave after this year to pursue pro opportunities in Australia. Trevor Lakes could potentially be a rotation player on next year's team. Except he doesn't get a next year. And, this year, fortunately for us and unfortunately for him, we're stacked. How many of the last 20 years would we have LOVED to have a guy like him?

So.... Webster Mcgowens x 2 Verge Mayan Walker Lakes Seems about right

Picking back up on this topic. The projected starters this year/starters last year: Derrick/Derrick Lat/Lat Trey/Trey Bryce/Teddy Alonzo/Dalano The three returning starters should, of course, be incrementally better than they were a year ago. A year stronger. A year more experienced. A year more familiar with the system. A year more developed in their skill. Etc. Those might be minor, marginal improvements in each category, but they should still produce an overall better player. I will say that I suspect Trey's shooting numbers from a year ago might have been an aberration. He's a low-volume perimeter shooter who had an uncharacteristically good 3-pt% a year ago. Don't be surprised if that drops back a couple percentage points this year, but it won't matter because a) he's a low-volume perimeter shooter and b) we have plenty of other guys this year to pick up the slack. I don't expect Bryce to put up the offensive numbers Teddy did but he'll probably be a better fit in terms of overall game and buy-in. Dalano is an NBA-level guard now, but he wasn't that so much for us a year ago. Verge is a more explosive athlete and his game is probably more suited to play primary ball handler in this program than Dalano's was. Still, you're subtracting an NBA-caliber player from the lineup. So, comparing starting lineups this year vs. last year, you probably don't look at that and think, wow, we're gonna be so much better. On paper, it might even be somewhat of a push, although there's a lot of potential that it could be a much more successful combination of parts. But then compare the subs. Subs this year/subs last year: Kobe/Kobe Trevor/Trevor Eduardo/Eduardo Yeah. That's probably not moving your needle much either, is it? Kobe might be a *little* better than a year ago, but he's probably close to his ceiling. Sounds like Trevor is healthy and shooting lights out, but we haven't seen him prove it in a game. Eduardo put on 20 pounds, and he really ought to be light years ahead of where he was when he emerged from his bout with Covid last year, but it sounds like he still has a ways to go. But, if that's not moving your needle, how about this: Keisei/Thor CJ/Shamiel Wilhelm/Yvan Keon/Elijah Quran/Nobody Oleg/Nobody I understand that a lot of those guys will get not much more than garbage minutes. There are only so many minutes to go around and we are NOT going to go 14 deep. I get that completely. But here's why it matters: Last year, we had a top 6. And then a BIG drop off in talent after that. I don't think anyone outside the top 6 last year was realistically contending for a starting spot. This year, the starters will need to keep an eye over their shoulders because there will be other players challenging for their minutes. And maybe even their starting jobs. But that challenge isn't likely to come from our returning bench. No, our returning subs who were rotation players a year ago are at risk of being relegated to the end of the bench in favor of guys like Keisei, CJ and Wilhelm, who all have tools that will almost certainly help them see the floor and maybe even get them out there for the opening tip. If Lat hasn't stepped up his overall game, for example, I bet Wilhelm would be more than willing to jump into that starting lineup in his place. Or CJ. And, if you're any of our backcourt starters, you better bring some offense to the table and not be a liability elsewhere, because Keisei can shoot it and he's probably not going to do anything to hurt you in other aspects of his game. The talent level drops off at some point, but that point is a lot further down the bench this year than it was a year ago. There probably isn't a single starter whose job is so secure that he has no fear of losing it to one of our newcomers. And that simply wasn't the case a year ago.

I think the one thing Hoiberg can point to is that Banton, a guy that got demoted in season, was still able to get drafted. Granted he had something others players may not have but it shows that connections to the NBA can still be made even if you don’t put up amazing stats.

I was going to mention Keon as well because seeing him out there I felt like he had the size to guard Derrick Walker and the game that Derrick Walker couldn't guard him. It's just a matter of when with him. Keisei is going to be in the rotation and it's just a matter of how many minutes. If he can function in Sadler's team defense concept then he's a superior version of Kobe Webster. That Japanese Steph Curry stuff about his range is legit. He is legit. Check him out on that HOL video starting at 4:02 as he holds up with Verge trying to shake and bake him and then hits two beyond NBA 3s in a row.

No way Wilhelm stays off the court, IMO, based on what I saw last night. I think he’s a 5, and there will be plenty of nights he’s our best 5. He and Lat as the 4-5 could create massive problems for defenses. Keisei will take over some games. I’ve never seen shooting like that in my life. Warmups through the game it was absolutely freakish.

Norm, those folks leaving early aren't going to Gate. Only true fans go there for postgame beers and discussion. The leave early folks are going as fast as they can to their car to get home in time for the 10:00 news.

I’m pretty surprised. I mean, if he’s good enough to leapfrog Walker and climb into the starting lineup, that obviously says something really good about our talent level. But I did not see that coming.

Non Con - agreed Conf - 10-10 Big 10 Tourney - 2-1 Total - 21-13 In tourney

Yeah well Miles took a preseason 3rd place pick all the way to 12th too, so...

Are we big enough? Are we long enough? Do we have a guy who's big and strong enough to hold down the paint? Can we rebound? The following team (top 8 rotation listed), from a Power 5 conference, reached the Final Four just a few years ago: Sr. 6'8, 231#, 32.8 min/gm, 10.2 ppg, 9.0 rpg So. 6'9, 200#, 22.0 min, 5.6 ppg, 5.3 rpg Sr. 6'4, 187#, 33.4 min, 12.6 ppg, 4.5 rpg Sr. 6'4, 209#, 35.4 min, 25.0 ppg, 5.7 rpg Jr. 6'0, 186#, 29.8 min, 13.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg Fr. 6'7, 208#, 12.3 min, 3.5 ppg, 1.8 rpg Sr. 6'1, 193#, 12.1 min, 3.3 ppg, 1.4 rpg Fr. 6'4, 213#, 9.7 min, 2.9 ppg, 1.7 rpg FG% = 45.9; 3pt% = 42.6; FT% = 72.8 What we probably look like: Jr. 6'9, 239# Jr. 6'9, 217# Fr. 6'7, 179# Jr. 6'4, 196# Sr. 6'3, 163# Fr. 6'10, 227# So. 6'2, 177# Fr. 6'5, 221# Fr. 6'7, 204# I'm guessing our FG% will be mid-40s and our 3pt% will be upper 30s. FT% might be low-70s.

It seems like national media are discounting all the crap this team had to endure last season, being locked-down and not able to practice, then having to struggle through the compressed schedule. Last season's record is pretty meaningless. Going through something like that could break a lot of teams but it feels like our guys have been galvanized by it. In every interview, Bryce like the most humble 5-star player in the country. We have a lot of high-character guys and everyone sounds bought-in to a team-first mentality. I look forward to surprising a lot of people who've been on the outside looking in.

I think huskerbill is assuming the NCAA will allow him the Grant- Gibbs- unlimited- eligibility- award.

Can guarantee Lakes will not be playing for us next year

B1G MEDIA DAYS - 2021!!! First Five minutes cover WBB with Coach Amy Williams, Issie Bourne, & Sam Haiby! One of the more informative interviews with Coach Amy that I have heard (along with Issie & Sam). I really thought Dave Revsine did a good job on the interview asking relevant and more penetrating questions (than we are used to from some of our locals). I would have liked for more time to be devoted to the Women's Basketball program, but it is B!G Media Days and there was a lot to cover (Dave had a nice interview with Fred Hoiberg, Trey McGowens, and Alonzo Verge for the last 15 minutes of the video).

Lat would be the 7th. Unlikely he comes back considering this will be his 5th season of college ball (2 at TCU, 1 JUCO & 2 at NU). I suspect he'd prefer to get paid somewhere instead of playing a 6th year of college.

I’d said this elsewhere but the coaches usually take at least one project player each cycle. These are guys they can work with at the end of the bench that aren’t going to need minutes right away. If they hit that’s great, if not they move on and we take a chance on the next guy. Previously Fred always liked having sit out guys because you can only play 8-10 on a regular rotation. Now that players can play right away you need guys at the end of the bench that aren’t going to necessarily need or have earned the minutes yet. I think that’s what you will see going forward with those 3-5 spots are guys that can do one thing really well or guys that have the tools but need some fine tuning.

Probably similar to this: https://www.nbascoutinglive.com/alonzo-verge-jr-scouting-report/

11th? That's pretty high for a preseason ranking for us. Hope we don't get any nosebleeds from not being used to the thin air. If 11th is the line, I'm going take the overs/aboves.

More and more, I'm liking the LOOK of this TEAM! (and I'm just as glad to see the lack of 'hype' associated with 'irrational exuberance!')

This guy?

Yeah, Tominaga hit 16 I think. I am glad some people know the starting lineup. I see ten potential starters. I am not into anything other than winning and I am not sure who the first five should be...

What I’m most excited about is there probably won’t be a night that someone isn’t cooking from deep. There’s just too many good shooters on the roster/offensive skill to go team-cold anymore. Keon, CJ, Bryce, Trey, Kobe, and maybe Verge can all get it going from deep as well. But the best pure strokes I saw were Keisei and Wilhelm. I’d probably put Lat in the latter category too but he didn’t play last night. Another hot take: Keon is a better athlete than Bryce—stronger and more explosive and maybe a better 3pt shooter. I don’t think he’s a better player as Bryce has pretty good handles, but don’t sleep on that kid. He’s high energy. Overall I was way more impressed with the newcomers than I thought I would be.

It was a fun night. Good crowd...perhaps 6 to 7000. A few were there for the post-basketball entertainment. Some of the female fans were lacking ummm, cloth in certain areas... But what I think I saw was a deep and athletic team that likes to have fun. A couple players stood out to me, and a couple sort of underwhelmed me a bit. But it is still way to early to pass judgement.

Yes, perhaps it was unfair of me to use the term "olds." I may have just been going for a laugh and should be careful as I am now over 40 myself. What I should have said was the herd of geriatrics, with a sprinkling of younger folks able to afford seats in the 100-level but still with a mean age greater than 55, pushing towards the parking garages within feet of the court has been an embarrassment since PBA opened. For this, i apologize.

Rothstein is actually a bit tepid in his praise. He thinks Verge and the two McGowens brothers are All-Conference caliber as a backcourt, but like us, he's not sure how we'll defend and rebound. His rotation of Verge, the two McGowens, Mayen and Walker followed by Keisei, CJ and Keon leaves out ... frickin' Kobe Webster, Eduardo Andre and Wilhelm "The Flying Dutchman" Breidenbach, whom he also praises. I mean, if that doesn't scream "Hey, this squad is deeper than your typical Husker team" I don't know what does. If you trim the rotation to 8 players, it's going to leave some quality guys on the bench not getting minutes.

I might get chastised for this on here, but I don’t think it’s obvious Eduardo will be part of the regular rotation. Only so many minutes to go around and Fred has made it clear he likes Wilhelm at the 5. I wouldn’t be surprised if Eduardo was a situational minutes player, like Okeke was when Roby and Copeland took up the majority of the minutes at the 4/5. If Eduardo is getting significant consistent playing time, I think that means he’ll be vastly improved from last year. Which would be awesome.

I just miss the good ol' days of Bob Devaney where even the announcer encouraged fans to move closer to the action later in the game.

God bless Trev Alberts. http://huskers.fan-one.com/nl/jsp/m.jsp?c=%40m8vyJi%2BcG2ppOARA0lOIZNnZmD7LOaFtV4IdfHTnNNo%3D

13-17.

They just now realized he's a perfect fit for the system they run. I'm sorry, but this joke never gets old.

This makes me question all the other listed changes in height/weight.

Having 3-4 (5?) knock down shooters on the floor at any given time can make up for a LOT of deficiencies in other areas. I take heart with that 11 pick knowing that Miles took two 13th place preseason picks to 4th. Fred’s due for his big jump this year & the prognosticators are just hedging their bets...

The Lincoln paper also had an article. Mentioned that Jaz Shelley is a great point guard. So we have went from really having no point guards since Theriot, to having two good ones in Shelley and Weidner. And Markowski kept telling how she likes and wants to win. said it fifteen times in a meeting with Coach.

Just curious why aren't you a fan of this? If I'm understanding the email, it will make people go up to the concourse to leave instead of walking down past the court. I think it's a great move

Pretty sure this is the same Australian team is largely pro level players. I think a couple are WNBA, and most of the rest are Aussie pro team players. Only a couple are college players, one of which is Shelly. She's one the youngest on their team. And she played for Oregon last year. Maybe it can be said she has the most high level experience than anyone coming into the team for a long tine. Said it before, don't want to wear it out, ..... but just have the feeling she going to be huge for this Husker team.

Kobe and CJ on 93.7 The Ticket last night. Audio cut out for the first 20 minutes of the show for some reason: Second hour features a couple of baseballers and there was some good stuff in there too.

If I remember correctly, Ty and Cookie are cousins???