Swan88

Here is a quote from the article linked above: "Akenten averaged 14.8 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.0 assist. He shot .492 from the field, .459 (68 of 148) from 3-point range and .640 from the free-throw line." And here is another: "From a statistical standpoint, there were some players in this area who averaged more points and more rebounds – many more statewide. But Akenten, as Brost said, averaged 15 points and it easily could have been 25. Instead of being concerned with his own statistics, he did everything in his power to ensure the Raiders were the best they could be."

So . . . we now know that Andrew White III left Nebraska for a one-and-done win in the NIT. In looking at his stats from last year and this year, here is one big difference: 29.7 minutes per game at Nebraska and 37.2 minutes per game at Syracuse. It looks like he played 40 minutes this year in nearly every game that mattered. Apparently you can do that in a zone defense where you stick around a small area almost exclusively. But with an extra 7.5 minutes per game, his average points are: 16.6 points per game at Nebraska and 18.8 points per game at Syracuse. He shot a higher percentage at Nebraska (.481 from the floor and .412 from three) than at Syracuse (.441 from the floor and .403 from three). He had more rebounds per game at Nebraska (5.9) than at Syracuse (4.6). And here is a common sentiment from a Syracuse fan: "I'm glad it's over. One of my least favorite teams. Time for a change" Perhaps his zone defense at Syracuse will help him for the NBA? But it seems unlikely, since they play man there. We certainly could have used, this year, his three point shooting, his maturity, and the depth he would have provided. It will be interesting to see how his NBA prospects turn out over the upcoming weeks.

You never know how these things work out. Just ask Groce: everyone thought him to be a home run hire. I'm always troubled by the one-and-done mercenary types. Not sure why or how. So . . . I'm betting this is not a long term match from heaven.

Objectively, Mark Smith's strenghths are very close to what Tai Webster is doing well this season. So, Mark Smith has an opportunity to step in next year and fill that same, precise role. This is a huge opportunity for him. But then . . . objectivity doesn't always carry the day.

Here's what Shatel says this morning: Wednesday night, in his “Sports Nightly” radio interview, [Eichorst] said Miles’ staff is the strongest it’s been during Eichorst’s tenure. “Tim and I are on the same page,” Eichorst said. “I know he has a vision. I know he has a plan. I know he’s worked hard.” So much speculation. So much drama. So unnecessary. Shatel has a point. All this speculation and drama that Barfknecht amplifies and magnifies and champions is unnecessary and harmful to Nebrasketball. It's a shame. And it's all based on a typical-and-expected response to a Barfknecht question. With "friends" like this . . . It reminds me of the Teddy Roosevelt "Man in the Arena" speech: "It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming . . . "

This article, if it were intended to help Tim Miles, is doing the opposite. It gives, for example, an excuse for all the football-only Husker fans on places like Red Sea Scrolls to embark--once again--on the Miles-needs-to-be-fired or given a very-short-leash rants. Little or no excuse is needed for fake Nebrasketball fans to revel in such trashings. This article is just one more excuse. And I'm pretty sure we are still in the hunt for an important 2017 recruit. Thanks a lot for your help, Barfknecht.

And I'm not buying this crap about uncertainty over Eichorst's support for Miles. Here is an unequivocally supportive statement from around the turn of this year about Miles from Eichorst: As for men’s basketball, Eichorst gave his full support to Miles – hours before Miles’ team defeated No. 16 Indiana on the road 87-83 to begin Big Ten Conference play. The Huskers had gone 6-6 in a challenging nonconference schedule. Eichorst sees continued growth. “They've really worked hard. Tim has worked his tail off. He's got a great group of assistants around him,” Eichorst said. “I really like the nucleus — the young nucleus. Obviously, I think he would want them to be a little bit further along. But they've played a really good schedule up to this point. No one’s making any excuses. We will never do that. I just think we want to see improvement. “And I think we just need to have reasonable expectations around it, and support. We’ll kind of dissect it all at the end. We’re in the middle. The Big Ten’s a formidable league. I know this: The effort’s been there. The preparation’s been there, from what I've seen in practice. And we’ve had some guys dinged up. Again, there are no excuses there, but you have to take that into consideration as you look at the whole thing. I’m very, very optimistic about where we’re at.”

As long as I'm still fuming over this hatchet job, I'll add this: Barfknecht says "It's time to end the needless and often reckless speculation about" Miles's job status. And then he proceeds to magnify the issue with needless and reckless speculation about Miles's job status. #ridiculous Barfknecht acknowledges that, after his last OWH article on Miles's job status, he "got calls from friends [in all major conferences] asking if Mikes was on the chopping block." So . . . he's not intending that to happen again? #ettubrute?

Lee Barfknecht finds another excuse to do another piece trashing the Husker basketball team and its coaches and administration. The entire premise of the article is that Eichorst refused to give an impromptu evaluation of Miles to Barfknecht. Barfknecht must have been offended or something. Although he writes, "Only a damn fool would deny Miles a sixth season now," the top of the front page of today's entire issue is emblazoned, "Will Miles be back?" #fakenews

This is a tweet from HHC. Not sure why HHC fails to show up here.

Speaking of Andrew White, I've watched a few of his games. Here are some observations and a question. 1. Andrew White plays every minute of every game for Syracuse. 2. Yet, he rarely exerts much energy--rarely breaks a sweat. Here's why: (I) on defense, he guards a small area to the right of the lane and moves very little on any defensive possession; and (Ii) on offense, he hangs around the wings behind the three point line and occasionally drives to the rim. Question: I wonder if these zone-only teams have an advantage in fewer injuries over the course of a season, since man-only teams work hard on every defensive stand?

Let's win out. Go to the Dance. And make a deep run.

Lee Barfknecht has a nice article today on Jordy Tshimanga. Here is a blurb from the article: "Over the past five games, when he moved into the starting lineup beginning with Nebraska’s upset of No. 20 Purdue, Tshimanga has blossomed. In that stretch, he has averaged 9.8 points and 7.4 rebounds while shooting 55.9 percent from the field. In the 20 games before that, his numbers were 3.7, 2.9 and 40.3 percent."

Eye-of-the-beholder is always an issue. Evan, for example, had a tomahawk blocked by the Penn St. center. The announcers called "no foul" because the center's hand got all-ball. But what they failed to notice, from my perspective, was the pancake (I don't think they keep such statistics in basketball too). Evan ended up on his back at the center's feet, following a full-body collision. If there is no foul, we would all be booing. But the announcers and the Penn St. coach viewed the pancake as irrelevant. Granted, Evan lost no blood. But still . . .

Agree. If Roby stays out of foul trouble, we win the game. Roby must be getting healthy again. His presence on the court is becoming invaluable.

It's an injury issue.

When Ed's foot won't work right, his talent level is way below a healthy Ed. When Glynn Watson is hampered by a groin injury, his talent level is way below a healthy Watson. When Jordy is walking in a boot, his talent level is below a healthy Jordy. When Isaiah is hampered by a hip problem, his talent level is below a healthy Isaiah. Without those injuries, we would be talking about how this team has turned a corner. But the injuries are for real. And that makes this season hard.

Here is the Nana portion of that article: 4. NEBRASKA MAY HAVE STOLEN ONE IN AKENTEN Nana Akenten Shooting guard Bolingbrook Bolingbrook, IL RR: N/A Ht: 6'6" Wt: 195 lbs Class: 2017 - POSITION - NATIONAL - STATE Commitment status: SIGNED LOI Nebraska When we updated the 2017 Rivals150 in January, Nebraska-bound wing Nana Akenten was very close to making the cut. After watching him again over the weekend at the Bank of O'Fallon Shootout, the 6-foot-6 senior has made another strong case for inclusion when we finalize 2017 rankings in April. In a matchup of future Big Ten wings, Akenten went for 31 points and 15 rebounds and helped Bolingbrook (Ill.) High take out Belleville (Ill.) East and their Illinois-bound senior Javon Pickett, 85-70. Pickett had a strong game of his own going for 30 points, six rebounds and seven assists. But, he also needed 27 shots to get there and had to carry more of the load than Akenten. As for Akenten, he shot the ball very well from deep. Was efficient in how he scored and showed off a Big Ten body and athleticism. Exactly how well he creates shots off the dribble at the Big Ten level is up for debate at this point. However, his size, ability to shoot, live body and potential as a rebounder and defender on the next level suggest that the Huskers may have stolen one.

Here is the embedded tweet: Stay healthy, Nana!