Norm Peterson

I don't think it's all that unusual for them to not give explanations. They said it was an unspecified violation of team rules. Last year, Walker was out about six games. Did they ever say why?

He's a pretty good shooter.

I don't think the two concepts are mutually exclusive. Last year, for example, when Griesel was on the floor, he was our primary ballhandler. His job was to bring the ball up the floor after change of possession, and then it's his call where to make that first pass to initiate the offense. Or maybe just attack the rim. After he passes it off, though, it's not like he cuts to the corner like one of our designated shooters. He typically remains out high near the top of the key or ball-side wing to get a return pass. I don't have the data, but the eye-test tells me any possession longer than 2-3 passes, the ball would typically come back to him and touch his hands more than anyone else's. Eye test also tells me our offense clicked better with him on the floor. So, to me, the primary ballhandler is the guy who's going to be making most of the decisions about where the ball is going. It might not stay in his hands long, but it's going to touch his hands more than anyone else's. And he, therefore, needs to be someone who makes good decisions. And sticks with the program rather than the iso, freelance, hero ball stuff we'd seen years prior. Does that make sense?

He was very effective for the players he had in that era. His style of coaching would most definitely not go over today. You remember Rutgers firing a coach because he once threw a basketball at a player? For Knight, that would have been like a typical Tuesday. They just don't make 'em like that anymore. Love him or hate him, he was interesting. RIP to one of the most entertaining ball coaches of all time.

I guess what I'm concerned about (and I can't speak for anyone else) is that we just need a guy who runs our sh!t. Last year, we had a PG who got everyone moving in the same direction (figuratively, not literally). On the same page, if you will. The ball didn't stop in his hands. It kept moving. Unless a situation developed later in the clock where he had a mismatch on a smaller guard and could back him down to post him up. But, other than that, we'd keep the ball moving, we'd get the defense shifting from side to side or high to low with our action, and fairly quickly, we'd get an open look. At times, it broke down. There were a few "hero ball" occasions last year and they didn't typically go real well. But a lot fewer of those last year than in years 1-3. And I don't want to see us revert back. Those were dark days. So, anyway, that's what I want. I want a primary ballhandler who's committed to running our sh!t.

Unfortunately, I think Blaise is kind of a Chris Balham situation where he'll never get back to the level of athletic performance (due to injury/medical condition) that led us to recruit him.

Kevin Sweeney, national hoops pundit on Twitter who went to Northwestern, has us among his expected worst 10 teams against the spread compared to our Kenpom rating. So, he thinks Kenpom has us listed a lot higher than we should be.

Apropos of nothing in particular, Grant McCasland's Texas Tech Red Raiders open at #43 in Kenpom, which is about 20 spots ahead of where T-Tech finished last season under their previous coach.

No shit. That was my question. LOL

After trying to get her drunk at The Venue.

That’s got to be at least a couple games suspension for Tomlin. 10 1/2 points and six rebounds per game last year out of their lineup hopefully for their game against us? normally, I want to face opponents when they’re at full strength. But we’ve been the ones shorthanded so many times over the last several years, I’m more than happy to take the benefit this time.

https://www.wibw.com/2023/10/29/reports-k-state-basketballs-naeqwan-tomlin-arrested-fighting-sports-bar/?outputType=amp

Add my name to the list of people saying Sam H will play and have a role this year. He just has that little je ne sais quoi where he adds value beyond what you'd expect from a little guard. He has a steadying hand. It's like he's protection against entropy. When he's on the floor, he's going to be doing the right things. At the right times. In the right spots. And that makes it more difficult for the rest of the cats to scatter. And when you want everyone on the same page (or, as Greg McDermott might say, "on the ...") having him out there helps. Also, #4 is a point very well taken. You count on the early season cupcakes to help you work out the kinks without risking getting boatraced by St. Johns, for example. This year we had a schedule that set up very nicely for that purpose and having half the team out for one reason or another kind of impedes that whole gelling thing. Wish I hadn't seen the still photos of Keisei's injury. He came back out not on crutches and didn't have it wrapped and iced and I was thinking he'll walk it off. All I can say is it's a good thing he's young.

I'll be honest. I kinda like this guy. Wish he had 3 years to play.

Next time you attend practice, I get to be your plus 1. I called it.

Sorry if this hijacks the thread, but we should also predict who starts. Cuz, I mean, it's not obvious whether Matar gets the start by default or whether they go 5 out.

So, no Rienk, no Josiah, no Juwan, no Blaise. Well, I guess that leaves Matar, then. Good thing Henry Burt grew 4 inches in the off-season.

Lay the Tigers and take the points. Got it.

Damn the Creighton fans are more worried about losing this one this year than I imagined. But, I mean, even for them this is extreme.

Hendricks is really good with cucumber tonic water.

I did.

Yo, if we're not undefeated going into the Creighton game, imma be pissed. There's no one on our schedule before we face them that we shouldn't beat. And, if we're still undefeated AFTER that game, we probably should be at least getting votes.

That would be former Kearney St and Utah Jazz guard Bart Kofoed.

I like the way you think.