Swan88

No offer yet, per Robin W.

Here's more: "Walter Pitchford, Nebraska: 2 GP, 16 ppg, 7 rpg, 12-17 FG (71%), 6-9 3pt FG (67%) By this point you may be accusing our staff of Nebrasketball bias, to which I respond: so the heck what? They're the best story in the conference this season and by golly they're a really good team. Pitchford is the third Husker on this week's team, and that makes Nebraska the first team to feature three players on the same Team of the Week (probably their most impressive feat of the season IMHO). Pitchford has been their three point specialist all season long, shooting 42% from deep on the year. He certainly helped those averages last week, hitting three triples in each of Nebraska's wins."

Thanks for posting, Kent!

This feels like the success of the last years of Tom Osborne's coaching tenure. The big difference, however, is that it's only the beginning of Tim Miles' coaching tenure.

"Basketball is like war." Red Auerbach. Analogy. Metaphor. Simile. It's a figure of speech that transcends literal interpretation. No offense intended.

I'm not feeling sorry for myself. I'm breathing a huge sigh of relief. I'm experiencing feelings of euphoria and joy. I'm appreciating this moment as only someone who's been deprived can.Perhaps I can describe it this way. I had to go through basic once upon a time many years ago. It sucked. Magnificently. I hadn't appreciated what it was like to hang out with friends, doing what I wanted when I wanted. I hadn't appreciated being around my family and having them close and being able to spend time with them whenever I wanted. I hadn't appreciated a nice, comfortable bed without 50 roomates or not having to wake up at 4:30 in the morning to go do some pushups and situps and run a few miles. I hadn't appreciated a lot of creature comforts and freedoms so much as I appreciated them when I came home from basic. But that was just basic. Being a Husker basketball fan over the last 15 (or more) years has been like doing 3 consecutive tours in Afghanistan. And last night was like coming home from the war. For gawd's sake people, we can enjoy where we are without having to forget where we've been. Where we've been ensures we don't take for granted where we are. It makes sure we appreciate where we are. So, don't run from the "baggage." Don't pretend it doesn't exist. Miles can do that because it wasn't his baggage. But it's that baggage that makes me so fricking grateful for what happened last night. You nailed this one, Norm. And to show how I have no room to criticize Dirk for his question, here is my post on this board dated February 17, 2014: "The next few games will tell the tale on whether Tim Miles has moved Nebrasketball into a new realm of success and out of the enjoy-it-for-a-short-while-before-all-hopes-are-dashed mode."

Not long ago Dirk Chatelain received strong criticism from Jay fans for suggesting that Husker basketball success would cause an explosion of the Nebrasketball fan base without impairing the Jay fan base. Now he's being criticized by Husker fans for asking a simple question reflecting the fear of many Husker fans that this success won't last. The fact that Tim Miles pounced on the question to get rid of such thinking speaks well of Tim Miles. But that's not a negative for the reporter. Kudos to both.

Am pretty sure Link Kabadyundi was sitting in the front row at the top of the exit where the Husker team enters and leaves the arena. He seemed to be engaged in the experience.

If Tim Miles is accurate about getting better recruits to commit after we win, and particularly when we make the Dance and make some noise there, then here is saying "cheers" to only signing one this past November and "hallelujah" for the coaching staff's discipline and patience in holding back on commitments--which allows for the impact of the current winning streak and, hopefully, the upcoming Dance experience to take hold on the recruiting front. Who knows what could happen if Nebrasketball turns into Cinderella! Patience is a virtue . . . and it has a potential for very high rewards in this situation!

" it's kind of a downer seeing names like Dickerson . . . appear to fall off our board." Perhaps you mean to say it's disappointing that Tim Miles & Co. are no longer pursuing Dickerson as strongly as they were? It seems entirely possible (if not probable) that Tim Miles decided he has an easier task of winning-the-locker-room and the B1G championship with Smith than with Dickerson. And, if accurate, that would seem to be more of an upper than a downer.

Or how about this article from a couple days earlier: "With his team laboring through the first half of today’s clash with Blair Academy at the Dan Finn Classic, St. Anthony coach Bob Hurley turned to the two most reliable pieces of this year’s version of the Friars. Defense and senior guard Tarin Smith. While the rest of his teammates struggled to find their stroke at the Jersey City Armory in a 45-38 victory over Blair, it was Smith who drove the Friars offensively in the opening 16 minutes, scoring eight of St. Anthony’s 19 first-half points. “As (Tarin) goes, we go,” Hurley said of the 6-goot-2 guard. “On this particular team, we need him to be able to lead when guys are a little nervous or having a hard time getting into the flow of the game.” The only returning starter from last year’s St. Anthony squad, Smith has been eager to justify his coach’s reliance on him this season, especially against teams like Blair (10-2) – an opponent that he dropped a game-high 15 points on. “Even before the game started, I knew I had to stay aggressive and make plays for my team,” said Smith, who was honored after the game as St. Anthony’s Most Valuable Player. “We have a talented team, but we’re young so we get a little flustered and stuff at times. It’s my job to get the ball and just keep everybody fluid.” To make up for a lack of production on offense, Smith and the Friars (9-1) literally took charge on the other end of the floor, jumping out to a 14-2 lead to start the game. Their defensive efforts helped force Marquette-bound Marial Shayok and St. Louis-bound Brett Jolly to the bench with foul trouble."

This is from a January 29, 2014 article: Despite McDuffie’s dominance, Hurley was also quick to point out the play of senior guard Tarin Smith, who had 12 points, eight assists and six rebounds. It was a performance that the St. Anthony coach said was a “nearly flawless” game and helped the Friars reach another level Eight assists, six rebounds and a nearly flawless game, along with twelve points. Hmmmm . . . Tim Miles might be onto something here.

Rumor has it that Tim Miles and Craig Smith flew to New York after yesterday's game. If true, such a trip might explain why Mr. Dickerson seems to have difficulties nailing down the details for his Lincoln visit.

So . . . he did not commit on his visit to Arizona. And he still needs a few days to decide? Would love to know what that's all about? Well technically, he doesn't have a spot at Arizona until some of their players declare for the NBA. So we're still going to recruit him until then. But it's pretty much a formality. Impediments like others declaring for the NBA will be resolved by Saturday?

So . . . he did not commit on his visit to Arizona. And he still needs a few days to decide? Would love to know what that's all about?

It's only disappointing because we've been in on some good talent and lost out. If not, I think we'd be pretty happy with Petteway, Pitch, Hawkins, Fuller and Hammond. That in and of itself is really promising. Eventually we're going to get these guys. "We've been in on some good talent and lost out." That's the disappointment?! Losing out on hotly-pursued recruits happens to every team out there. Read the Iowa message boards, for example--same song, same verse. Kansas fans complain about this. Louisville fans complain about this, as do Kentucky fans. A better standard is the quality of recruits we are pursuing, whether the best ones we pursue seriously consider Nebrasketball, and the quality of the ones we land. And even then, the quality of a player like Leslee Smith does not become apparent to us internet genius folks until the next season is underway.

At least this March we are fretting over Dusan Ristic and Trey Dickerson instead of the likes of Matthew Atewe from last March. Now that's progress!!

Iowa is 4th in the entire nation in scoring offense. We are 284th. That alone is probably enough to make him favor Iowa. They did also beat us head-to-head and are ranked in the Top 25 while we are not. McCaffery is also a proven winner, he may not be as funny as Miles but the guy can coach. We do have the facilities, and hopefully they will blow him away, but Iowa has a lot going for them right now as well. When you put it that way, it's not even close--Huskers all the way.

Thanks, Kamdy, for this information. So, the Huskers are, apparently, now a first alternative back-up plan to Arizona for this athlete, who is projected to be one-and-done and a first round NBA pick. That . . . is definitely a sign of major recruiting progress for Tim Miles & Co.!!!

As of this morning, Nebrasketball is in a two-way tie with Iowa for 5th place in the Big 10: 4. Ohio State (22-6, 9-6) 5. Iowa (19-8, 8-6) 5. Nebraska (16-10, 8-6) Since neither Ohio St. nor Iowa plays today, it appears that a Husker victory tonight would put Nebrasketball in a two-way tie for 4th place with Ohio St. and ahead of Iowa. Pretty cool! And who woulda thought, in anyone's wildest dreams, that such a position could be possible for Nebrasketball at this point in the season.

True confession: while yelling "Power" over-and-over at the top-of-my lungs and with gusto during player introductions, I thought, "This is kinda rude." However, it seems that fans in a sporting event are allowed, as a matter of social decorum, certain behaviors that would be taboo in an office environment or other social setting. For example, cheering over someone else's mistake would, ordinarily, be frowned upon--but cheering for an un-forced turnover is perfectly fine. Yelling at a judge might land someone in jail, but yelling at a ref--standard behavior. The difficulty for Husker fans is the long-cultivated reputation for being gracious hosts to opponents at Husker events. Hence, angst about such things among some fans (yours truly included) is unavoidable, even while we all still clap for an injured player leaving the floor or treat fans clad in opposing colors graciously as they leave the arena.

Here is a video of Dusan Ristic posted in May of 2013 titled, "7'0" Dusan Ristic Dominates China in NIJT Opener!" In terms of Miles' requirements that a player be able to pass the ball, it appears he can definitely do that.

Congrats! Persistence usually has its rewards--sooner or later. It appears that HHC is poised for some huge traffic increases over the rest of this season--and beyond!

Dirk Chatelain has a great op-ed in today's Omaha World-Herald. Here is a blurb from the item that contains some interesting observations: What makes NU’s upset win at Michigan State so, so, so, so fascinating isn’t just that it puts Tim Miles’ team squarely on the NCAA bubble — more on that later. It also shines a spotlight on that battle between hope and fatalism. . . . No disrespect to Creighton basketball, which is first-class all the way, from its coach, to its players to its gameday atmosphere. . . . But . . . The red “N” has mystical powers in this state. And if Miles really gets it going in Lincoln, if victory becomes habit, there will be so many Husker basketball fans coming out of the woodwork Billy Bluejay won’t know what hit him. Even in Omaha (where it sometimes seems like Nebraska basketball doesn’t exist), the Huskers will be No. 1 again, not because Creighton’s base will erode, but because NU’s base will explode.

The following is a blurb from a Hawkeye Rivals board interview of McCaffery dated February 14 (i.e., the day after Iowa offered a scholarship to both Dickerson and Atwood and the day after Dickerson emphasized his desire that he and Atwood be a package deal): Q: You said after the game on Saturday that you were going to get out on the recruiting trail. Can you update us on the progress there? How do you feel about the two open scholarships and where you are at today. McCAFFERY: I suspect that we will fill one of them or maybe two. We have some offers out on the table and there are some guys that we are looking at. I wouldn't be opposed to a transfer if that made sense to us. I think it is nice to go into the spring with two scholarships. I feel really good about what we have coming back and the two guys that we have signed. We have some flexibility. It's not like we are in panic mode. We don't have a lot of offers out. We really have very few. Most of the guys that we are offering are juniors. Do we really need to bring a guy in this year or can we wait and feel like the quality of guys that we are looking at are really good? There are times when we are looking for a guy that has a certain fit and if a guy fits, then we offer and it makes sense in recruiting the kid because this is a position that we need and a skill set that we are graduating and you can come in and help us. Hmmmm. If I'm Dickerson, that doesn't sound like I'm an extremely high priority for the Hawkeyes. Anyone see it otherwise?