OurDecay

This isn't entirely fair because roles are different, but discuss: 2014-2015 vs 2015-2016: SG Terran Petteway: (35.0 MPG) 18.2 PPG (39.8% FG), 4.9 RPG, 2.8 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.9 BPG, 3.4 TOV Vs SG Andrew White: (28.0 MPG), 16.9 PPG (51.6% FG), 6.1 RPG, 0.8 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.5 BPG, 1.8 TOV PG Tarin Smith: (17.6 MPG), 4.5 PPG (45.5% FG), 1.6 RPG, 0.7 APG, 0.6 SPG, 0.3 BPG, 0.8 TOV Vs PG Glynn Watson: (22.2 MPG), 8.1 PPG (38.9%), 1.9 RPG, 2.6 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.1 BPG, 1.1 TOV SF David Rivers: (23.6 MPG), 4.3 PPG (47.7% FG), 4.2 RPG, 0.7 APG, 0.4 SPG, 0.2 BPG, 0.5 TOV Vs SF Jack McVeigh: (17.0 MPG), 5.4 PPG (38.7% FG), 3.1 RPG, 1.0 APG, 0.6 SPG, 0.1 BPG, 0.8 TOV PF Walter Pitchford: (27.1 MPG), 7.2 PPG (37.8% FG), 4.6 RPG, 0.5 APG, 0.3 SPG, 0.5 BPG, 1.1 TOV Vs PF Michael Jacobson: (15.3 MPG), 4.2 PPG (46.2% FG), 3.6 RPG, 0.6 APG, 0.6 SPG, 0.6 BPG, 0.6 TOV PF Leslee Smith: (12.6 MPG), 3.1 PPG (46.0% FG), 3.1 RPG, 0.5 APG, 0.6 SPG, 0.5 BPG, 0.9 TOV Vs PF Ed Morrow: (14.1 MPG), 3.7 PPG (62.7% FG), 3.6 RPG, 0.1 APG, 0.0 SPG, 0.7 BPG, 1.2 TOV

Wondering where you all think last night's win at #11 MSU ranks amongst the best wins in MIles' tenure. Taking into account quality of opponent, pressure of opportunity, stakes, style of play, luck, etc. I think I would have this win as the second-best win of his tenure. I would say that the infamous No-Sit-Sunday hosting No. 9 Wisconsin in 2013-14 was the best win he's had...purely due to the level of play, quality of opponent, and stakes. But this road win I would argue was just as good, if not better, than our road win at No. 9 Michigan St two years ago. We won with offense, largely without our top scorer, and the opponent went 11-18 for 3-pt range. Their best player Valentine played great. And we still won. Thoughts?

All of this discussion and we haven't really even discussed how athletic and strong a rebounder he is. For a guy that isn't "explosive" on the offensive end, the dude is swiping defensive rebounds well above the rim. He crashes the boards hard.

Bump! Kenya Hunter went and saw him last night

I was wondering who would be the first to ask that! Jeremy Barr, recruited by USC out of HS, was the #118 player in the class of 2005. He spent that one season on our roster.

That's not quite accurate. You're comparing a ranking number of 2 guys for next year's class vs numbers from 2013-14. Going by verbalcommits.com we've gone from the basement to middle of the pack though. Exactly. That's still a great place to be, too.

This is a bump to this thread I had started last year. Many of you provided very good feedback and criticisms on the folly of using recruiting services, offers, etc. to judge recruiting progress. With Elijah Thomas on campus and both Horne and Roby in the fold...I just thought I'd provide an update to show the trends "as is"...without claiming any value from them. I did incorporate some feedback from you guys on how to evaluate unrated/unevaluated players. Also...Isaiah Roby is a prime example of how you can't always use "offers" to judge a recruit. He's clearly elite, highly rated...a top-150 player. Yet his offer list is scant. And that's for the obvious reason that we were on him very, very early, and he committed to us very, very early. Anyway, thought you guys would enjoy: For context, the 2013-2014 Big Ten Conference using the same criteria: I guess an immediate takeaway is...we are trending in the direction that would appear to be competitive (from a talent standpoint) with the bulk of the league. That's one of those things that lead you to want to give Miles & co. a long, long leash and let it play out for a bit. Gotta be patient. RDK

http://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/deshawn-freeman-1.html Update: Averaging 13.1 PPG and 5.3 RPG for Rutgers this season, with a high game of 23 points and 8 rebounds. Has 8 blocks in 7 games also.

Tai Webster, last 6 games:SELA: 20 mins; 13 pts, 6 reb, 1 ast, 2 to, 2 stl, (5-7 FG, 1-1 3pt, 2-2 FT)ARPB: 23 mins; 4 pts, 5 reb, 2 ast, 2 to, 0 stl, 1 blk (1-3 FG, 0-1 3pt, 2-3 FT)CINCY: 29 mins; 21 pts, 8 reb, 3 ast, 1 to, 0 stl, (7-12 FG, 2-3 3pt, 5-5 FT)TENN: 36 mins; 18 pts, 2 reb, 0 ast, 3 to, 1 stl, (7-13 FG, 1-3 3pt, 3-4 FT)MIAMI: 30 mins; 9 pts, 5 reb, 4 ast, 2 to, 1 stl, (4-11 FG, 1-2 3pt, 0-0 FT)ABCU: 37 mins; 10 pts, 5 reb, 0 ast, 0 to, 1 st, 2 blk (5-12 FG, 0-1 3pt, 0-2 FT) TOTALS: 175 mins (29.2 mpg), 75 pts (12.5 ppg), 31 reb (5.2 rpg), 10 ast (1.7 apg), 10 to (1.7 tpg), 5 stl (0.8 spg)29-58 (50.0% FG), 5-11 (45.4% 3PT), 12-16 (75.0% FT) 2015 TOTALS: 550 mins (18.3 mpg), 118 pts (3.9 ppg), 57 reb (1.9 rpg), 35 ast (1.2 apg), 39 to (1.3 tpg), 21 stl (0.7 spg) 2014 TOTALS: 729 mins (22.8 mpg), 126 pts (3.9 ppg), 66 reb (2.1 rpg), 63 ast (2.0 apg), 58 to (1.8 tpg), 24 stl (0.8 spg)

Fantastic article on TP and the game from a scouting site: http://upsidemotor.com/2015/12/05/terran-petteway-call-up-d-league-mad-ants-charge-hardaway-tavares/

Our offense this year compared to the last two years is just night-and-day.

What I saw last night was a chilling reminder just how under-talented we have been until now. You look at a guy like Andrew White...he barely got any minutes at Kansas but is a top-50 level recruit. Put him on that court last night, and he didn't look fazed by the competition or moment. He is scoring 18 a night for our team and making it look easy without even being a volume shooter. It is simply a matter of having talent. I watched Watson and Morrow and while I see mistakes of youth, I see kids that are clearly of similar talent levels to what Nova had. Morrow played in the same AAU program as Jalen Brunson and Jahlil Okafor. Steel sharpens steel, and all that. Morrow is down low amongst high-talent kids bigger than him and wasn't rattled at all...out-fighting them for rebounds and blocking shots. Watson had an absolutely filthy move to free himself up for a shot last night (that was negated by an offense foul on Morrow). I think McVeigh's game translates pretty well to that high level of competition. He needs to be our scoring threat off the bench. Tai Webster is not, and never has been, a Big Ten caliber player. And certainly not worthy of being a starter. He's a "shooting guard" that cannot shoot, but frankly that's not even my biggest concern about him...he's just not a "game time" player. He gets fazed by the moment, and lacks confidence. I couldn't see our truly talented players losing confidence and falling apart. Parker was a novelty two years ago where we had this tiny guy who stole minutes with his defense. He's a fun story but he is obviously not a Big Ten caliber player either, and like Tai never will be. He is what he is. He's probably playing beyond his ceiling already. It is unfair, in my opinion, to ask Webster and Parker to start against the teeth of the Big Ten, and games like last night, for 3 years running. Webster and Parker cannot help who they are. Its on the staff to upgrade these positions. I don't dislike either guy, and I actually kinda love Benny, but we need to be better at those spots. Good defense is a lot about effort and mindset. There's no reason you couldn't make an Evelyn or somebody else your defensive perimeter guy instead. At least then you have upside. Like the team, like where we are headed. Last night was an important progress check.

This.

Its easy to forget, but before last season NU had gone 15 seasons w/o a winning conference record. Once in that span, they went 8-8. That was the only time in 15 seasons NU won 8 or more games in conference play (yes, we were playing less games in the B12). NU is sitting at 5-5 with 8 games left. That includes games at Penn St, at Purdue, home vs. Iowa, and at Illinois. Theoretically, all of those games are winnable. Heck, maybe at the end of the year you can trip up Maryland at home. If NU even went 8-10 (.444) - 3-5 down the stretch - in conference, it would be our third-best conference winning % in 17 years. If this had happened a year ago, we would be pretty ecstatic about the direction we are headed. The fact that we jumped WAY ahead of schedule last year makes it tough to keep that perspective. But make no mistake, the overall trend is very much up. Still.

Its a little unsettling on a night when we shot 62% from the field and over 47% from behind the arc, and dominated the glass, that we only scored 76 points against the last-place team in the league. I mean, tonight was technically our offense at peak efficiency, and it didn't break 80 points. My point is, that tells you just how small the margin of error we have, and what a tremendous strain it puts on our defense every game. We have to essentially play perfect to break 75, unless we draw a ton of fouls. Just a little alarming, that's all. But a great performance tonight.

That's fair

I kinda feel burned by most international players. Outside of Aleks, it doesn't seem like we've had very good luck (spanning multiple coaches). Maybe its the fact that Webster has come nowhere close to matching the hype.

Updated through 12 games (non-conference portion of schedule): 1. Terran Petteway, Jr. 2014-2015 (thru 12G): 34.7 MPG, 19.2 PPG, 41.8 FG%, 32.5 3FG%, 2.7 APG, 5.6 RPG, 1.2 BPG, 1.4 SPG, 3.9 TOPG 2014-2015 (thru 6G): 34.7 MPG, 21.0 PPG, 41.7 FG%, 34.9 3FG%, 2.5 APG, 5.5 RPG, 1.3 BPG, 1.3 SPG, 4.2 TOPG 2013-2014: 31.7 MPG, 18.1 PPG, 42.6 FG%, 32.7 3FG%, 1.6 APG, 4.8 RPG, 0.8 BPG, 0.9 SPG, 2.8 TOPG http://statsheet.com/mcb/players/player/nebraska/terran-petteway Notes: Not much changed from our first check-in. Remarkably consistent numbers across the board. He is who he is over the last year and a half. 2. Shavon Shields, Jr. 2014-2015 (thru 12G): 36.5 MPG, 17.2 PPG, 48.9 FG%, 27.6 3FG%, 2.0 APG, 6.9 RPG, 0.2 BPG, 0.8 SPG, 3.3 TOPG 2014-2015 (thru 6G): 34.7 MPG, 20.0 PPG, 60.6 FG%, 43.8 3FG%, 1.8 APG, 7.3 RPG, 0.3 BPG, 0.8 SPG, 2.5 TOPG 2013-2014: 32.5 MPG, 12.8 PPG, 44.3 FG%, 31.6 3FG%, 1.6 APG, 5.8 RPG, 0.3 BPG, 0.9 SPG, 1.6 TOPG http://statsheet.com/mcb/players/player/nebraska/shavon-shields Notes: His shooting percentage has fallen back to earth, and he is no longer a reliable 3-point shooter. The rebounding is good, but his turnovers are now more than double what they were a year ago. 3. Benny Parker, Jr. 2014-2015 (thru 12G): 30.5 MPG, 6.8 PPG, 43.6 FG%, 47.1 3FG%, 2.2 APG, 2.2 RPG, 0.0 BPG, 1.9 SPG, 1.8 TOPG 2014-2015 (thru 6G): 28.5 MPG, 6.7 PPG, 35.7 FG%, 28.6 3FG%, 2.3 APG, 1.8 RPG, 0.0 BPG, 2.0 SPG, 1.7 TOPG 2013-2014: 14.9 MPG, 2.4 PPG, 47.8 FG%, 0.0 3FG%, 0.9 APG, 1.0 RPG, 0.0 BPG, 0.9 SPG, 0.4 TOPG http://statsheet.com/mcb/players/player/nebraska/benny-parker Notes: He continues to look for his spots to score, and he is playing heavy minutes. He is a point guard playing 30 minutes a game and averaging less than 2 turnovers a contest...and he gets that back for you with steals. He appears to be a pretty efficient player offensively. The question remains if he is a legitimate Big Ten caliber starting PG. I still think he is better as a change of pace guy off the bench. This is a guy who played 15 minutes a game a year ago. 4. Walter Pitchford, Jr. 2014-2015 (thru 12G): 27.8 MPG, 7.4 PPG, 34.1 FG%, 31.0 3FG%, 0.4 APG, 4.7 RPG, 0.8 BPG, 0.4 SPG, 1.6 TOPG 2014-2015 (thru 6G): 22.2 MPG, 6.5 PPG, 33.3 FG%, 31.0 3FG%, 0.8 APG, 2.8 RPG, 0.8 BPG, 0.7 SPG, 1.7 TOPG 2013-2014: 23.2 MPG, 9.2 PPG, 47.3 FG%, 41.0 3FG%, 0.5 APG, 4.7 RPG, 0.6 BPG, 0.4 SPG, 0.5 TOPG http://statsheet.com/mcb/players/player/nebraska/walter-pitchford-v Notes: He has essentially continued his cold start to the season, with the exception of adding a couple rebounds per game. Playing the last few games without other inside players, you'd like to see him be averaging more than 5 boards a game. He has attempted 58 3-pointers in 12 games....that's nearly 5 attempts a game. If he's going to do that, he needs to be better than 31%. 5. David Rivers, Sr. 2014-2015 (thru 12G): 29.8 MPG, 5.4 PPG, 48.0 FG%, 0.0 3FG%, 0.8 APG, 6.0 RPG, 0.3 BPG, 0.6 SPG, 0.7 TOPG 2014-2015 (thru 6G): 26.7 MPG, 6.2 PPG, 60.9 FG%, 0.0 3FG%, 0.7 APG, 4.7 RPG, 0.2 BPG, 0.3 SPG, 0.5 TOPG 2013-2014: 20.0 MPG, 3.0 PPG, 47.4 FG%, 33.3 3FG%, 0.4 APG, 2.9 RPG, 0.5 BPG, 1.0 SPG, 0.5 TOPG http://statsheet.com/mcb/players/player/nebraska/david-rivers Notes: He has increased his rebounding further, and is given us essentially 6 & 6 a night. I noted this last time, but I love the fact that he's playing nearly 30 minutes a game and has only gotten more than 3 PFs once...and that game went to OT. He is working, rebounding and playing good defense without fouling. Given our depth situation, that's huge. I think what we are getting from him is about his ceiling...but that's good enough for what we are asking IMO. 6. Tai Webster, So. 2014-2015 (thru 12G): 19.8 MPG, 4.9 PPG, 35.7 FG%, 16.7 3FG%, 1.2 APG, 2.2 RPG, 0.2 BPG, 0.8 SPG, 1.9 TOPG 2014-2015 (thru 6G): 22.5 MPG, 6.8 PPG, 41.7 FG%, 15.8 3FG%, 2.0 APG, 2.0 RPG, 0.3 BPG, 1.2 SPG, 2.3 TOPG 2013-2014: 22.8 MPG, 3.9 PPG, 30.4 FG%, 17.1 3FG%, 2.0 APG, 2.1 RPG, 0.1 BPG, 0.8 SPG, 1.8 TOPG http://statsheet.com/mcb/players/player/nebraska/tai-webster Notes: As I said before...Tai is just not a good shooter. You'd hope that we could plan around that, but at some point you have to accept the situation: this is a guard that cannot shoot, does not rebound, and is careless with the ball. In our three games in Hawaii, he played 16, 7 and 16 minutes respectively, and went a combined 0-5 from the field, never attempted a FT, had 4 TOs and 2 assists. Apparent physical tools aside, the writing appears on the wall here. 7. Moses Abraham, Sr. 2014-2015 (thru 6G): 15.2 MPG, 2.7 PPG, 58.3 FG%, 0.0 3FG%, 0.2 APG, 5.5 RPG, 1.0 BPG, 0.0 SPG, 1.2 TOPG 2013-2014: 13.1 MPG, 1.9 PPG, 56.4 FG%, 0.0 3FG%, 0.3 APG, 2.8 RPG, 0.7 BPG, 0.2 SPG, 0.5 TOPG http://statsheet.com/mcb/players/player/nebraska/moses-abraham http://statsheet.com/mcb/players/player/georgetown/moses-ayegba Notes: He got hurt after our 7th game...his numbers didn't change much at all. I believe he was destined to start Game #8 before breaking his hand...so we'll wait to see what that looks like when he returns. 8. Tarin Smith, Fr. 2014-2015 (thru 12G): 15.2 MPG, 3.9 PPG, 45.7 FG%, 33.3 3FG%, 0.8 APG, 1.0 RPG, 0.2 BPG, 0.5 SPG, 0.7 TOPG 2014-2015 (thru 6G): 13.5 MPG, 3.8 PPG, 43.8 FG%, 66.7 3FG%, 1.3 APG, 1.2 RPG, 0.0 BPG, 0.5 SPG, 0.3 TOPG http://statsheet.com/mcb/players/player/nebraska/tarin-smith Notes: In the same 3-game span Tai Webster played a combined 39 minutes, Smith played 66 minutes and averaged 6.0 PPG. He is becoming our primary scorer off the bench (such as it is), and I feel like he is getting better and better. 9. Leslee Smith, Sr. 2014-2015: DNP (INJ) 2013-2014: 16.8 MPG, 5.4 PPG, 51.9 FG%, 0.0 3FG%, 0.4 APG, 4.8 RPG, 0.6 BPG, 0.9 SPG, 1.4 TOPG http://statsheet.com/mcb/players/player/nebraska/leslee-smith Notes: Still waiting. Come back, Leslee! RDK

Jackson St is probably in no hurry to see him again. They won, but BW rung up 31 pts, 21 reb and 2 blocks on them in their first meeting. Sheesh. Those season averages are pretty ridiculous given the minutes he's played.

I agree, which is why I qualified it at the very beginning. It was also labeled as an early season assessment. It will gain value as we revisit it the deeper we get into the season. So you are comparing oranges to orange blossoms? yes, I guess I am!

I agree, which is why I qualified it at the very beginning. It was also labeled as an early season assessment. It will gain value as we revisit it the deeper we get into the season.

We've played 6 games (against mixed competition). This doesn't take into account feel, running the offense, decision-making, etc. I've watched every game, but my goal here is to try to look at it through a statistical lens first. The players are not listed in any particular order, by the way. Here's how I see the key components individually: 1. Terran Petteway, Jr. 2014-2015: 34.7 MPG, 21.0 PPG, 41.7 FG%, 34.9 3FG%, 2.5 APG, 5.5 RPG, 1.3 BPG, 1.3 SPG, 4.2 TOPG 2013-2014: 31.7 MPG, 18.1 PPG, 42.6 FG%, 32.7 3FG%, 1.6 APG, 4.8 RPG, 0.8 BPG, 0.9 SPG, 2.8 TOPG http://statsheet.com/mcb/players/player/nebraska/terran-petteway Notes: This year he's averaging more points, assists, rebounds, blocks, steals and turnovers than last year. His shooting percentage is essentially the same. He has his lapses like any player, but I feel like he is doing a better job defensively. He has been doing a better job of getting to the rim for strong finishes...It feels like he's got about a dozen dunks already in 6 games. The increase in turnovers is bad. He has had 4 or more turnovers in 4 of our 6 games. Hopefully with stronger PG play, he'll be able to handle the ball less and have fewer of these. For as frustrating as he can be to watch, he is a stat-stuffer and an all-conference player. 2. Shavon Shields, Jr. 2014-2015: 34.7 MPG, 20.0 PPG, 60.6 FG%, 43.8 3FG%, 1.8 APG, 7.3 RPG, 0.3 BPG, 0.8 SPG, 2.5 TOPG 2013-2014: 32.5 MPG, 12.8 PPG, 44.3 FG%, 31.6 3FG%, 1.6 APG, 5.8 RPG, 0.3 BPG, 0.9 SPG, 1.6 TOPG http://statsheet.com/mcb/players/player/nebraska/shavon-shields Notes: Shavon is massively-improved offensive player. He's shooting lights-out. His scoring average has improved from 8.6 to 12.8 to now 20.0. He's also 86.8% from the FT line this year. If he averages 20 & 7 for the season he will need to be an all-conference player. He is the smooth and controlled operator, in contrast to Petteway's spastic and explosive style. Both are tough matchups. His mastery of the mid-range jumper makes him a nightmare to defend. 3. Benny Parker, Jr. 2014-2015: 28.5 MPG, 6.7 PPG, 35.7 FG%, 28.6 3FG%, 2.3 APG, 1.8 RPG, 0.0 BPG, 2.0 SPG, 1.7 TOPG 2013-2014: 14.9 MPG, 2.4 PPG, 47.8 FG%, 0.0 3FG%, 0.9 APG, 1.0 RPG, 0.0 BPG, 0.9 SPG, 0.4 TOPG http://statsheet.com/mcb/players/player/nebraska/benny-parker Notes: Benny has earned the starting job this year and as a result his minutes have doubled. He's not really a scorer, but we don't ask him to be. We ask him to handle the ball with minimal turnovers, and thus far he's done that (under 2/game). His steals are top-100 nationally, and I would expect that number to actually go up. He is shooting 75.0% from the FT line, which is absolutely what you want in your PG who handles the ball the most. Benny has always been a guy whose strengths don't show up on the stats sheet and this is no exception, but I would say that he is improved over last year. 4. Walter Pitchford, Jr. 2014-2015: 22.2 MPG, 6.5 PPG, 33.3 FG%, 31.0 3FG%, 0.8 APG, 2.8 RPG, 0.8 BPG, 0.7 SPG, 1.7 TOPG 2013-2014: 23.2 MPG, 9.2 PPG, 47.3 FG%, 41.0 3FG%, 0.5 APG, 4.7 RPG, 0.6 BPG, 0.4 SPG, 0.5 TOPG http://statsheet.com/mcb/players/player/nebraska/walter-pitchford-v Notes: Walter obviously struggled to open the year. I think he is caught in an identity crisis. It is disappointing that our only regular player over 6-9 barely out-rebounds Benny Parker. The stats are worse across the board from a year ago, but be aware that in his last two games he is 8-13 from 3-point range, and has averaged 12.5 PPG. One common theme that you notice on his game log is the amount of fouls. He is averaging 3.5 fouls/game, up from 2.5 a year ago playing the same minutes. I don't know if that's a result of having to play defense as a 5 w/o Leslee Smith, or frustration, or just bad luck....but the net result isn't good. I do think as his shot continues to come back he'll regain his confidence and be back to the occasionally dynamic player he was a year ago. We need him to do better on the glass, however. 5. David Rivers, Sr. 2014-2015: 26.7 MPG, 6.2 PPG, 60.9 FG%, 0.0 3FG%, 0.7 APG, 4.7 RPG, 0.2 BPG, 0.3 SPG, 0.5 TOPG 2013-2014: 20.0 MPG, 3.0 PPG, 47.4 FG%, 33.3 3FG%, 0.4 APG, 2.9 RPG, 0.5 BPG, 1.0 SPG, 0.5 TOPG http://statsheet.com/mcb/players/player/nebraska/david-rivers Notes: David has stepped up nicely as a senior to fill a void in situational scoring. He plays good defense, doesn't get into foul trouble (hasn't had more than 3 fouls in a game yet) and has stepped up his rebounding as well. He's a great role player, and one of the glue pieces that hold the team together. He is improved from a year ago in all facets. 6. Tai Webster, So. 2014-2015: 22.5 MPG, 6.8 PPG, 41.7 FG%, 15.8 3FG%, 2.0 APG, 2.0 RPG, 0.3 BPG, 1.2 SPG, 2.3 TOPG 2013-2014: 22.8 MPG, 3.9 PPG, 30.4 FG%, 17.1 3FG%, 2.0 APG, 2.1 RPG, 0.1 BPG, 0.8 SPG, 1.8 TOPG http://statsheet.com/mcb/players/player/nebraska/tai-webster Notes: You might have to squint to see them, but taken as a whole there are signs of improvement from Webster. His secondary stats have essentially held steady, as have his minutes...yet scoring is up, as is his overall FG%. This is despite him shooting slightly worse from 3-pt range this year. That tells me he's taking better shots more often. His FT rate is holding steady from last year at around 62%...which is obviously not ideal if you are a PG. I think the transition to a bench 2-guard is going to be a good thing for him, as he is at his best when driving to the basket and creating on offense. He is not a PG. He needs to significantly improve his outside shooting...the mechanics look better this year as does the confidence...he just needs more shots to drop and he can be fine. He'll never be a Gallegos though...so he will need to focus on getting to the rim, and playing good perimeter defense. 7. Moses Abraham, Sr. 2014-2015: 15.2 MPG, 2.7 PPG, 58.3 FG%, 0.0 3FG%, 0.2 APG, 5.5 RPG, 1.0 BPG, 0.0 SPG, 1.2 TOPG 2013-2014: 13.1 MPG, 1.9 PPG, 56.4 FG%, 0.0 3FG%, 0.3 APG, 2.8 RPG, 0.7 BPG, 0.2 SPG, 0.5 TOPG http://statsheet.com/mcb/players/player/nebraska/moses-abraham http://statsheet.com/mcb/players/player/georgetown/moses-ayegba Notes: Moses is essentially the same guy he was at Georgetown, with the exception of a dramatically improved rebounding. Given his minutes, those rebounding numbers are good. I would like to see his blocked shots increase, but I think that's the best he's done in his career so that might be all we'll get. I think he is getting more and more comfortable playing with the team. He is not an offensive player by any means, but I don't think that's what we are asking from him. To this point, this is not a Tim Miles reclamation project on the level of Petteway or Pitchford...but if he could sneak up to 5 & 7 a night (with increased minutes), that would be enough. We do miss Leslee Smith however. Thus far I am underwhelmed by his athleticism. He is not an explosive athlete. 8. Tarin Smith, Fr. 2014-2015: 13.5 MPG, 3.8 PPG, 43.8 FG%, 66.7 3FG%, 1.3 APG, 1.2 RPG, 0.0 BPG, 0.5 SPG, 0.3 TOPG http://statsheet.com/mcb/players/player/nebraska/tarin-smith Notes: The stat line does not at all capture the potential here. He takes great care of the ball, seems to have a good basketball IQ. I believe he has the ability to eventually be a scoring option for us. He hasn't been asked to do that much, but he has the appropriate skill set. Six games into his college career, I like his potential. He averaged 16 minutes/game in our first 4 games, but only 9 minutes/game in our last two. I don't know why that is. Regardless, he is a guy right now that I trust more than Webster, and I would like to see him get even more minutes per game. 9. Leslee Smith, Sr. 2014-2015: DNP (INJ) 2013-2014: 16.8 MPG, 5.4 PPG, 51.9 FG%, 0.0 3FG%, 0.4 APG, 4.8 RPG, 0.6 BPG, 0.9 SPG, 1.4 TOPG http://statsheet.com/mcb/players/player/nebraska/leslee-smith Notes: It might be surprising to some, but if you compare Abraham's stat line to Smith's a year ago, they are pretty comparable. Smith is the slightly better offensive player, while Abraham is the better rebounder and defensive player. The point is, don't have a false sense that Leslee is this double-double machine that will arrive in January and set the world on fire. Likewise, don't be too critical of Abraham...thus far he's doing his job. That said, we need Leslee for depth, badly. Overall: If you look at the individual pieces, statistically you can make the argument that 5 of our 6 returning (active) players are improved from a year ago. Abraham is improved since his time at Georgetown as well. Tarin Smith is a true freshman. The question of course is if this has resulted in us being a better team. While we haven't played a great schedule to date, our offensive efficiency has gone from 94.6 (2012-13) to 102.2 (2013-14) to 103.7. We are shooting 46.3% from the field after shooting 42.7% a year ago. The most obvious problems are turnovers (15.0/game, up from 10.2 last year), and rebounding differential. That said, I believe that a lot of our success a year ago was smoke & mirrors. There wasn't a whole lot of overwhelmingly great stats associated with the team a year ago...they just won. Sometimes in spite of themselves. I think it is possible this year that we could have a much better team statistically and individually, yet have a worse W-L record. RDK

Rivers is going to give us solid numbers this year

Holy crap.