HuskerBB

Hoped for a closer score but I would have been shocked it we had won this game. We needed Michigan State to have a really off shooting night while we shot well and neither happened. MSU is obviously very well coached and they pass extremely well which exposes the aggressive switching defense that we play. I love our defensive effort this year but if the opponent is adept at making the extra pass and finding the open perimeter shooter they are going to get open looks eventually - and if they knock down those open looks we are going to have problems. It is a gamble that pays off against alot of teams - but we are going to have nights where it doesn't work. We also really struggled shooting which obviously is an area where we have been at best inconsistent. We needed CJ and Kesei to find open shots and make them - and the opposite happened. We also need to find our touch at the free throw line - again the opposite happened tonight. Not sure what has happened to Walker at the line. Last year he was actually a good free throw shooter. This season he has struggled a bit all year and was obviously horrible tonight. I have always viewed conference road games against quality teams as "no lose" situations - just a chance to pick up an unexpected win if things went really well. The key is defending your home floor and just trying to pick up a road win when you have a chance. Should have at least a better chance of that Saturday if we keep our heads up. Either way main thing is holding serve at home.

Yes CJ has really struggled on both ends tonight.

Great hustle play by Sam to dive for that loose ball 10 feet away. Illustrates what I have kept saying - remember last year watching Bryce just stand there when a loose ball was on the floor right in front of him.

Really like the way we have come out battling in the second half. This team has holes - but they don't lack for heart and grit.

I have said this before - but it is amazing how much different this team is from what we had to watch the last couple of years. Just a completely different level of effort. So much fun to watch ! If we can find a way to keep getting this level of effort from the role players - and mix in high talent players who we can then get to play with them and have that effort lever rub off. I actually think if Bryce McGowen had played with Bandoumel and Gary they would have made him play hard just by example.

Which of those 3 refs was Larry Scirotto? The bald guy or the one that made the call on CJ from the baseline at the end?

I think we are seeing this year what impact a player like Emmanuel Bandoumel has on the team "culture" if you want to call it that. I can't remember seeing a kid work as hard on the defensive end as he did last Saturday - and has done all year. Really wish we would have him for another year (or more). Also wonder what last year might have been like with a player like that on the team. Effort can be contagious - and I think he might have been a leader that demanded more effort out of Bryce and more team-oriented play out of Alonzo. We will never know obviously - but I think ultimately that is what you need the abiliity to pair that high level talent with maximum effort and team play.

I think that would be a bit of an overstatement Norm - the Shavon Shields & Teran Petttaway team that made the NCAA tournament was playing at a really high level at the tail end of that regular season. That team took a really good shot from a final four level Wisconsin team on no-sit Sunday and beat them. But other than that stretch I would not dispute your comment. Perhaps one key difference is Pettaway really had a knack for making that really big shot each game to really ignite the crowd and demoralize the opponent. This team seems to be able to get in a position to make that shot - but no one seems to be able to knock it down (save for KT's 3 pointer at the end of regulation today). In response to other comments I think unless we fall apart after the first of the year Fred certainly has done enough to stay. But I am one that REALLY hates this pattern of starting over every 4-5 years. We will have to rebuild again next year losing Walker, Greisel and Bandoumel - but hopefully those three have started a culture that can succeed. I think Fred's stint in the NBA made him think he needed to have NBA calibar players to win in college - but this team may be reminding him that to win in college he has to have guys willing to play defense and rebound.

These things times 10. It is amazing how night and day different this team is from the group we had last year. So much more fun to watch and really appreciate how hard they play. #3 from Purdue is going to have nightmares about Emanuel Bandoumel for the next 6 months. Edey just changes the game SO much. You have to help off so much that it takes incredible rotation hustle on D (which we did a great job of doing - but it still creates lots of open looks for their shooters. Just the opposite on the other end because he is such a presence in the land and alters every shot within 10 feet. I think you could expose this Purdue team on perimeter D except they don't have to worry about getting beat with Edey waiting at the basket. We really battled today. Disappointing to not get the W out of it - particularly given the chances that we had and the ridiculous phantom foul call at the end. But good part is the place was rocking and this team is so much fun to watch it makes the games enjoyable.

Yes. But Purdue is really good. Indiana is better than Creighton - but Purdue is better than Indiana.

I don't think Trey Galloway makes a jump back 3 point shot after dribbling behind his back even in his dreams.

If I never see Wilhelm take another running left-handed shot of the dribble it will still be too many.

That time Wilhelm actually drew a charge and they did not call it.

Should have been a flop on Wilhelm

Jackson-Davis is really good. He will play a long time in the NBA.

Early struggles by Walker show how good and athletic Indiana's big guy is. First drive he just let Walker go by knowing he could block the shot in the end. Derrick has to adjust and really keep the ball away from their shot blockers

I can't see other teams defending us the way Creighton did - particularly not after yesterday. I would expect that if we try to isolate Greisel and let him back in other teams will help off the perimeter on either Sam or Derrick and not let them just play a 2 on 2 game. That will force us to kick it out - and that is when we will have to make the 3's that should result. I would also expect other teams to pressure the ballhandler alot more and make it much more difficult to get us into those isolation plays. But certainly agree also that is our best strategy when available and it is a thing of beauty when we can get Sam and Derrick 2 on 2 around the basket.

I think it may be some "addition by subtraction" but not from the coaching staff. When your most talented player who has to be on the floor plays with very little effort when the ball is not in his hands - particularly disdaining any semblance of defense - then I think that lack of effort can be contagious. I don't mean to be too hard on Bryce - but after attending the game today and watching it off my DVR right now I am struck by how this group - particularly Juwan Gary plays with very little flash but does the "effort" things like defense and rebounding very well. Bryce was really fun to watch when showing off his talent but absolutely maddening to watch at other times. Juwan Gary is not likely to ever be on an NBA floor - but he is fun to watch play all the time. Walker and Sam were obviously key today - but we don't win this game without the effort Gary put in either.

Just got back from that game. Wasn't going to go this year but had somebody offer me a ticket a couple days ago so went with very low expectations. This team is easy to like - they play hard D and unlike the teams we have had the last few years they actually go after rebounds and block out. It seemed like Creighton did not scout us at all (maybe they didn't because they are just coming off a really hard stretch in their schedule too). We have struggled with teams that pressure the ball - particularly full court. Creighton did not do that at all until it was too late. If teams put a small guard on Griesel and let him and Walker play a two man game we are going to give anyone trouble. Creighton lives and dies by the 3 pt shot - and today they DIED by it!!!! Go Big Reg !!

I just saw the second half of this game - which is sounds like is a good thing. I am hopeful it is an indication that we are learning how to play with Walker and improvement in that aspect will continue. Another good thing is we overcame a really off performance by Emmanuel who has easily been our most consistent player to this point. If he had been playing like he did the other night this really would have been a blowout I think. Hopefull gives us some positive momentum going into the Boston College game which is an important one to win.

We really can't afford to have Walker off the floor. I like Keita better than Wilhelm - but Wilhelm is now getting his minutes mostly at the 4 position. If we play the 5 out offense there really is no place for Keita to play.

Lack of quickness on the perimeter is a real problem. Sam just not holding up well. How many times did they force us to have Walker or Gary bring the ball up the court? Great effort by Derrick - but you could see the rust and lack of experience playing with these guys in the 9 turnovers. I think these last 2 games would have been very different if Walker had been playing the last few weeks (like he should have been IMO).

Memphis gameplan is clearly to harass Greisel all over the court. Teams have realized our offense does not handle pressure defense well.

Complain about CJ's lack of quickness but Wilhelm is just absolutely the opposite of quick.