HuskerBB

Brice and CJ both struggling - has CJ even take a shot yet?

Bad matchup for Eli to cover the big guy - especially when he is able to take 6 steps without dribbling

Unusual lineup right now - no PG

Don't like when we sit Keisei and Brice at the same time. Got away with it the last couple times because CJ went off during those times. Need that to happen again I guess.

Figured this was going to be a long day as soon as I saw DJ Carstenson's shiny head.

Good point and contrast it with a couple years ago when I can remember Bryce McGowens standing still waiting for a ball rolling towards him from 5 feet away while opposing team players from 15 feet away came and got it first. That is why - regardless of record - this years team (and last years as well) are so much more fun to watch than the teams Fred had his first couple years. Without disagreeing with your reference to Denim Dawson (who did always play very hard) I credit it more to the attitude that we got when Emmanuel Bandoumel and Juwan Gary joined the team. Those two were "effort" leaders from the beginning and I think Juwan very much still plays that leadership role with this team, both on the floor and in the locker room. One thing I noticed last night is that well after most everyoone else had left the floor and Keisei was waiting for the TV interview Juwan came all the way out to half court to give him 5 and tell him good game. Showed to me that Juwan is great in that leadership role. Related to that another thing I noticed was the late in the game after Keisei got really gassed and came of the game. Usually whenever a player comes out they go all the way to the end of the bench slapping hands with the whole team. When Keisei came out that time the guys at the end motioned to him to just sit down because you could see he was really tired. But then after he was sitting and the game continued first CJ Wilcher and then Reink Mast made a point of getting up and walking down to where Keisei was sitting near the scorers table to slap his hand and say "good job" (or something to that efffect). Evidence to me of a team that enjoys playing with each other. I also saw a moment early in the 2nd half game where Keisei and Brice had a moment together like that on the court. I always thought the posts early in the year about conflicts between Brice and Keisei were overblown. Both of them play with a scoreers mentality so they are always looking for their shot first - but I don't think there is any significant animosity or jealousy between them and I think they both know that having the other one on the team only serves to open up opportunities for themselves because the defence has to share the focus.

Was right in front of my and I thought it was a flop immediately. Of course I am biased :). Was not as bad as the floppy guy we played against a few games ago (can't remember which team off the top of my head) but for whatever reason refs seem to be letting players get away with those flops again after purportedly being a "point of emphasis" to stop previously.

That exchange was right in front of me. Really odd for a ref to talk to a fan that long - but I don't think it ever got "heated". Made me wonder if they knew each other. I do think the fan was questioning the calls (Oglesby was awful last night - made several really bad calls including the one right before that timeout) and Ogleby was defending himself - but they both had smiles on their faces during most of the conversation.

Pretty sure Lloyd was not at the game tonight. Is he officially off the team?

This is a game we easily could have lost. North Dakota came in and gave us a good shot. They played hard and played well and I actually think they will do well this year. #4 and #20 could play for anybody IMO. Taking that shot and having to battle back to get the win despite not having Mast will do us more good in the long run than a blowout win would have done. Loved the scoring boost we got from CJ and having 6 guys in double figures. Rebounding was a big issue in the first half and we did get after the boards much better once we got some momentum in the 2nd half. Teams do lose these kinds of games - even good teams - so getting the W is enough for me tonight.

What I saw was surgery - but likely just a scope as projection was just out 2-3 weeks. So should be back by mid-January.

I get that - but it is a bad rule at least as applied. The goaltending call itself creates a dead ball "break in the action". If you are going to review it then review it right then. Otherwise it is going to effect other things that happen in the game in the meantime. Certainly did last night. If you have a questionable goaltending call with 3 minutes left in the game and the game plays out the rest of the way without a "breack in the action" and ends up being a 1 point game do you look at that call after the game and then reverse who wins? I understand that is unlikely - but theoretically at least that would be a result of this "rule".

Great win - and a much needed one tonight. Mast was completely different player tonight from Wednesday. MSU bigs are not as physical as the Minnesota ones were - but Reink really had a nice game. For the most part we let the game come to us tonight which was different from Minnesota where players seemed to be forcing things too much. Particularly Brice who did not score in the 1st half but made some huge plays in the 2nd half. The 3 he hit to give us the lead with 2 minutes left was probably the biggest shot of the night - and obviously made some clutch free throws at the end. I for one think this team is fun to watch. They play very hard on D and play together well. I get that the goaltending call was a bad call - but I don't think it is fair to reverse it 3 minutes later. Particularly when the other ref made a very obvious make-up call on the very next play that I don't think there is any way he calls if the goaltending call had not been made. Izzo really got in the ref's heads a couple of times tonight and was very effective at getting calls as a result. If you are going to review that call do it right away - too much stuff happens in 3 minutes of play before you go back to it. I was out of town for the Creighton game and did not go to Minnesota - so I have seen us play live 8 times this year and we have won all 8. Anyone want to buy me a ticket to the game in Manhattan? :)

Our big guys are just getting dominated around the basket. A real welcome to the Big 10 and Power 5 basketball for Mast and Allick.

Why do you call that now when you have not called it the entire game?

Everytime he tries to move or make a cut they grab him. Hard to get open that way.

How do you intentionally grab someone without closing your hand?

Very nice win. Duquesne was as physical a team as you are ever going to face - at least in the way they played with hand checks and shoves all over the floor. Good that we did not back down and stayed disciplined. Plus as noted when a team plays like that you are going to eventually shoot a lot of free throws and you need to make them - which we did very well tonight. I thought our players showed a lot of character in dealing with that from an opponent. Crowd was very good as well. Don't think I have ever seen a player flop as obviously as the kid (Grant I think) from Duquesne. If he got breathed on he went into convulsions on the floor. Worked the first two times though. The one with about a minute to go in the game was really ridiculous - but that time he waited too long to fall down and the refs were not even looking at him anymore I guess. Did they change the rule where you could get a technical foul for flopping? Certainly have never seen anyone deserve one more than that kid tonight.

Face value was high - quite a bit higher than I remembered them being the last time we played there. $48 on the ends and $77 on the side court I think for most of them. But yes I am going also.

I think that this is a very good Rider team that we have caught on an off night (and we have gotten some breaks by putting them in foul trouble). I am just hoping we hang on.

I agree on Coleman completely. But I have seen Brice do some good things without the ball.

Do not like the way things are going. Felt like we were lucky to be up 9 at half and we don't seem to come out with much intensity and purpose in the 2nd half.

Agree. Let the game come to you - don't force things like it seems like everyone wants to do tonight.

You may be right Norm - in fact I am sure that is at least part of it. That said, I also think Emmanuel Bandoumel and Juwan Gary came here with a way better work ethic than other players we have had recently - especially than the players we had the season or two before.

Had not seen those numbers. This post makes me more optimistic about this season than anything I have read on here.