NUtball

Ditch Weasels 61 Nebraska 56

This team is simply pathetic.

Defense obviously wasn't great, but they were unconscious shooting the ball, which I don't think would have been expected. Case in point: Did Sideshow Dug miss a single shot until the last minute?

Krull got shoved to the ground by Rainy and as Krull was sitting on her backside with a look of surprise/confusion on her face, while I'm no lipreader, she looked up at Rainy and basically said "WTH was that for?"

Ann Arbor A-holes 68 Nebraska 60 4

They'd be insane not to.

Can't comment on Miller because I have not seen her play. The problem with Clark and Brown is their constant whining. Yes, they push the limit because they are very good and they know they will get away with more than the average player. They're the kind of player opponent's fan bases despise (but would love to have on their team) and they know it so they play to that before, during and after the game. They're good enough to back it up most of the time. Their whining, however, is over the top. Watch both of them closely. Every time they lose the ball they're whining for a foul. Every time they miss a shot it's immediate crying to the zebras for a foul. Every time they drive to the basket they're whining for an and-1. Clark, especially, pushes off with her off arm every time she goes to the hoop, but she's very crafty about it. She knows because she is the league's star, she will only get called for it 1 in a 100 times. Yet, she whines and pouts like a 3-year-old when a phantom call isn't made in her favor. Act like you've been there before, which they both have and will continue to be. Accept the preferential treatment you already get and just play the game with the exceptional talent you've been given.

Eons ago when playing JV ball in high school, we had the same 2 local officials for every game. They were not good officials to begin with, but I swear to this day that they purposely overcompensated to 'prove' they weren't favoring the home team. We never got the 50/50 calls and always had a number of WTF calls go against us. It was like seeing that dick with ears, bald Lurch decked out in the zebra suit for Husker games. We called it the 'Home Court Disadvantage.'

Congrats to Alexis. To be grouped with those others listed is pretty remarkable. Her offensive output may not be where most of us would like it to be, but I think that's mostly just a result of the offensive system Nebraska runs. ~13 ppg is not bad, but when the 3's aren't falling, more effort should be made to get her the ball for scoring opportunities. I think her defense and rebounding has improved quite a bit this year from last year. Hopefully she can continue to make marked improvement the rest of her time at NU.

Not disagreeing with you at all, but I think simply having even marginally competent officials would be helpful.

Well, that was certainly...interesting. In the heat of the moment, I was completely disgusted with the second half collapse, but after some thought, I had to accept that Nebraska is a middling B1G team that, as longtimefan rightly states, doesn't play smart. Nebraska and MSU are, as their records going into the game indicate, basically the same. So, what might have been expected as a close, back-and-forth game, just unfolded in a completely different manner (each team having a dominant half) to get to the same point, a close ending. As many have stated, the turnovers are simply inexplicable and unacceptable at this level. Lazy passes, not moving to receive the ball, 25-foot passes through 3 or 4 defenders, hotdog behind-the-back passes to blow an easy scoring opportunity, etc. Seemed like the last couple of years the team had gotten away from these ridiculous tendencies that have haunted them for years, but now they are back in full force. Something hasn't seemed right with Shelley for several games. She obviously does a lot of positive things but, my goodness, she also makes some of the most boneheaded, 6th-grade-level decisions to offset whatever the positives were. She seems to be locked in for a couple of minutes and then completely disinterested for the next couple of minutes. Officially credited with 6 turnovers (sure seemed like more) and could have easily been 12-15 with the horrible passes she made. I think Williams is a decent coach but don't see Nebraska ever being a top team in the conference unless some exceptional/transformational talent falls into her lap. They'll be competitive and pull an upset here or there but never get over the proverbial hump. There's a body of work now that indicates a middle-of-the-pack team that can't seem to achieve any consistent, sustained player development.

PSU 68 NU 58

Illinoise 80 Nebraska 62

Turtles 73 Nebraska 58

There's a big difference between being negative and being realistic. After the Rutgers debacle, I looked at the schedule and was thinking it could be difficult to finish 0.500 overall. I figured at best 2-2 in the games completed since then which has played out. Lot of tough games left. As of now, I see probable beatdowns by Iowa (2) & Michigan; probable losses to Illinois (2); probable split (hope for a sweep) with NW (best case in these 7 is 3-4, but I just don't see that happening - more than likely will be 2-5 or 1-6). MSU almost beat Iowa a few days ago and I agree with you on the Goophers, so again maybe a split in those 2. So, either 3-6 or 2-7 to finish 15-14 or 14-15, respectively. Probably have to win a couple of B1G tourney games to see any further postseason action. Now, if they can start making 3-pointers again, they can beat anybody, but the recent trend of horrendous shooting doesn't bode well for that scenario. I think the Rutgers crapshow broke them.

NU 62 directional NU 71

I think I've moved up one position each of the last 3 or 4 updates. As in years past, if the season lasts another 11 or 12 months, I'll be in the top 10!

I've been thinking about this for quite awhile. It's not that Nebraska's guards are bad players, they are just physically at a disadvantage across the board against most of the conference competition. 2-3 inches shorter also usually translates to shorter wingspan and makes it quite difficult for them to do what they need to do on the court on both ends, but especially when they face a little defensive pressure. I think the focus of recruiting guards needs to look more at the 5'11" to 6'1" type of player.

Free throws. Free throws. Free throws. Breidenbach cannot be allowed to shoot another 3 the rest of the year. Total momentum killer. Just a wasted possession. Sideshow Bob off the bench canning his 2 3's didn't help. Both and-1's for Funk in the 1st half and the and-1 foul on Tominaga late in the game were absolute, unfiltered horseshit. Great effort again after terrible start and losing Bandoumel. These guys battle til the end - they just can't shoot.

Not surprising. She certainly is a generational talent, but at the same time, she is a complete jackwagon on the court. Has been from day 1.

State Pen 67 Nebraska 60 14

I'm absolutely gobsmacked that it was Dick with Ears standing 5 feet from the play, staring right at the players involved, who failed to blow the whistle. Not really.

I had about 50/50 odds that The Three Stooges would not overturn the call even though the video evidence was airtight.

I remember that one. I was screaming at the TV. I think Dawson hustled down the floor and made a good defensive play, so kudos to him.

Thank you for bringing this up. Every high ball screen he sets should be called a foul. He usually doesn't move his feet or stick his leg or hip out, but his upper body/shoulder leans into the moving defender EVERY time.