HB

I didn't think Yori like to redshirt players, Whats up. She doesn't, but that doesn't mean she never would. Very rare, but possible. My guess is Kalenta's development has put a redshirt of Washington on the table. If she isn't in line for many minutes, it might be a good decision.

Norm, I sense a Sheldon Jeter like obsession coming on....

NU 77 NKU 58

As much as I like Leslee, we're better off in the long run if we have his scholarship for next year. Wow. With all due respect, I completely disagree with you, ajb, shortdust and whoever else shares this sentiment. The only way I could maybe understand this thinking is if you are convinced that Leslee is just injury plagued and will never be able to play more than spot minutes and be less than 100% while doing it. But if he could come back healthy by next season and play a full season, I would take him in a heartbeat and count our blessings. If Leslee came back, he would only be here for next year. He is not eating a scholarship for 4 years or anything like that. Just next year, which he would be playing and contributing. Unless something completely unexpected happens in the spring signing period, NU is going to be in the same, or possibly worse, situation in regards to lack of big men next year. Miles did not sign a big man in this class (and no, I do not consider Morrow a big man; especially not in the B1G as a freshman). NU will lose Moses and Leslee and it not bringing in anyone to replace them. I have already seen enough of Hammond to know that he probably is not going to be force down low for a while, if ever. Leslee has proven he can be an decent, if not solid, big man. Why would any fan of NU not want him for a full season next year, when we could make a serious run at the sweet 16? Lets put it another way. If Leslee were healthy this year, he would easily be in the top 6 or 7 IMO (I think he is better than Rivers, he just can't start b/c Miles needs to switch between Pitchford and Leslee). Why would we not want one of our top 7 players back? If anyone thinks all these freshman are going to walk in and just start dominating, you need to reconsider. Think about Tai and how he struggled last year. Look at Tarin Smith this year. Fuller? I know that the new guys are more highly ranked (although not more highly than Tai according to some), but that doesn't mean they are physically ready for the B1G, or that they can master Miles' defensive scheme quickly, etc. Besides, NONE of them are centers. Unless Miles magically and remarkably pulls a rabbit out of his had and lands a top-notch juco big man in the spring, I would much rather have Leslee return and be our backup center all year next year, hands down. If Miles has a 5 star wing that also wants to sign in the spring, then he can sign him and room will make itself available like it always does due to attrition. I think you make a lot of good points. However, I don't think Leslie was ever going to "come back healthy", even before this knee injury. Those knees are chronic, would limit his minutes and productivity, and the "if he were healthy" assumptions were always going to be relative.

Good thoughts, Silverback. A shout out to CWG's late father, who was an exemplary veteran if there ever was one.

Coach Miles said last night on his radio show that Shavon is fine, and had a great practice Tuesday. Went full speed.

As to Norm's initial post on this thread: I appreciate the clarification in Norm's later post distinguishing between the luck involved in having Kiera Hardy slip through the recruiting cracks and be waiting for her (Connie still had to agree to sign her in November--she questioned it, but went ahead and took her; she didn't play until Yori's second season), and a Griffin/Hooper. Anyway, naming that many prospects suggest a Miles-like eye for talent and good selection of players who can play in a system. Yeah, it was lucky that Kelsey was from Alaska, just as Danny was lucky Piatkowski was a white kid from Rapid City. Or they would have been more highly recruited. I would suggest that finding players such as Griffin, Moore and Theriot involves way more than luck. Consistently finding players who are better than the ranking services involves coaching/recruiting skill and talent. Plus player development. I would argue Jess Shepherd is more of a luck example than Moore or Theriot. If she isn't from Nebraska we aren't on the radar. That is luck. But consistently finding players like Moore and Theriot is way more than luck. No way a coach is just getting lucky when these players turn out to be very good. Add Danielle Page to your list and call that luck too, I guess. Typically the luck balances out (other than having a Shepherd-like top 5 national recruit in your backyard). Her best recruit from the Juco team in Kansas from which Connie signed 4 players, the Aussie McClain, gets pregnant and we never see her. Jelena Spiric blows out her knee and is never the same. Katie Morse goes down or we win several more games in '02-'03, Amanda Cleveland gets sick (Sanderford recruit). Heather Kephart gets a career ending injury and can't ever play, and we don't have a shooter besides Hardy for a couple of years. . And Norm, we will always disagree on Hooper. I think there were a lot of people who thought she had the potential to be a Griffin-type player. And most avid women's hoops followers thought she would be considerably better than "maybe becoming a starter by her junior or senior year". She was way more highly regarded than that coming out of high school.

Re Sanderford: It was obviously over toward the end. The wheels were off, and the future was bleak. No players left, due to recruiting issues and the transfers mentioned by Norm. The best assistants had left. As Connie found out, the cupboard was bare. After several years on the job,, it is difficult to have to start over and rebuild. Paul was out of time. If he had not resigned, he would have been fired. Could it have been different? One would think. Sanderford was left with decent talent from Beck. We did well early. We had Jeff Walz on staff, who now has had a national runner-up team as HC at Louisville. Michelle Gibson. WE were an eyelash from getting Kendra Wecker. If we get her and Robinette pans out, who knows. But ultimately, it wasn't to be. Good guy; knew his hoops. Interesting that his record of success in the early years of women's basketball wasn't duplicated here.

This is kinda like having Christmas lights etc. out before halloween. Intesrting that he doesn't have either Rutgers or PSU in the mix. Or maybe having Christmas decorations out before the 4th of July. To each his own (and Row 6, you are just the messenger and this is not directed at you), but bracketology before one game is played is an utter waste of time, and one of the more absurd things I have ever seen. As you know, even predicting where a team might end up before the season starts is a crap shoot from year to year (See, Husker men's basketball predictions last year), but to try to pick opponents and locations in the tournament takes it to a new level.

FWIW, fan and media expectations favored Fuller as the better prospect, but the coaches were higher on Hawkins when they both came in. Hawk was more versatile and could play small easier than Fuller. Tough to see the floor as a wing right now with Petteway and Shields. Hopefully increased strength will allow Fuller to see some time at the stretch 4 (Shavon has played there, so Fuller is big enough). He will need to defend and rebound to see lots of minutes; not just stroke the outside shot. That surprises me. Hawk was shorter than Fuller, not especially athletic, and not as good of a shooter as Fuller. With his average quickness, I don't see him being able to guard the perimeter any better than Fuller and his length would have been a disadvantage guarding wings. Fuller's length would give him an advantage on defense over Hawkins and his shooting ability would give him an advantage on offense. Hawkins would be buried on the depth chart if he hadn't left. I think he made the right decision. And Fuller made the right decision to redshirt, IMO. At the time (November 2013) the coaches disagreed with your assessment

FWIW, fan and media expectations favored Fuller as the better prospect, but the coaches were higher on Hawkins when they both came in. Hawk was more versatile and could play small easier than Fuller. Tough to see the floor as a wing right now with Petteway and Shields. Hopefully increased strength will allow Fuller to see some time at the stretch 4 (Shavon has played there, so Fuller is big enough). He will need to defend and rebound to see lots of minutes; not just stroke the outside shot.

Somewhere Kidney is rejoicing.

She didn't say, and Matt didn't ask any specifics. She just called it an injury. But she was clear it would be weeks rather than days before she returned. Perhaps Row 6 can find out the exact nature of the problem requiring her to be in a boot.

Plus someone else will be out Sunday with a broken nose. I missed who it was; it was a post player. Surgery today, but she will be back soon per Connie.

Not good news from Coach Yori on her radio show tonight. She didn't describe the injury, but she said Chandler has been out for a couple of weeks, and "we hope to get her back in a few weeks". So it doesn't look like a short term deal. Too bad, as Connie said she was playing better than any of the newcomers before she got hurt.

Hard to articulate it better than Royal does here. Although for the record, I had no trouble continuing to drink beer after the Wisconsin game, despite being spent.

Wish those attending (which didn't include me) could have seen Chandler Smith play; I hope she doesn't miss extended time. From what I heard she was in a position to get substantial minutes. Gives us some more size at the guard position.

Good thing Standhardinger came along to make it real for you, Cip.

Glad to have you here, Jimmy. Come around more often. And start going to the games. Cheaper, good basketball, and you would bring the average age down, if you can believe that.

OK, I want you guys to think back to David Rivers' freshman season and what you saw on the floor from him throughout that season (what little you saw of him throughout that season) and ask yourselves this question: If you would have had to guess the future in March of 2012, would you have guessed that, three years later, he would more likely ... 1) have transferred to a Div II school "to be closer to home"; or 2) BE THE STARTING POWER FORWARD ON A TOP 25 BASKETBALL TEAM!!!? Be honest. Easy. I thought #1. Very glad to be wrong. I thought no way this guy can be a decent contributor at this level. I figured he was way too small to play inside, and not skilled enough to play the wing. His ball skills as a freshman were quite bad. Miles pointed that out to David and his dad in the meeting to discuss his future. Through hard work, increased strength, a good attitude (note his reaction to getting benched last year; he pointed the thumb not the finger), and coaching to utilize his strengths and avoid his weaknesses, David has helped this team.

Very funny, Norm. Hope you can tell if anyone misses the tag. I hope to get there. A couple of complications may prevent it.

I believe the tweet says reserves not newcomers. It may just be a matter of semantics but there is a difference. It is not likely the first part of the scrimmage would be played with just the 5 starters so it is very possible that some newcomers would be in that first group. Though it is unlikely due to his lack of eligibility this season that White would not be playing with the reserves. From the LJS: http://journalstar.com/sports/huskers/life-in-the-red/huskers-win-secret-scrimmage/article_b8e18ffa-5d74-11e4-a59c-5bfd113b2924.html Interesting article. Reading between the lines, it sounds like Moses is struggling at the moment.

Watched him play, Jimmy. Certainly does date me. Good choice.

There have been some good articles recently. Perhaps someone can link today's OWH photos from the red-white series game played in Halloween costumes. At first in thought that was pretty ridiculous, but after seeing the photos and article, it sounds like a lot of fun and that the players and coaches all bought in. Great effort and originality. Headley's Bo Pelini impersonation was classic. Sounds like a big battle for infield playing time with Edrington back and Schleppenbach here. I continue to like what Ersty is doing with the program.

I'm actually in SF this week and it's nuts. Was in a hotel lobby at about 5:10 (had actually forgotten about the game starting early out here) and the place erupted. I'm thinking "that can't be good"' and sure 'nuff. I cheered for the Royals none the less and got some looks. If there are any other Royals fans in this town I haven't seen them. Hoping for a rebound in game 2 so I can represent.