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Live Blog: Nebraska vs Creighton 12-9-2015

Another round of Nebrasketball vs the other instate D1 Basketball school is upon us!

Wait.  You’re telling me UNO is D1 now.  Who knew?

Outlook

HG#73 Nebraska vs HG#95 Creighton

Nebraska has a slight edge via math at the moment, but it’s early and the map is still very sparse(Warning: Have a good computer.)  Generally, the accuracy this early in the season is dubious at best.  Additionally, given the Blue Jays’ own home court advantage, I would give them a slight edge in reality.  The eye test says neither team has played their best basketball yet.

Totally Unrelated Train of Thought While I Wait for the Game

Why is the Nebraska vs BYU volleyball game being broadcast at 5 Eastern?  That’s a good plan.  Let’s put a game on while both fanbases are still at work.  Additionally let’s put AVCA #1 Washington, AVCA #5 Nebraska, AVCA #11 BYU, and AVCA #14 Ohio State all in the same regional and place that regional in LEXINGTON KENTUCKY.  I congratulate all 52 people who will be there this weekend.  It should be a blast.  I really, really want to see that Washington versus Nebraska match.  Those two have a storied history against each other.

CFP Opinion

I didn’t write a review of the last couple rankings, and I didn’t because I feel they were pretty obvious.  My own rankings aren’t that different apart from their skepticism of Michigan State.  When I sort my own ratings by ELO, Ohio State sneaks ahead of MSU for the 4 spot, but head to head and a conference championship should and does give MSU the nod over OSU.

HERE WE GO!

CBS Intro 8/10 – Needs more not Duke.

CBS Graphic off center on the court, he must like going left.  Nope.  Second graphic is slightly to the right.

Obligatory Dr. Pepper commercial.  Because Playoffs.

Oh nice.  Starting five is different because players were in class. We come here to play school.

Creighton controls the tip.  Down to the post.  Hook shot in 2-0 Blue Jays

Nebraska passes it around the top a bit, Shields to Parker, and back out.  Buzzer beater nope.

Creighton makes a 3. 5-0

Nebraska puts up another jumper. No.  Creighton layup. 7-0.

Andrew White drives and gets the bucket and a foul. 7-2

White blows the layup.  Color man mentions making free throws on the road and it’s high importance.  Playing defense on the road is important too and Nebraska draws an offensive foul.

Shields underneath to Jacobson and back to White who is fouled again.  White makes the first.  Second goes down too. 7-4

Creighton up quickly.  Turnover.

Nebraska blows the shot in transition and fouls back on the other side.

Inbound jumper and Nebraska has Incarnate Word flash backs. 9-4

Nebraska turns it over.

Three pointer for the Blue Jays. Ugh. 11-4

Nebraska miss.  Creighton miss.  Creighton injury.

Creighton passes it around the top, and eventually gets another layup.  13-4.  This could be going better.

Missed 3 by Creighton.  Hammond blows a layup for Nebraska.  Nebraska now 1-A lot.

And Creighton buries another one.  15-4

Nebraska no.  Creighton many, many, many, chances.  No. Steal layup+1.  17-4 with possibility of another after the break.

Commercial timeout and it was needed for the Huskers.  This is a trouncing at the moment.  Nebraska looks tentative.

Free throw in for Creighton. 18-4

Three for Nebraska. 18-7

Foul on Nebraska. Hanson free throws inbound. 0-1, 1-2.  19-7 Creighton.

Nebraska takes a 19 foot jump shot also known as the worst shot in basketball.  Step back and take the three.

.4*3=1.2 vs .45*2=.9

Simple math.

Another layup from the Blue Jays. 21-7.  I have seen this movie before.

Nebraska does some good work on the boards and eventually draws another foul.  That leads us to another break.

I don’t really have any great thoughts at the moment.  This is the story of Nebraska and Creighton for the last decade.  Eventually, you just get used to it.

Morrow gets a bucket after the break. 21-9

Another offensive rebound for Creighton.  Nebraska must rebound better than this.  They are too small to consistently allow second, third, or fourth chances.  22-9

Shields nearly gives up the rock. Out of bounds.  Looked like off Shields to me, but Husker ball.  Nebraska gets a three up and two rebounds.  NADA!

Push off called against Creighton.  Husker ball.

O Rebound of a Shields miss is laid in.  22-11

Gotten a little better for the Huskers.  Creighton misses a corner jumper.  Ed Morrow commits his second foul.  Ball goes back to the Blue Jays.  Nebraska cannot give up possessions.  They need every single one.

Nebraska moving a lot, but not getting a whole lot done.  Makes a three eventually.  Technical called on Miles.  UGH! 22-14.

Free throws. 0-1. 1-2.

Creighton ball after the tech.  And they nail a 3.  26-14.  4 point technical.  Probably not quite what Miles wanted.

White gets a steal after a miss and dunks the ball down.  Fouled but wasn’t called.  Watching basketball this year is confusing.  I no longer know what a foul is.  I see strong collisions on the ball that are let go all the time, but then touch fouls will be called on jump shots well after the ball has been released when the foul makes no difference on the shot.  I simply don’t know what the referees are trying to emphasize anymore.  It’s been inconsistent. 26-16 after the break with free throws inbound.

1-1. 2-2. 28-16

White gets an open three but misses.  Shields and White combine for a steal.  Lay-in by White. 28-18

Creighton answers. 30-18

Nebraska throws it away.

Creighton blocked.

Nebraska miss.

Creighton dunk. 32-18

Decent ball movement from the Huskers.  Hammond eventually fouled. 1-1. 2-2. 32-20 Creighton

Jacobson steals the ball coming from the backside.  Fouled on the layup. 1-1. 2-2.  32-22.

Creighton brings it up slowly.  Slight push off, but not worth counting and Creighton finds another layup.  Nebraska tosses it away.  Again.  Blue Jays blow the dunk.  Nebraska misses long 2 in transition.  Creighton misses a fairly quick three.

Watson bounces one off the frame of the backboard.

Foul on Creighton rebounding.  And we’re into the break again.

ESPN’s box score is broken.

White: 13-2-0

Shields: 0-4-2

Shields needs to start scoring.  Nebraska needs the offense.

Out of the break and Nebraska bricks the front-end.

Rebound Webster. Fouled.  1-1. 2-2. 34-24

Good ball movement by Creighton until Shields steps in front and lays it in on the far end.  34-26

Missed hook shot by the Blue Jays.

Missed layup by Nebraska.

Milliken fouled under the hoop and he will shoot 2 after the break.

Again, it seems like Nebraska consistently has stretches where they are focused and ready and then also has stretches where they lose track of people.

Back from the break.

0-1. 0-2.

Shields misses the reverse.  Hammond cleans up the glass with an And-1.  0-1. 34-28.

Creighton moving around the three and eventually goes baseline for a layup.  Maurice Watson puts Creighton back up 8.  White answers. 36-30.

Foul on a screen by Creighton. 24 seconds left.  Nebraska is not in a hurry.  Webster out front over to Shields and back to Webster.  Off target three.  Not the shot that Nebraska was looking for.

White: 15-4-0

Shields: 2-4-2

Nebraska needs more offense from Shields, but the other people on the court are contributing for now.

The start was really good for Creighton, but Nebraska has crawled back shot by shot.  They will need to continue the defense for the rest of the game to have a chance.  Creighton is better on offense and shooting has been an issue for the Huskers all season.  In order to keep this close, Nebraska needs to keep under control and force Creighton to take contested shots.  They simply cannot get into a shooting competition.

Took a break to check out reddit.  Not much in the game thread.  Big East scoreboard on CBS. Meh.

Still waiting for my words of wisdom from Tim Miles.  I need my words of wisdom.

Ah. That’s the good stuff.

Good movement by Nebraska and a layup for white.  36-32

Missed layup by Creighton.  Nebraska gives it right back. Jump ball.  Creighton has the arrow.

Creighton in.  Loses it out of bounds.  Officials say it’s off of Shields.  I disagree.  That makes us even.

Creighton gets the layup. 38-32

Shields offensive foul.

Groselle gets another layup.

Nebraska stuffed. Layup. 42-32.

Yikes.

Nebraska can’t finish.  Gets a steal.  Shields lays one in.  42-34.

Nebraska gets a rebound but loses it in transition.  No call on the foul.  Probably not a bad no call.

Blocking foul on White.

Groselle uses the same move for the same result. 44-34

Nebraska losing contact.  Nebraska loses the ball.  I disagree, but Husker ball.  Okay we’re not even anymore.  Of course I could be wrong.  I was typing during the replay, but I think it’s 2-1 Nebraska on blown out of bounds calls.

Nebraska has started off really slow again.  It’s not a new problem.  Creighton has figured out that the Huskers are short.  It’s not a new problem.  This might be rough coming home.

Nebraska miss. Creighton miss. Nebraska miss. Creighton three.  47-34

Another turnover on Nebraska.  Taking care of the rock needs to be more of a priority.

Watson foul.

Huff makes one.  49-34.  Nebraska really losing contact now.

Block on Creighton.

Another 19 foot jumper by Nebraska.  Another missed.

Foul on Nebraska.  Looked like he stepped on the right foot.

Nebraska rebound.

Nebraska turnover.

Offensive foul on Shields.  Announcers disagree. So do I.

Webster knocks the ball away.

Three pointer Creighton.  52-34

Webster draws a foul.

Well that was a foul.

White from the charity stripe. 0-1. 1-2. 52-35

Nebraska nearly loses it off the dribble again. Is the ball oblong? Layup Webster.  52-37

Block by Morrow.  2 seconds for Creighton to shoot after the break.

The same issues for Nebraska remain.  Long stretches of no points.   You cannot go 4-6 minutes without scoring in college basketball.  It is a problem that has existed for the better part of a decade and a half at this point.

Rough half so far for the Huskers.  Blue Jays have to be pleased with the way they are playing right now.  Under control and consistently getting good shots.

Travel by Andrew White is not called.

Nebraska misses a jumper.

Groselle with the same move. 54-37

Morrow is stuffed.  Then fouls.

Nebraska triple teams Groselle.  Creighton misses a three.

Parker dumps of a two foot pass to White who throws up an awkward shot and Nebraska commits a foul on the rebound.

Groselle free throws. 1-0. 1-2. 55-37

Nebraska is running out of time.  White 3. 55-40

Watson dumps on in on the floater. 57-40

Hammond follows and dunks it.  Was not a goal tend and referees get it right after some discussion.

Creighton tabs out an offensive rebound and Groselle again. 59.42

White. 59-45

Milliken floater. 61-45

Shields loses it out of bounds on a rebound.  The announcers call it a microcosm of the game and I couldn’t agree more.

Into the break again.  It’s so frustrating watching this team.  We’re talented enough to compete, and at times we play like it.  At others, this happens.  I don’t know what it is.  This was a must win for Nebraska.  They need signature wins out-of-conference and it isn’t happening.  This team can play very well.  I wonder if they ever will outside of the Vault.

Seven minutes to play.

Creighton is in no hurry at all.  Wide open 17 footer.  64-45

Nebraska passes it around.  Parker gets in trouble.  Webster draws a foul.

Layup for Shields. 64-47

Huff drops a jumper. 66-47

Nebraska jumper. 66-49

Nebraska foul and bails Creighton out 27 feet from the hoop.

1-1. 1-2. 67-49.

Nebraska drops a jumper. 67-51.

Creighton misses.

Webster drops an awkward layup. 67-53.

3:30 left.  Milliken drains a three. 70-53.

The game is safely out of reach at this point barring something very bizarre.

Parker layup. 70-55

Shields steals it.  Double dribble.  Ball back to Creighton.

Rough night.  It won’t be the last.

2:39

Nebraska starts fouling.  It’s the only choice at the moment.

McDermott continues to have Tim Miles number.

Creighton blows the front-end, but Nebraska blows a layup.

Foul Nebraska. 0-1. 0-2.

Watson misses off the block.  Fouls.

1-1. 2-2. 72-55.

Layup Nebraska. 72-57.

Timeout Nebraska.

Early fouling is going to extend this game, but Nebraska is going to need a lot of help coming home.

The ticker just informed me I’ve passed 2,000 words which is awesome.  I would like to do one of these where I can say the same thing about our performance.

Turnovers have been killer.  I’ve said that a lot recently.

Nebraska foul. Webster.

1-1. 2-2. 74-57

Webster layup. 74-59

Timeout Nebraska.  These last few minutes are going to be slow and probably painful.  Not unlike Nebraska’s offense for the decade before Tim Miles arrived.

Timeout Creighton on trouble getting the ball in.

Reach in.  Foul on Nebraska.

1-1. 2-2. 76-59

Layup Whilte III.

Timeout Nebraska.

Five in a row.  Gonna start bugging people back in Lincoln.  That’s according to the announcers.  Oh, we’re already there.  However, Miles has brought a lot of talent to Lincoln that we haven’t had in a long time.

Foul Nebraska.

0-1. 1-2. 77-61.

Foul Nebraska.  Crowd does not appreciate it.

Announcers not happy with the  stoppages.  I am though.  We need some fight.

1-1. 2-2. 79-61.

Layup. 79-63.

Foul Nebraska. 1:01 left.

0-1. 1-2. 80-63.

White. 80-65.

Foul Nebraska. Fans are really booing now.

1-1. 1-2. 81-65

Nebraska miss 3.  Lost out of bounds.

Over the back on the rebound.

1-1. 2-2.

Nebraska layup. 83-67.

Nebraska is done fouling.

Final score. 83-67.

This is the life of a Nebraska basketball fan.

The announcers spent the last two minutes of the game telling Nebraska to let it go.  Stop fouling.  I would ask that they walk in our shoes before making those pronouncements.  If we just folded, just conceded when the going got difficult.  If we just stopped when our goals seemed out of reach, we would have given up long ago.  I am so tired of the national media, of CBB Blue Bloods judging how we play our games.  Walk in our shoes, and then tell me that we should just give up.

I don’t want our guys to ever stop believing.  I don’t want them to ever stop playing hard.  I don’t care what the score is.  I don’t care what the record is.  Play basketball.  I can ask no more of them than that.  I will ask no less.  I have supported this team for nearly my entire life, and I will not give up on them.  I ask that they not give up either.

So, the rest of the basketball world can make whatever statements about us they want.  Fans can make whatever judgments they wish to make.  This is my team.  This is our team.  As long as they fight, we will have their backs.

I know, as fan of a college football blue blood, that it can be easy to dismiss the tenacity of the downtrodden.  I know, as fan of the college basketball downtrodden, that sometimes the tenacity is all you have.

This is Nebraska.

Villanova vs Nebraska Live Blog

I hope this doesn’t go nearly as badly as I think it might. (Spoiler Alert: It did.)

6:45 – We won the tip!  Highlight of the night!

6:45 – See. (Turnover)

6:47 – Villanova 2-0.  Followed by a quick turnover courtesy of Tai Webster.  This is going really well so far.

6:48 – Misses.  Rebounds.  Foul on Nebraska. 2-0 Villanova.

6:48 – Free throw 3-0. Free throw 4-0.

6:49 – Shields draws a foul on Brunson.  Only 4 more to go.

6:50 – Turnover Nebraska(3). 3pt Nova 7-0

6:50 – 3pt Parker 7-3

6:50 – 2pt Nova 9-3

6:51 – 3pt Andrew White III 9-6

6:51 – Miss Nova. Miss Nebraska.

6:51 – Turnover Nova.  3pt Andrew White III 9-9.   I really hope the hot shooting continues.  We’ll need it.

6:52 – Big man over smaller man 11-9 Nova.

6:52 – Andrew White 3pt in and out.  Blog curse.  I’ll stop hoping for things now.(Not really)

6:53 TV Timeout.  Not sure I can keep this pace up.

So far I think that the game has started fairly well for Nebraska.  Mostly they need to whether each storm and just consistently get points.  The several minute slumps the team has been prone to go through for the past decade have been problematic.  It would not be good for them to have that issue against a team the quality of Villanova.  It is also already apparent that defending posts will be an issue this year.  That is not unexpected given the lack of size across the board.

Back from commercial.  Whew.

6:57 – Free throw Nova 12-9.  Miss. Rebound Huskers.

6:57 – 19ft fade-away for Glynn Watson goes in.  Don’t like the shot but it is points.

6:58 – Misses for both Nova and Big Red.  Foul on Watson. 12-11 Nova

6:59 – Miss by Nova, Shields takes on the break.  That was an awkward move at the hoop which combined contact results in a miss, but Nova gives it right back on the other end.

7:00 – Nebraska is nice enough to return the favor.  Stepping out of bounds.  Yikes.

7:00 – Low post shot by Nova and that brings it to 14-12

7:01 – Shields for three! 14-14.

7:01 – TV Timeout

I know for a fact I can’t keep this pace up. It’s impossible.   But I shall press on!

Short segment there.  Mostly good play by Nebraska and Villanova.  Nebraska’s hot shooting continues.  Would like to know how many points Nova has from the posts already.

Back from TV Timeout.  Nova coach stresses the three pointers.  4 so far.

7:04 – Nebraska tosses it in against the press.

7:05 – Miss by Nebraska, followed by a travel.  Turnovers are starting to mount for both teams.

7:06 – Travel by Nebraska.  I refer to my previous statement.

7:06 – Nebraska gets a long rebound. Two on One.  Nada.

7:07 – Rebound Cornhuskers.  Morrow pushes off, but gets away with it and scores.  16-14 Nebraska.

7:08 – Nova slashes in and lays it up and in to tie at 16.  Not unexpected.

7:08 – Huskers answer under the hoop.  Morrow doing some good things early.

7:09 – Block by Nebraska.  Transition three is off target.  I would have liked  a better shot, but Nebraska gets another turnover courtesy of Villanova.  Andrew White draws a foul.  Nebraska under the hoop.

7:10 – Shields gets a leaner in the lane to drop and draws a foul.  Chance at the old fashioned 3pt play.  21-16 Nebraska after the make.

7:11 – White takes it to the hoop and gets the layup to go after what appeared to be a no call on a walk by Shields.  23-16 Huskers.

TV Timeout.

Wow that was good for Nebraska.  They need to take advantage early because holding off Villanova later in the game could be very difficult.  Especially if the shots stop falling at some point.

Back from timeout.  Promo for Fox Fight Night.  Meh.

7:14 – 7:38 left in the 1st half.  Nova takes a shot that’s off target, but Nebraska fouls on the rebound.  Ugh.

7:15 – Another off target three from Nova, another offensive rebound, and this time the 3 goes in.  23-19 NU.

7:16 – Scramble on the floor.  Jump ball favors Nova.  That will not do.  Nebraska must make it across half court every time. They canont give up possessions.

7:17 – Nova 3.  23-22 Nebraska.

7:17 – Teams trade turnovers.  I think.  Have to check the play by pay later.

7:18 – Off target shot from Nova.  Off target shot by Nebraska.  Neither team is having a good stretch right at the moment.

7:19 – Nebraska fouls and that will put Nova at the line.  0-2 but a lane violation gives him another chance which falls.  23 all.

7:20 – Three pointers are starting to find iron instead of net for Nebraska.

7:20 – Ochefu gets to and Nova takes back the lead at 25-23.

7:21 – Nebraska immediately turns it over, but gets it back as well.

TV Timeout.

That was a good stretch on the scoreboard for Villanova, but neither coach is going to be particularly happy at the moment.  Some gifts to each team.  Nebraska needs to play more controlled after a rebound. Pushing the ball up the floor is great, but we can’t get out of control.

Back with 4:26 left in the 1st.

7:24 – Webster gets caught in the air and the ball escapes out of bounds.  Turnover Nebraska.

7:25 – 10-0 since Nebraska’s run.  Ochefu gets another offensive rebound and lays it in. 12-0.

7:26 – Two more quick baskets 16-0 and Nebraska turns it over.  This is starting to get out of hand and this is the long drought I mentioned earlier.  Almost six minutes of game clock since Nebraska scored.  Now 32-23 Nova.  Yikes.

7:27 – Air ball Nova.  White repays off the front iron.

7:28 – Another lay in makes it 18-0 since the run.  34-23 Nova.

Nebraska must get something quick.

7:29 – Blocking foul on Nebraska.  19-0. 20-0.

7:30 – Dunk Nova. 22-0.

7:30 – Foul on Nova, but Nebraska is losing contact.  This problem is not new for Nebraska.

7:30 – Finally a jumper falls for Nebraska.  38-25.

7:31 – Nebraska gets a steal, but Watson can’t maneuver the score.

7:31 – Off target three and a travel leaves 0.2 on the clock.  The lob is over Shields head.  That brings the half.

That was more like what we expected from this game.  Once the shots stopped falling, it became very difficult for Nebraska to score.

Long stretches without scoring have been a major problem for Nebraska in the past.  It continues early this season.  Sometimes you need a guy to go to the hoop until one falls.  Nebraska does not always have that person.   The last two years would have seen Terran Petteway putting up a couple shots during that sequence and often he was able to make it work.  This season, we might not have found that person yet.  Hopefully there is someone that will be able to accomplish that in the future.

Nova looks like a dangerous team.  Smothering on defense at times.  Aggressive on the boards.  They will be tough to beat, and that goes double at home.

Nebraska has 13 turnovers in the half.  Let that sink in a little.  13.

Tim Miles halftime tweet adds to the turnover discussion.  Four minute segments.  That’s not incorrect.  Basketball is a game of runs.  You have to win more than the other team.

7:49 – Nebraska starts with the ball after halftime and promptly travels.  14.

7:49 – Villanova 3. 41-25.

7:50 – Shields gets a shot to fall.  41-28

7:50 – Brunson draws a foul and makes both.  43-28.

7:51 – Nebraska brings the ball up confidently against the press, but the offense has issues finding space until Webster takes it to the hoop.  43-30 Nova

7:52 – Nebraska commits another foul, Hammonds’ 4th.  That will bring in Morrow and the Nebraska lineup gets very small.  Both shots go in. 45-30.  Nebraska turns the inbounds pass over to Nova. 15.

7:53 – Nova draws another foul on Morrow. Three for him.

7:53 – Airball Nova.  Nebraska needs to attack here.  Shields three rims out.

7:54 – Nova returns the favor.

7:54 – White goes to the rim and gets the fall on a close one.

7:54 – Free throws brings it to 45-32.

7:55 – Short fade away for Nova is too strong, but another offensive rebound keeps the ball on their side.  Another off target shot.  Another offensive rebound.  Size is going to be a factor all season.  Nebraska needs to attack the boards stronger.  Period.

7:56 – Foul on Webster.

TV Timeout.

Nebraska didn’t win that stretch, but they didn’t lose any more ground either.

Tim Miles stresses rebounding during the timeout.  I couldn’t agree more.

8:00 – Another short shot goes in for Nova.  47-32.

8:00 – Nebraska loses track of a Villanova post, but commits a foul before any damage can be done.

8:01 – Villanova buries another jumper. 49-32

8:02 – Nebraska makes a three courtesy of Andrew White. 49-35.

8:03 – Nebraska makes a great save on defensive end, but then turns it over immediately.  16.

8:03 – Another jumper from Villanova. 51-35.  Nebraska turns it over. 17

8:04 – Nova misses. Nebraska turns it over. 18. Nova dunk. 53-35.

8:05 – Timeout Nebraska.

Nebraska is out of control right now.  Three turnovers in 2 minutes.  Poise will be very important for this team.  They are undersized, and will have less talent than many teams they face.  Rebound and turnovers will be crucial.

Right now, it’s been difficult for the Huskers to find any kind of momentum.  18 points is a big deficit with 12:50 to play.

8:08 – Nebraska takes the inbounds having turned the ball over 3 possessions in a row.  This time a Shields three goes off target, but Nova gets hit with a push off foul.  Shields grabs his own rebound after a floater and Nebraska draws a shooting foul.

8:09 – White misses the first.  Second drops. 53-36.

8:10 – Brunson charges the hoop and draws a foul.

8:11 – The front in bounces out.  Nebraska makes another jumper and puts the press on.

8:11 – Nova breaks it without trouble and great ball movement gets them an easy one at the end.  55-38.

Commercials enter the screen again and Nebraska still hasn’t made up any ground.

18-5 on the turnover front.  That will not win games.

Foul trouble for the Huskers as well.  4 for Hammond, 4 for Parker, and 3 for Morrow.

Villanova’s coach confidently tells his team that if Nebraska just plays straight man, they got ’em.  He’s probably not wrong.  Nebraska will need to shoot very well in the home stretch.  They will also need to create some turnovers on defense.

8:16 – Nebraska comes up empty and Morrow fouls for the 4th time.  That brings up another 1 and 1 for Villanova.

8:16 – 56-38.  57-38.

8:17 – Nebraska nearly gives it away early.  Long jumper with 3 left on the shot clock goes in and out.  Nova gets another dunk.  59-38.

8:18 – Webster is off target on a three.

8:18 – Another foul on Nebraska.  That brings up three from the charity stripe.  Bridges makes the first.  The second goes off target.  Third one drops in. 61-38.

8:19 – Glynn Watson tosses the ball away. 19.

8:20 – Knocks the ball away to stop a layup.  Three pointer Nova.  64-38.

8:21 – Watson off target 3.

8:21 – Josh hart knocks in a jumper. 66-38.

8:21 – Watson bangs in a jumper as well. 66-40.

8:22 – Shields gets a steal and takes it right to the hoop.  2 + a foul.  66-42.

Commercial break before the free throw.

Villanova has been unrelenting and is now shooting nearly 48% from the field against what has recently been a very strong Nebraska defense.  Make no mistake, this is a very good team.  Sometimes the other guys are just better.  Nebraska could have played better, but much of their struggling can be attributed to Villanova’s own intensity. The turnovers stand at 19-6 and it isn’t a mistake.

8:25 – Shields knocks in the free throw.  66-43.

8:26 – Another offensive rebound for Ochefu which grants him a double double.  He lays it in to take it to 68-43.  Nebraska bangs in a three. 68-46.

8:27 – Nova gets another easy shot and drains it.  70-46.

8:27 – Nebraska returns fire. 70-48.

8:28 – A quick miss and Nebraska draws a foul for free throws.  70-49

8:29 – Three pointer Nova.  73-49.

8:29 – White grabs an offensive rebound and gets it to go, but Villanova returns with a 3.  76-51.

8:29 – Nebraska promptly turns it over. 20.

8:29 – Villanova promptly dunks it. 78-51.

Timeout Nebraska.

This game is not unexpected.  Painful to watch? Yes, but not unexpected.  Nebraska has a long way to go.

8:31 – Nebraska offensive foul for the turnover. 21. Villanova 3 which brings it to a thirty point lead.  81-51.

8:32 – Watson drains a shot. 81-53.

8:32 – Villanova misses a couple times, but gets an offensive rebound and a tip out by Nebraska to retain possession.

TV Timeout.

Villanova is now shooting 50%.  Nebraska is shooting 38.5%.

3:37 left in the half and we are approaching mass substitution time.  Early enough in the year that they might wait a bit longer, but it’s coming.

At this point, you just want Nebraska to keep competing.  Play hard to the last buzzer.

8:35 – Morrow grabs an offensive rebound and lays it in. 81-55.

8:36 – Villanova off target for what seems like the first time this half.  Webster draws a floor foul and misses the open end of the 1 and 1.

8:36 – Villanova shows that their last shot was fluke and Nebraska grabs another offensive rebound for 2.  83-57. 2:02 left after a Husker foul.

8:37 – Substitutions inbound.  Front end goes down. Second does as well. 85-57.

8:38 – Some offensive rebound and a lazy pass that gets deflected out of bounds and the ball stays with the Huskers.  Nebraska draws a foul.  The Villanova crowd is clearly not happy with the referees at the moment.

8:40 – Nebraska gets both. 85-59.

8:40 – A rebound goes to Nebraska, and they turn it over. 22.

8:41 – Villanova grabs an offensive rebound, and drains another shot. 87-59.

8:41 – Nebraska fouls on a rebound sending Nova to the line.  The Nova crowd singing “Hey Hey Hey Goodbye.” Unfortunately a sound I have heard far to often in the history of Nebraskaetball.  The game comes to a merciful end at 87-63.

Sometimes, the other guys are just better.

Twenty-two turnovers is many too many.

That was a tough game for Husker fans.  Many things that we’ve seen before.  Nebrasketball has often seen rough starts, and that was definitely one of them.  The guys did continue to compete until the end.  There were also a lot of promising things.  Nebraska is young and it will take sometime for the team to come together.  This team has the talent to give teams some scares.  However, they aren’t there yet.

They must be able to handle the pressure better.  They must also be able to slow down the tempo.  Villanova was able to control the tempo and playing at that tempo will hurt Nebraska.  Half court defense has been a strength the past several years, but transition defense against more talented teams will always be a problem.  Nebraska needs to limit transition opportunities.  Despite the size differential and foul trouble, Nebraska did a pretty good job on the boards.  Totaling 17 offensive rebounds, Nebraska needs to continue to create opportunities.

The result was not unexpected, and there are positive takeaways.

The Wildcats did a great job of controlling the game.  After the initial surge by Nebraska, they never gave up control.  The game moved at their speed the rest of the way.  It will be interesting to see how this Nova team does against some of the other upper echelon teams.  I suspect they’ll hold up quite well.  When they meet a team that focuses on half court offense and stopping transition, it will be more difficult to get those layups.  If they continue to shoot like they did tonight, they’ll be just fine.  If I were a Nova fan, I would have liked them to trap Nebraska in the press.  Trapping on the press has been Nebraska’s Kryptonite for years, but with a 24 point win any strategic criticism is nitpicking at best.

Nebraska comes back home on Thursday to face Delaware State on BTN Plus if I’m not mistaken.

Villanova moves on to East Tennessee State on Friday.

Twenty-five hundred words in just two hours and fifteen minutes, and I am signing off for tonight.

The Agony of Almost

Harry Good.

That’s the answer to the question, “Who was Nebraska’s coach the last time they won a regular season conference title in Men’s Basketball?”

_________

That’s the answer to the question, “Who was Nebraska’s coach when they won their first NCAA Tournament game?”

Nebraska Basketball or as it’s commonly referred to “Nebrasketball” has a somewhat noteworthy if decidedly ignominious history.  The number of Power 5 Conference schools that have not won a NCAA Tournament game can be listed on one hand with fingers left over.  Nebraska and Northwestern.   That’s the list.

Northwestern has never made the NCAA Tournament, and Nebraska has never made it beyond the first round.

Seven appearances and seven losses.

1986 – 9th seed Nebraska loses to 8th seed Western Kentucky 59-67

1991 – 3rd seed Nebraska loses to 14th seed Xavier 84-89

1992 – 8th seed Nebraska loses to 9th seed Connecticut 65-86

1993 – 10th seed Nebraska loses to 7th seed New Mexico State 79-93

1994 – 6th seed Nebraska loses to 11th seed Penn 80-90

1998 – 11th seed Nebraska loses to 6th seed Arkansas 65-74

2014 – 11th seed Nebraska loses to 6th seed Baylor 60-74

Heartbreak and Nebraska Basketball have been frequent companions, but the most frequent companion has been apathy.

It’s difficult to describe the life of a Nebraska Basketball fan, especially the fan who cares more about basketball than football.  You cheer for football.  You bask in their successes, despair in their failures, but you take comfort in history and tradition.  There is no comfort in Husker Basketball.  There is only longing.

You long for the day that Nebraska finally makes it passed the foot of the mountain.  The mountain you’ve long stood at the foot of and watched numerous teams scale to the top.  I’m 31 and still waiting.  My father is 67 and still waiting.  Apathy is the result.   Eventually, you simply stop going to games, turn off the television, avoid the game.  Apathy is one of the most dangerous things that a program has to combat.  So, the program makes changes to excite the fanbase.  The program must, at all costs, bring hope to its fans.

Nebraska is now in the fourth year of its seventh head coaching reign since winning a regular season conference championship, and hope has for the time being returned to Huskers.   The hope has been brought back by the new talent that has been brought to Lincoln, and the first tournament appearance this century two years ago.

Nebraska does not need to make the tournament this year, but they do need to take a step forward.  There is hope in Lincoln.

Apathy is the death a program, but hope is the death of apathy.

Until our hope is rewarded, we wait.

HuskerGeek
HuskerGeek