H
HuskerNKingwood
Guest
All right, guys, I'm far from an expert at breaking down basketball games, but I'm really looking forward to the game Tuesday night. Not so much for what the result may be...more so to see just how far our team has come.
I'll preface this by saying Texas should probably win this game. Too many offensive weapons for the Horns, and we struggle to get out of the 60 point range.
That said, here's what you can expect Tuesday night.
Our big man is still Aleks Maric, or Big Al, as we like to call him. I've been incredibly impressed by his development. Whe he first started here, he was notorious for not finishing around the rim. He's much better at that, and he can now also go to the free throw line and knock em down. I'm honestly surprised Doc doesn't put him in at the end of games...kind of like a Yao Ming lite situation. Mighty inviting target to throw the ball to, and the way he's been shooting em in conference, I'd get him the ball.
I think he'd have a hard time making it in the NBA though. Much of his action comes in the paint, and a lot of big men these days have to step out and hit jumpshots in the league.
Nebraska will not win this game without Cookie Miller (5'7 point guard who suffered a shoulder injury in the A&M game). We got away with his absence against Oklahoma, but we didn't in a conference road game at oSu, and we won't against a team like Texas. Much as I want to believe Steve Harley is a point guard, he's not. He's more of a two guard, and we're a headless team without Cookie. If we want any shot to pull the upset, Cookie must play and he must play well. Also our best pure free throw shooter, too.
Watch out for Sek Henry. Kind of a versatile 2/3 type player who can slash and score and also hit an occasional three. He wasn't playing well early in the conference season but in recent games has stepped up.
One thing Texas will have to watch for, aside from Cookie, is Nebraska on the offensive glass. Nebraska doesn't have a lot of big bodies, but they'll crash in and go after loose balls. The emergence of backup Chris Balham has contributed mightily to our rebounding.
Two things give me hope to make this game a good ballgame. One is the defense. Nebraska plays hard-hat, lunchbucket defense. In seven of our last ten games, the opponent has failed to score 70 points in the game. Also, Nebraska will try to make you a jumpshooting team in this game. Five of the eight teams that have beaten us in conference have shot 40 percent or better from the three point line in the game.
The other thing that gives me some hope is that Nebraska will be patient and take smart shots in this game. We have to because, quite simply, we don't have a lot of shooters on this team...evidenced by the fact that we've failed to reach 70 in three of the four games in our recent surge. But in each of the four games, we've shot 50 percent or better from the field. We're a patient team that typically takes high percentage shots. What hurt us against Oklahoma State were careless, stupid turnovers. Had 19 in that game, six above our season average.
But in sum, I just think Texas has too many weapons. For Nebraska to win this game, they must have Cookie Miller play and play well, they must pound the glass, and they must keep Texas out of the lane and beat them with jumpshots. A tall, tall order indeed. Close first half because Nebraska will try early to make Texas a jumpshooting team but Augustin makes the plays in the second half to pull away late.
Texas 67, Nebraska 55.
I'll preface this by saying Texas should probably win this game. Too many offensive weapons for the Horns, and we struggle to get out of the 60 point range.
That said, here's what you can expect Tuesday night.
Our big man is still Aleks Maric, or Big Al, as we like to call him. I've been incredibly impressed by his development. Whe he first started here, he was notorious for not finishing around the rim. He's much better at that, and he can now also go to the free throw line and knock em down. I'm honestly surprised Doc doesn't put him in at the end of games...kind of like a Yao Ming lite situation. Mighty inviting target to throw the ball to, and the way he's been shooting em in conference, I'd get him the ball.
I think he'd have a hard time making it in the NBA though. Much of his action comes in the paint, and a lot of big men these days have to step out and hit jumpshots in the league.
Nebraska will not win this game without Cookie Miller (5'7 point guard who suffered a shoulder injury in the A&M game). We got away with his absence against Oklahoma, but we didn't in a conference road game at oSu, and we won't against a team like Texas. Much as I want to believe Steve Harley is a point guard, he's not. He's more of a two guard, and we're a headless team without Cookie. If we want any shot to pull the upset, Cookie must play and he must play well. Also our best pure free throw shooter, too.
Watch out for Sek Henry. Kind of a versatile 2/3 type player who can slash and score and also hit an occasional three. He wasn't playing well early in the conference season but in recent games has stepped up.
One thing Texas will have to watch for, aside from Cookie, is Nebraska on the offensive glass. Nebraska doesn't have a lot of big bodies, but they'll crash in and go after loose balls. The emergence of backup Chris Balham has contributed mightily to our rebounding.
Two things give me hope to make this game a good ballgame. One is the defense. Nebraska plays hard-hat, lunchbucket defense. In seven of our last ten games, the opponent has failed to score 70 points in the game. Also, Nebraska will try to make you a jumpshooting team in this game. Five of the eight teams that have beaten us in conference have shot 40 percent or better from the three point line in the game.
The other thing that gives me some hope is that Nebraska will be patient and take smart shots in this game. We have to because, quite simply, we don't have a lot of shooters on this team...evidenced by the fact that we've failed to reach 70 in three of the four games in our recent surge. But in each of the four games, we've shot 50 percent or better from the field. We're a patient team that typically takes high percentage shots. What hurt us against Oklahoma State were careless, stupid turnovers. Had 19 in that game, six above our season average.
But in sum, I just think Texas has too many weapons. For Nebraska to win this game, they must have Cookie Miller play and play well, they must pound the glass, and they must keep Texas out of the lane and beat them with jumpshots. A tall, tall order indeed. Close first half because Nebraska will try early to make Texas a jumpshooting team but Augustin makes the plays in the second half to pull away late.
Texas 67, Nebraska 55.
