NUtball

Would probably be up by 10 or more if they could get a rebound.

Nice work, Wilcher. Good grief.

Rebraca is THE biggest f'ing baby.

Get a fucking rebound.

They've been doing it for 2-1/2 games, so...

Not going to be able to keep up by leaving them wide open every possession.

Horrible defense. Dork never moved and nobody was ever near him.

Wilhelm simply cannot be allowed to shoot any more 3s.

Must be a special rule that allows anyone to level a Japanese player. I don't remember reading that one.

Pathetic effort. Not athletic enough. Look forward to an early exit in the NIT.

Terrible call.

Really surprised MSU has backed off the full-court pressure othe than on the inbound pass. Crazily, the stooges are really giving NU a bunch of calls on loose balls.

Markowski needs to wake up. She's been a total non-factor.

Yeah, they're not gonna call fouls on them.

Would be nice if they could convert 3-foot shots at a better rate than 3-point shots. So bad around the hoop.

MSU sure likes to travel. That's about 7 or 8 already. It's no wonder NU's defenders look like they're stuck in the mud most of the time.

2 fouls on Shelley is a big issue.

Wow. Totally unprepared with your tourney life on the line. Unbelievable. Better get their act together pronto.

A$$wipes 84 Nebraska 71

Maybe they can work some kind of adoption/NIL combo magic for good portal players?

MSU 70 NU 64 3

Sure, from a player's point-of-view, if they don't call it, you keep doing it. But, that doesn't mean it's legal. It is still traveling. Just because the stooges can't do their job properly, doesn't mean it shouldn't be questioned. And it is most certainly NOT called consistently - if it was, there would be no more traveling at all (see below). The euro-step is different. It looks awkward as hell. First time I saw it (and many times after), I thought that has to be traveling. But, the euro-step, at least, is basically the same as a straight-line (relatively speaking) layup in that it is a continuous motion (you get 2 steps after picking up the ball from the dribble) before releasing the ball toward the hoop. The second step is just at an extreme angle to the initial direction of motion. The long step and release of the pivot foot after stopping or pivoting on said foot is not a continuous motion like a typical layup. There is a break in the movement into the shooting (or passing) action to establish the pivot foot after dribbling. So, ask yourself the following: if a player establishes a pivot foot without previously dribbling (e.g., has just received a pass) at the top of the key, for instance, and then drags or picks up that planted foot before dribbling, passing or shooting, is that traveling? Of course it is and it will be called traveling 99% of the time (unless it's in the NBA when we occasionally see the replays of some clown getting 15 feet closer to the basket by changing his pivot foot multiple times). The same thing applies if the player picks up the dribble and establishes a pivot foot prior to passing or shooting. Why should the call change just because the player is within 5 feet of the basket? These steps around or away from the defender to get a shot up (after stopping and pivoting) are the exact same situation. It is traveling and it should not be allowed. If they continue to allow it around the basket, then why shouldn't a player be allowed to change their pivot foot at any time at any location on the court? And for sure, my complaining won't make a damn bit of difference and I won't stop watching games, but I will continue to cringe every time it happens and I will continue to call it out for the BS that it is. I'm not trying to be a jackwagon toward you and I understand things change, but the current state of this particular 'interpretation' is simply wrong and not applied consistently. It's just a blatantly farcical and situationally-dependent butchering of one of the most basic concepts/rules of the game and those that have allowed it and continue to allow it should be ridiculed.

I contend that the pivot and step through move prevalent in the women's game the last couple of years is textbook traveling, but everybody is doing it now and it is not called. I've even seen it a couple of times in men's games. Once the pivot foot has been established and you hold the ball and spin this way and that, you can't lift that pivot foot unless jumping with both feet. When the long step is taken to get around the defender and the pivot foot is lifted with the ball still in the hand, you've essentially established a new pivot foot without dribbling. It's no different than shuffling the feet after a pivot foot is established. Basically impossible to defend and should be eliminated from the game. Some may argue it's like the euro-step, but it's not.

So true. I do think Minnesota actually has a decent group of freshmen. Especially Payne. Thought he looked pretty good after the first game and this game didn't change my opinion. He could be a pain in the coming years. No idea if Johnson is the guy to keep those guys there and mesh the pieces together.

When he was shooting FTs late in the game, the announcers were talking about him not wanting to drink any water. Did anyone else hear that and what the heck is that all about?