Welcome to Husker Heartbeat - a sampling of links and quick wit to start your morning! Keep checking each morning, Monday-Friday, for new links! We look for the offbeat as well as the straightforward - so don’t just think of us as a typical link farm!

A quick abbreviation key FYI: OWH=Omaha World-Herald, LJS=Lincoln Journal-Star, CN=Corn Nation, BRN=Big Red Network, HI=Huskers Illustrated, BRR=Big Red Report. If we need to add more - we will. Others, like ESPN, are self-explanatory.

BRN knows it’s March…but they want to talk October, and whether Bo Pelini can tackle those midseason blues. It’s a fair question, but NU spent the midseasons of 2008 and 2009 tinkering with the defense and offense, respectively, You’d think, by 2010, the schemes and identities are in place. You’d hope.

The LJS crew talks Big 12 spring camps.

More tales of loyalty from the Nebraska women’s basketball team.

The prospects of Oregon’s 2011 season may hinge on whether head coach Chip Kelly boots or suspends several of his best players. He’ll announce his decision Friday. Here’s a primer.

Wonderlic quarterbacks scores are out…and Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford leads the way.

Permanent Link to this Blog Post

After a surprising 75-60 win over Missouri on Wednesday, NU's bid for a second-straight upset hinges on these five factors:

Attack: Unlike Mizzou's extending pressure defense, Texas A&M's prefers to defend at or just below the 3-point line. That means NU's guards - specifically Lance Jeter, Ryan Anderson and Sek Henry - have to dive into the, create kick out opportunities and draw fouls.

Munich Man: Christian Standhardinger rode the bench for the entire Missouri game, but the German import's offensive game should be more effective against the Aggies. Look for head coach Doc Sadler to give him quality, if not extensive, minutes.

Sek's Trek: Henry, along with Brandon Richardson, will most likely draw the defensive assignment of guard Donald Sloan - a controlled, smart guard with one of the Big 12's best mid-range games. Henry has to play Sloan tightly without fouling. Sloan uses his body wisely, and gets a lot of calls.

Wipe the Glass: A&M is likely to abuse Nebraska on the defensive boards - so offensive execution is a must. Where NU has to battle is in keeping the Aggies off the offensive boards. Eight or less would be an accomplishment and recipe for victory.

Don't Settle in Transition: Nebraska did an excellent job of controlling tempo vs. Missouri by pulling the ball out for long possessions. A&M is just the opposite: Push the slower, more methodical Aggies, and don't let them set up their strong interior defense.

Permanent Link to this Blog Post

One of the biggest upsets in Big 12 Tournament history was the game head coach Doc Sadler has been waiting all conference season for his Nebraska men’s basketball team to play.

Faced with the long odds of winning four games in four days in Kansas City, the 12th-seeded Cornhuskers improbably - and impressively - took the first step with a 75-60 trouncing of fifth-seeded Missouri in Wednesday afternoon’s opening round at the Sprint Center, which spent most of the second half moaning in frustration and disbelief.

“Our guys understand there’s not much room between their back and the wall,” Sadler said. “We’ve got to come out and give everything we’ve got and see what happens.”

Well, one game down, with No. 4 seed Texas A&M on deck Thursday at 2 p.m.

For Wednesday night, Nebraska could enjoy being the second No. 12 seed in league history to win a game. Colorado needed double overtime to beat Baylor in 2008.

No such thing for NU, which never trailed, used a 16-1 run to bust open the game, and repeatedly made shots - often with the shot clock salting away - to keep the Tigers at bay.

“They pressured us and we executed offensively,” said senior guard Ryan Anderson, who scored 16 points and grabbed nine rebounds.

The biggest dagger was sophomore guard Brandon Richardson’s 4-point play with 3:36 left to pad the lead back to 14 when Mizzou had cut it to ten. The shot broke six-minute dry spell that the Huskers often seem to suffer. Fortunately for Nebraska, Missouri suffered through it, too.

“Our perimeter defense was pretty good,” Sadler said. “Therefore they missed some shots, and we were able to hold them down on offensive rebounds…I don’t think we can play much better defense.”

After pitching a bunk in the basement of the Big 12 with a 2-14 record - and ending the regular season with pitiable, double-digit thumpings to Colorado and Oklahoma State - NU played with pluck, patience and controlled aggression while Missouri (22-10 overall) settled for bad jumpers and pleaded for bail-out calls from the officials.

The Huskers (15-17) had four players in double figures, led by Richardson’s 19. They outrebounded the smaller Tigers 38-22 and held them to 34 percent shooting. Grabbing loose balls - of which there were many - is typically a Missouri specialty, but Nebraska held its own.

NU also busted Mizzou’s press enough to get open 3-pointers for Eshaunte Jones and Anderson and layups for center Jorge Brian Diaz, who alternately slipped behind screens at both the top of key and the baseline for 10 total points. When Diaz was flanked, the 6-foot-11 freshman found shooters three different times for 3-pointers. The last of them was Richardson’s rainbow late in the game.

“That’s a credit to Brian,” Richardson said. “They committed two guys to him, he kicked it out, I made a shot.”

See also: Five Keys to Texas A&M

Permanent Link to this Blog Post

Guess what? Nebraska's basketball team has a remote chance vs. banged-up Missouri at the Sprint Center. Here's how:

Dish to Diaz: With the season-ending injury to Missouri forward Justin Safford and a wrist injury that may limit forward Lawrence Bowers, minutes, NU center Jorge Brian Diaz must bring his "A" game. And Nebraska must make a concerted effort to get him the ball.

Outside/In: In two losses to Mizzou, Nebraska has allowed shooters Miguel Paul and Marcus Denmon to sink far too many open shots. NU has to deny the long jumpers and make the Tigers earn their points. If it gets physical, so be it. NU has the fouls to burn.

Board Battle: Missouri is beatable in the rebounding department, and Nebraska has to protect and eat glass with ferocity. Guards Lance Jeter, Ryan Anderson and Sek Henry need to have big afternoons.

Plan for a 40-minute game, not a 28-minute one: Too often this year, Nebraska checks out of its offensive gameplan - which should be to feed Diaz the ball as much as possible - to chuck up ill-advised 3-pointers the minute an opponent gets a small lead. For once Wednesday - do the opposite. Work, work, work for openings inside, and let Diaz kick out as necessary. He's a good enough passer to do it. NU doesn't immediately have to resort to panic mode.

Create some turnovers: Nebraska has to give Mizzou a dose of its own medicine with stingy defense. NU hasn't played great defense in...some time. Possibly since the Oklahoma game earlier this year. The Huskers are due for it.

Permanent Link to this Blog Post

Welcome to Husker Heartbeat - a sampling of links and quick wit to start your morning! Keep checking each morning, Monday-Friday, for new links! We look for the offbeat as well as the straightforward - so don’t just think of us as a typical link farm!

A quick abbreviation key FYI: OWH=Omaha World-Herald, LJS=Lincoln Journal-Star, CN=Corn Nation, BRN=Big Red Network, HI=Huskers Illustrated, BRR=Big Red Report. If we need to add more - we will. Others, like ESPN, are self-explanatory.

*A terrific LJS story about the bonds of friendship and how it kept Kelsey Griffin at Nebraska. Griffin is a rarity - a smart, mature player who nevertheless enjoys life like a kid might.

*Mike Anderson is making plenty of demands of his young team. He needs to. Nebraska has five easy, winnable home games before a series at Texas - where NU needs to be pragmatic, and take two.

*Much as the Holiday Bowl continues to haunt Arizona- chalk that up to uber-intense coach Mike Stoops, who has a hard time letting things go - offensive coordinator Shawn Watson continues to call it a springboard.

CN breaks down the Big 12 schedules.

*BRN examines the value of JUCO offensive linemen at Nebraska.

*OWH’s Lee B talks a lot of Husker hoops in a recent chat. He’s still firmly behind Doc Sadler as NU’s head coach. So are we…for one more year.

Permanent Link to this Blog Post

It’s time for the Big 12 Men’s Basketball Tournament from the Sprint Center in Kansas City - in our parlance, the Phone Dome - and Husker Locker is breaking down the seeds and the players who will matter. At the end, we’ll make our picks, too! Enjoy!

Seed Report

No. 1 Kansas (29-2) The Big 12’s Tiffany program has developed a hard edge in the Bill Self era and a sixth sense for winning tight games. Guard Sherron Collins knows when to attack a vulnerable opponent on the ropes, and center Cole Aldrich adjusts more shots than he blocks, which is plenty. If freshman shooter Xavier Henry is knocking down his 3-pointers, KU morphs into a pick-your-poison squad.

No. 2 Kansas State (24-6) Ignore that loss to Iowa State in the Big 12 season finale; the Wildcats are built for a Phone Dome run so long as the referee’s whistles keep tweeting consistently. KSU shoots more than 30 free throws per game; at that rate, you can afford to make only 66 percent of them. Tough draw with Oklahoma State in the quarterfinals; lose there, and Kansas State could drop as far as a four seed.

No. 3 Baylor (24-6) The Bears claw out more than seven blocks a game. The BU crew can score - but its secret to success is defensive rebounds and the aforementioned block party. Forwards Ekpe Udoh and Quincy Acy can match up with any frontcourt in the league.

No. 4 Texas A&M (22-8) A quick check of the stats reveals little about the success of this team; the Aggies are in the middle of the pack of nearly every category, and don’t lead any of them. A&M simply wins close games, and has the advantage of a go-to player (guard Donald Sloan) that other Big 12 teams don’t enjoy. The very definition of a sum being greater than its parts.

No. 5 Missouri (22-9) The Tigers probably stamped their Big Dance ticket with an overtime win over Iowa State last Wednesday, but they’d like to leave nothing to chance in an opening-round game against stinker Nebraska. Mizzou would sorely love a third game against KU at a neutral site; to get there, Tiger guards must perfect their drive-and-kick style over two preparatory games.

No. 6 Texas (23-8) The Longhorns are doing a swan dive into a empty pool in the last two months with a 6-8 record; UT has forgotten how to feed its best player, Damion James, with the ball consistently. Hey - that’s what you get when Rick Barnes merely wants to act as a conveyor belt to the NBA. Texas should slay Iowa State - although the Cyclones seem to have found a little life in these final weeks - but Baylor, which awaits in the quarterfinals, is not a good matchup.

No. 7 Oklahoma State (21-9) The games aren’t being played inside Gallagher-Iba Arena, so OSU will have to, you know, man up a bit in the Phone Dome. With James Anderson, newly minted player of the year, anything is possible. With OSU’s so-so defense and effort, anything is possible in the other direction, too.

No. 8 Colorado (15-15) Defense-optional against just about every ball club other than Nebraska, the Buffaloes would like a two-day stay in KC, which means beating Texas Tech in the first round, then losing honorably to Kansas in the quarterfinals. Such a combo probably gives CU an outside shot at an NIT berth. The Buffs are a three-man team, essentially, of Cory Higgins, Alec Burks and Marcus Relphorde complimented by some good ball-handlers and shooters. Colorado shoots 77 percent at the free throw line - a league best.

No. 9 Texas Tech (16-14) We hardly got to know Pat Knight; if the Red Raiders lose their eighth straight game to end the season, there’s a chance the Knight Era in Lubbock is over. Tech lacks the athletes to play good defense, but the motion offense always seems to create shots and points. Should be a fun matchup with CU.

No. 10 Oklahoma (13-17) Little could revive the Sooners at this point. OU’s talented freshmen are burnt to a crisp - still playing but getting less effective with the day. Star guard Willie Warren hasn’t played in a month. Oklahoma is DOA in KC. Big loss to Oklahoma State awaits head coach Jeff Capel.

No. 11 Iowa State (15-16) ISU has a pulse! The Cyclones took Missouri to the wire and beat Kansas State in Manhattan in the last week, so Texas can’t go to sleep on Curtis Brackins and Marquis Gilstrap. Iowa State isn’t deep enough to win two games in a row, but for a single-shot wonder, one never knows.

No. 12 Nebraska (14-17) NU could not have drawn a better first-round opponent, really, than Missouri, a team small enough to exploit, playing a style that Doc Sadler’s teams have unlocked in the past. Does Nebraska have one upset in it? One? If so - Sadler will get some of the criticism off his back. The Huskers have to shoot lights out to win - but that is possible.

Five Game-Changers

Sherron Collins, Kansas: He’ll be a more valuable pro than he is college player, but Collins is absolutely the best player in Kansas City with the shot or game clock running down.

Denis Clemente, Kansas State: He can create his own 3-point in the time it takes a hummingbird to flap its wings. The bigger question is: Will he make the shot? Clemente lacks a conscience, so he’ll keep shooting, and shooting, and shooting.

James Anderson, Oklahoma State: When he’s on, he goes off for 30 points, and there’s not much stopping him. He can change the way an opposing defense attacks OSU, and when that happens, Anderson’s teammates benefit the most.

Zaire Taylor, Missouri: When the Tigers need a clutch basket, the ball magically appears in Taylor’s hands to take it. He is neither Mizzou’s best offensive or defensive player. But, in a pinch, he gets the big looks.

Epke Udoh, Baylor: Unlike Kansas’ Cole Aldrich, Udoh gets a number of his blocks away from the basket, closing out on shooters. Averaging four blocks per game and altering many more shots, Udoh is an effective deterrent to perimeter teams.

Five Wild Cards

Marquis Gilstrap, Iowa State: Opposing teams can limit Curtis Brackins, but not if forward Gilstrap is rattling home 3-pointers. When he’s hot, ISU becomes a load to handle. Plus - he’s the Big 12’s most aggressive rebounder. Not necessarily the best - but the most aggressive.

Marcus Denmon, Missouri: This 42 percent 3-point shooter has to be marked everywhere on the floor. Look track of him, and pay the price.

Curtis Kelly, Kansas State: With enough talent to take over when he chooses to, Kelly is a frustrating enigma who bursts for three or four minutes at a time, then retreats back into the woodwork. If he realized his potential in the Big 12, and NCAA Tournaments, KSU is top five team.

Marcus Morris, Kansas: The garbage man, who scores a lot off of offensive rebounds. He’s more consistent than a wild card, but, on some nights, he’s KU’s best player.

Avery Bradley, Texas: One of those talented UT freshmen who’s likely to make the leap to the NBA after this year or next. He’s mostly a stand-up shooter, but he possesses strong passer abilities, too, when the mood strikes. Some NBA Draft analysts think Bradley’s performance in the postseason may determine whether or not he declares for the Draft.

Favorite: Kansas. No brainer.

DOA: Oklahoma. More than any team, OU has zero hope or interest in this tournament. Nebraska will head to KC more optimistic.

Dark Horse: Oklahoma State. Has there ever been a more dangerous No. 7 seed than OSU? The Cowboys should throttle Oklahoma on opening night, then draw No. 2 seed Kansas State, whom OSU already beat in Manhattan. Any team that has the Big 12 player of the year (James Anderson) can burn through a conference tournament.

Wild Card: Texas. If the talented freshmen wake up from their extended slumber over the last half of the regular season, the wheels are greased for a nice run. Baylor and Kansas State are talented and playing well. But both are beatable.

Best first-round game: Colorado vs. Texas Tech. The Sprint Center will be empty for the opener of the Big 12 Tournament on Wednesday, but there might not be a more entertaining game in the whole party. Expect one team - and maybe both - to hit 90 points.

Worst first-round game: Oklahoma State vs. Oklahoma. It’s going to be ugly, the Cowboys will eventually grind out a double-digit win, and OU will limp home.

Best Potential Quarterfinal Game: Kansas State vs. Oklahoma State. Especially considering OSU beat the Wildcats in Manhattan. Two of the more athletic teams in the Big 12.

Our Picks

First round
Colorado 95 Texas Tech 90
Missouri 69 Nebraska 60
Oklahoma State 72 Oklahoma 59
Texas 80 Iowa State 69

Quarterfinals
Kansas 92 Colorado 69
Kansas State 67 Oklahoma State 65
Baylor 78 Texas 74
Missouri 69 Texas A&M 63

Semifinals
Kansas 73 Missouri 69
Baylor 70 Kansas State 66

Finals
Kansas 85 Baylor 77

Tournament MVP: Sherron Collins, Kansas

Permanent Link to this Blog Post

Welcome to Husker Heartbeat - a sampling of links and quick wit to start your morning! Keep checking each morning, Monday-Friday, for new links! We look for the offbeat as well as the straightforward - so don’t just think of us as a typical link farm!

A quick abbreviation key FYI: OWH=Omaha World-Herald, LJS=Lincoln Journal-Star, CN=Corn Nation, BRN=Big Red Network, HI=Huskers Illustrated, BRR=Big Red Report. If we need to add more - we will. Others, like ESPN, are self-explanatory.

Cool? Cool!

*Joba Chamberlain’s two-year-old documentary, produced by the New York Yankees, finally gets aired on NET Tuesday night. And Celtic Thunder on Friday!

*LJS’ Steve Sipple applauds the work of Connie Yori, tracing at least some of her success to closing practice. This presumes, of course, that anybody before this season was all that interested in watching. Sorry for the jab, but six spectators in the caverns of the Devaney Sports Center wouldn’t make one lick of difference to the excellence of this team. Open practices don’t appear to hurt the Nebraska volleyball team, either.

*Big 12 Commish Dan Beebe isn’t necessarily married to keeping the Big 12 football Championship in Dallas every year. Nebraska fans may prefer this, but we don’t - unless a different site other than the frigid Kansas City is found.

*You want to know what the Nebraska’s women’s basketball team is up against in the NCAA Tournament? Nothing less the greatest dynasty in women’s college basketball. Hooray! Time the strike the Philistine, eh?

*ESPN’s Joe Schad put out his list of 100 college football players to watch for 2010. Jared Crick weighs in at No. 30. He’s the only Husker on the list. Oklahoma, meanwhile, has six players. So pencil in OU for the national title, we guess. There isn’t an offensive lineman on the list, and only four defensive linemen, so it’s eminently clear Schad did copious research on the topic.

Permanent Link to this Blog Post

Welcome to Husker Heartbeat - a sampling of links and quick wit to start your morning! Keep checking each morning, Monday-Friday, for new links! We look for the offbeat as well as the straightforward - so don’t just think of us as a typical link farm!

A quick abbreviation key FYI: OWH=Omaha World-Herald, LJS=Lincoln Journal-Star, CN=Corn Nation, BRN=Big Red Network, HI=Huskers Illustrated, BRR=Big Red Report. If we need to add more - we will. Others, like ESPN, are self-explanatory.

Cool? Cool!

*We pistol-whipped this Suh backlash story more than a month ago; good to see some police backup finally arrive in the form of OWH’s Dirk Chatelain, who writes to trust your eyes on the Suh vs. Gerald McCoy debate.

*Alex Gordon busts up his thumb sliding into second base and is out 3-4 weeks. The Royals, already on pen-pal terms with their most talented player, are thrilled, I’m sure.

*Bo Pelini and Shawn Watson praise Texas defensive coordinator Will Muschamp. In other news, squirrels harvest nuts. Nice tidbit about Brandon Kinnie settling into the No. 2 wide receiver role, though.

*Texas finishes its fifth spring practice; here’s highlights and a spotlight on new QB Garrett Gilbert.

*K-State’s basketball union boss, Frank Martin, finally gets that contract extension. Now he can bolt for the coast when the first good Big East job opens up. After, say, Rick Pitino closes down the restaurant in Louisville?

Permanent Link to this Blog Post

Big 12 Rankings as we head into the final stretch:

1. Kansas (27-2 overall and 13-1 in the Big 12) The end of the season suddenly becomes quite interesting for the Jayhawks, who must beat Kansas State at home (not an easy mark) or Missouri on the road (even harder) to guarantee sole possession of the regular-season Big 12 Championship. KU’s defense plum stunk in a 85-77 loss to Oklahoma State; the Cowboys hit 60 percent of their shots. Six turnovers from Sherron Collins didn’t help, either. KU is still, in our view, the nation’s best team. But Syracuse is right there.

2. Kansas State (24-4 and 11-3) Kicked its defense up a couple notches against Missouri on Saturday and iced the Tigers in the second half with timely offense. It’s perfectly conceivable the Wildcats are still in the running for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. And KSU doesn’t have a dedicated practice facility outside of Bramlage Coliseum - Ahearn Fieldhouse is roughly the equivalent of the NU Coliseum - or a particularly new arena. And yet the Wildcats are doing it with solid recruiting and exhaustive defense.

3. Baylor (22-6 and 9-5) The Bears are going to win out, I sense, and control that No. 3 seed for the Big 12 Tournament. From there, Epke Udoh and Co. can do quite a bit of damage. This is a sleeper team with offense to burn, and a big-time shot blocker in the middle. Built for a Big Dance run.

4. Texas A&M (20-8 and 9-5) Thumped Texas going away, 74-58 on Saturday after a tight loss to Baylor on Wednesday. Kudos to Aggies coach Mark Turgeon, who’s squeezed more than I figured he would out of this talent pool. A&M has a few pieces, but sniffing 23-25 wins after losing Derrick Roland in December is noteworthy. The Big 12 coach of the year is KSU’s Frank Martin, but Turgeon isn’t far behind.

5. Missouri (21-8 and 9-5) Got Kansas State on an awful shooting night Saturday, and couldn’t take advantage of it, losing 63-53 in a reasonably non-competitive second half. Without Justin Safford, who tore his ACL last week, Mizzou’s guards must get to the foul line more often, and free open looks at the 3-point line - not merely the contested shots the Tigers are getting.

6. Oklahoma State (20-8 and 8-6) The Cowboys are in the NCAA Tournament now after knocking off No. 1 Kansas. Add that victory to wins over tourney-bound Baylor, Kansas State and Texas A&M, you have a good enough resume for the decision committee. OSU can score with just about any team; the Pokes remind me of that Missouri squad featuring Kareem Rush years ago that made it to the Elite Eight. Meanwhile, James Anderson has arguably the league's player of the year award. Although the Cowboys have several nice pieces, this is a 15-win team with Anderson's versatile game.

7. Texas (22-7 and 8-6) Free-falling…UT is in no jeopardy of missing the Big Dance - non-conference wins over Pittsburgh and Michigan State all but assure that - but the freshmen are starting to hit a wall. The Longhorns may have lost one of them J’Covan Brown, to a neck injury, while Avery Bradley and Jordan Hamilton still take too many shots - and hit too few of them - for their own good. Coach Rick Barnes is a great recruiter. But he doesn’t always marshal that talent into something greater.

8. Colorado (13-15 and 4-10) The Buffaloes are running out of gas - beatdowns at Missouri and Kansas prove that - but they still mustered enough offense to beat Iowa State Saturday 75-72. CU can smell six league wins, and will play hard at Nebraska Tuesday.

9. Texas Tech (16-12 and 4-10) The Red Raiders had Nebraska down for the count in the second half, and let the Huskers up off the canvas with shoddy defense and poor shot selection. I’d like to have point guard John Roberson, though. He’s a keeper. Can you believe this team was once ranked earlier in the year?

10. Iowa State (14-15 and 3-11) Wouldn’t it be funny if ISU put a scare in Missouri’s NCAA Tourney hopes with an upset win on Senior Night? Don’t plan on it. Only Nebraska brings out the best in the Cyclones.

11. Oklahoma (13-15 and 4-10) Penthouse to outhouse in one year. Welcome to college basketball. And OU has more talent that half of the teams in the league.

12. Nebraska (14-15 and 2-12) Four league wins is still possible, especially if Oklahoma State feels like mailing in Saturday’s game in preparation for the Big 12 Tournament. That’s what it’s going to take to crawl out of the Big 12 basement and put OU in it.

THE BREAKDOWN (before you freak out, it'll be updated each week)

NCAA Tournament: Kansas, Kansas State, Texas A&M, Missouri, Baylor, Texas, Oklahoma State

NCAA Bubble: None

NIT: None

Uphill: Oklahoma, Iowa State, Colorado, Nebraska, Texas Tech

ALL-LEAGUE TEAM
G: Sherron Collins/Kansas
G: James Anderson/Oklahoma State
G: Donald Sloan/Texas A&M
F: Damion James/Texas
C: Ekpe Udoh/Baylor

Player of the Year: Anderson
Newcomer of the Year: Udoh
Freshman of the Year: Alec Burks/Colorado
Coach of the Year: Frank Martin/Kansas State

Permanent Link to this Blog Post

Big 12 rankings through Monday’s games:

1. Kansas (27-1 overall, 13-0 in the Big 12) Best KU team ever? On paper, I’d argue no. The 1997 team, featuring Paul Pierce, Raef LaFrentz and Jacque Vaughn which bowed out in the Sweet 16, remains the gold standard in a one-game vacuum. But these Jayhawks are both unpredictable - you never quite know where the scoring will come from- and predictably clutch, as well. Kansas will coast through next week until Mar. 3, when it hosts Kansas State.

2. Kansas State (22-4 and 9-3) Denis Clemente is averaging 22 points over the last five games. KSU’s point guard is getting hot at the right time. The Wildcats’ defense is tailing off a bit in recent weeks. I suspect we’ll see a rededication in upcoming weeks as the KU game and the Big 12 Tournament closes in. Is KSU the sixth-best team in America, though? Yes. Maybe, As much depth and athleticism as any team not named Kansas.

3. Texas A&M (19-7 and 8-4) The Aggies just barely avoided an ugly loss at Iowa State, but that’s been the theme of the Big 12 season for the league’s most surprising team. A&M lives and dies on getting to the line (27 times per game) and offensive rebounds (12 per game). You can do a lot worse than winning those two categories night in and night out.

4. Missouri (20-7 and 8-4) The Tigers still aren’t ranked despite punking Texas on Wednesday and losing by just two to Baylor last week. What in the world gives? Mizzou is once again headed to the NCAA Tournament. Mike Anderson looks like he’s here to stay in the Big 12 for some time.

5. Baylor (20-6 and 7-5) The Bears have the Big 12 South’s most favorable closing schedule (A&M at home, at Tech and Oklahoma, Texas at home). If BU runs the table on those four games - I’d bet on it - it’s likely to be the No. 3 seed in the Big 12 Tournament, and away from Kansas’ side of the bracket.

6. Texas (21-6 and 7-5) UT lost point guard Dogus Balbay - potentially for the season - to a knee injury Saturday in a narrow win over Texas Tech. The Longhorns are more dysfunctional and broken than their record would suggest. This team could easily be a first-round casualty in the Big 12 Tournament, much less the NCAA Tournament.

7. Oklahoma State (19-7 and 7-5) OSU coach Travis Ford thinks the Pokes unofficially qualified for the NCAA Tournament with a win over Baylor on Saturday. Eh, we’ll see. OSU is looking at games Texas and Texas A&M, plus a game with Kansas, before finishing with Nebraska. Don’t be surprised if OSU heads into that NU game with a 19-10 overall record and a 7-8 look in the Big 12. Kudos to James Anderson, though. He has to be All Big 12 at this point with his 31 points on Saturday.

8. Texas Tech (16-10 and 4-8) Pat Knight will get one more season after this one in Lubbock. The Red Raiders right hard at home, but there just isn’t enough defense to go around.

9. Colorado (12-14 and 3-9) Beat Oklahoma last week, but continues to get scored on at will by the league’s upper half. The Buffaloes need a few more pieces - especially in the front court - to even think about a top-division finish these days.

10. Oklahoma (13-14 and 4-9) If OU wins again this season, color me stunned.

11. Iowa State (13-14 and 2-10) Other than ISU’s win at NU nearly one month ago, there isn’t anything separating the two teams, really. The Cyclones’ future looks bleak.

12. Nebraska (13-14 and 1-11) Should have 3 or 4 league wins by now; I honestly believe that. And Wednesday at Kansas State should have been one of them.

THE BREAKDOWN (before you freak out, it'll be updated each week)

NCAA Tournament: Kansas, Kansas State, Texas A&M, Missouri, Baylor, Texas

NCAA Bubble: Oklahoma State

NIT: Texas Tech

Uphill: Oklahoma, Iowa State, Colorado, Nebraska

ALL-LEAGUE TEAM
G: Sherron Collins/Kansas
G: James Anderson/Oklahoma State
F: Damion James/Texas
F: Marcus Morris/Kansas
C: Ekpe Udoh/Baylor

Player of the Year: Morris
Newcomer of the Year: Udoh
Freshman of the Year: Tommy Mason-Griffin,/Oklahoma
Coach of the Year: Frank Martin/Kansas State

Permanent Link to this Blog Post

No. 1 Kansas (25-1, 10-0) What a money win over Texas A&M Monday night. KU appears headed for a Final Four - or the typical Jayhawk heartbreak that frequently occurred under Roy Williams. We’re better on the former.

No. 2 Kansas State (20-4 and 7-3) I fully expect KSU to win its next four games, setting up a contest at Kansas on March 3. If only the Wildcats had closed the deal two weeks ago, that game would likely be for the league title.

3. Texas A&M (18-7 and 7-4) The Aggies have revealed themselves, after an ugly loss at Kansas State nearly a month ago, to be a tough out. There are just enough pieces in place for a Sweet Sixteen run. But nobody can get hurt.

No. 4 Baylor (19-5 and 6-4) The Bears get the nod over UT and Mizzou because they own victories over both. Baylor’s backcourt appears to be wearing down a little bit, though. We’ll see how they hold up down the stretch. BU’s frontcourt is among the league’s best.

No. 5 Texas (20-5 and 6-4) That thrashing of Nebraska seems to indicate UT righted the ship with a couple extra practices. As goes Texas’ talented freshmen, so goes Texas.

No. 6 Missouri (18-7 and 6-4) Right where the Tigers want to be, heading into a home game with Texas on Wednesday. Mizzou will have to battle on the boards, but it should own the backcourt. This is a dangerous tourney team.

No. 7 Oklahoma State (17-7 and 5-5) Beating a shorthanded, pathetic OU team 97-76 on Saturday isn’t worth much. Don’t be stunned if the Pokes lay an egg in Ames this week. OSU needs three more wins to get on the right side of the NCAA Tournament bubble. It’ll go down to the wire.

No. 8 Texas Tech (16-8 and 4-6) Stunningly, the Red Raiders wormed their way back into the NIT race with surprising wins over Oklahoma State and Oklahoma. The fever dream ended with a heartbreaker loss at home to Texas A&M. A game at Baylor, then a hosting of Texas, will test TTU’s meddle. At least they can score. We know that.

No. 9 Oklahoma (13-11 and 4-6) OK, you can count the Sooners out now. Shoplifting some swag from Dillard’s will do that.

No. 10 Iowa State (13-12 and 2-8) The Cyclones just don’t have the horses to compete on the road, hence losses at Missouri and Kansas. It’s fairly impossible to be optimistic about ISU coach Greg McDermott after this season. The talent is about to fly the coop.

No. 11 Colorado (11-13 and 2-8) The remaining schedule is favorable enough for five league wins. But the Buffaloes will have to play better, tougher defense to achieve it. Kansas State and Missouri both had too much athleticism and sauce for CU last week.

No. 12 Nebraska (13-12 and 1-9) NU had Baylor, and botched the final 90 seconds of the game. Then the Husker train derailed in Austin. Nebraska really needs a hot shooting night, but one doesn’t seem forthcoming.

THE BREAKDOWN (before you freak out, it'll be updated each week)

NCAA Tournament: Kansas, Kansas State, Texas A&M, Missouri, Baylor, Texas

NCAA Bubble: Oklahoma State

NIT: Texas Tech

Uphill: Oklahoma, Iowa State, Colorado, Nebraska

ALL-LEAGUE TEAM
G: Sherron Collins/Kansas
G: James Anderson/Oklahoma State
F: Damion James/Texas
F: Marcus Morris/Kansas
C: Ekpe Udoh/Baylor

Player of the Year: Morris
Newcomer of the Year: Udoh
Freshman of the Year: Tommy Mason-Griffin,/Oklahoma
Coach of the Year: Frank Martin/Kansas State

Permanent Link to this Blog Post

Our Big 12 basketball rankings as conference season hits its stride:

1. Kansas (23-1 overall and 9-0 in the Big 12) Marcus Morris is making a serious charge for Big 12 Player of the Year, and no, I’m not kidding. He’s averaging 18 points and eight rebounds in league play, was the difference in Monday night’s win over Texas, and, unlike teammate Sherron Collins, he’s been consistent in every game. He’s also shooting better than 60 percent from the floor. KU stumbles - but always recovers. It’s the Jayhawks and Syracuse, in my book, for the nation’s best team.

2. Kansas State (19-4 and 6-3) Humiliated Nebraska and hung on at Iowa State. Two nice road wins for a team that can win in a variety of ways. And Denis Clemente (26.5 points per game last week) appears to be finding the 3-point stroke.

3. Texas A&M (17-6, 6-3) The Aggies made their move last week, busting Missouri’s home-court winning streak before Kansas got a chance to do it, then knocking off Baylor in a Waco grudge match. A&M leapt off the Big Dance bubble and now get a week off before heading to Texas Tech.

4. Missouri (17-6, 5-3) Still don’t like Mizzou’s stagnant offense, but the Tigers create so much fury with their defense, it doesn’t much matter. It’s a broken record, but Missouri needs more from forwards Keith Ramsey and Justin Safford down the stretch. A combined 14.5 points per game from that talented duo isn’t enough.

5. Baylor (17-5 and 4-4) Can’t haggle much over a road loss to a surging A&M team. The Bears still have an inside-outside balance of scoring to outweigh spotty defense. Big test at Nebraska coming up.

6. Oklahoma (13-9 and 4-4) The Sooners are close to getting hot down the stretch if Willie Warren can get healthy for a second-half run. Don’t count OU out of anything yet.

7. Texas (19-5 and 5-4) UT has fallen apart in two straight games. A 80-71 loss at Oklahoma was not close. An 80-68 loss at home to Kansas wasn’t either. Too many bad shots. Too many turnovers. Too many freshmen. Not enough attention paid to the post game.

8. Oklahoma State (16-7 and 4-5) Penthouse to outhouse with three straight losses, the worst of them a 81-74 setback at Texas Tech. Try as he might, James Anderson can’t do it all. Must-win game vs. OU coming up in Stillwater. Lose that one, and fans start to get a little restless with Travis Ford, who coaches a fun style of offense, but must make these fans accustomed to Eddie Sutton weep on defense.

9. Texas Tech (15-7 and 3-5) One thing about them Red Raiders: They get to the free throw line. Try 27 times per game. And they make 72 percent of those free throws, too. A 36 of 46 performance helped Tech upend OSU.

10. Iowa State (13-10 and 2-6) You wonder how many more years a guy like Greg McDermott gets. ISU has too much positive hoops history to subsist with losing seasons.

11. Colorado (11-12 and 2-7) Kansas gave CU every bricked foul shot necessary to pull the upset last week. The Buffaloes just couldn’t close the deal. Story of Colorado’s season, frankly. Watch out in 2011.

12. Nebraska (13-10 and 1-7) Doc Sadler seems to be figuring out a rotation that will work for his bunch. The second of the Big 12 season could be a pleasant surprise, or at least a trip out of the cellar.

THE BREAKDOWN (before you freak out, it'll be updated each week)

NCAA Tournament: Kansas, Kansas State, Texas A&M, Missouri, Baylor, Texas

NCAA Bubble: Oklahoma State

NIT: Oklahoma

Uphill: Texas Tech, Iowa State, Colorado, Nebraska

ALL-LEAGUE TEAM
G: Sherron Collins/Kansas
G: James Anderson/Oklahoma State
F: Damion James/Texas
F: Marcus Morris/Kansas
C: Ekpe Udoh/Baylor

Player of the Year: Morris
Newcomer of the Year: Udoh
Freshman of the Year: Tommy Mason-Griffin,/Oklahoma
Coach of the Year: Frank Martin/Kansas State

Permanent Link to this Blog Post

Big 12 Rankings in week four of the league season:

1. Kansas (20-1 overall, 6-0 in the Big 12 Conference) The gold standard in the league, the Jayhawks showed more mental toughness than most teams in an 81-79 overtime win at Kansas State. Sherron Collins may not score the most points, but he’s the Chauncey Billups of the league; steady as always - and clutch.

2. Texas (19-3, 5-2) Well, look: This isn’t the great team the 18-0 start led you to believe. It’s pretty young and inexperienced in the backcourt, and coach Rick Barnes struggles to make Damion James a priority in every offensive possession. UT’s biggest problem, on a nightly basis, is its non-committal defense. Not a problem in a nice 72-60 win Monday night at Oklahoma State, but the Longhorns were deadly efficient on offense.

3. Kansas State (17-4, 4-3) Can’t downgrade the Wildcats too much for losing a heartbreaker to the nation’s best team. Still - you get the sense that KSU can’t close the deal in tight games. The Wildcats seemed disorganized and jittery throughout the overtime period vs. KU. And they had all the momentum.

4. Missouri (16-5, 4-2) Not that good - especially on offense, where the Tigers literally stand around in the half court waiting for someone to shoot - but the options at No. 4 are pretty limited, especially considering Mizzou beat KSU and Oklahoma State already. It’s not every night you make 17 3-pointers, like Missouri did vs. OSU.

5. Baylor (16-4, 3-3) Holding steady with guards Tweety Carter and LaceDarius Dunn and center Ekpe Udoh. The win at Texas was one of the biggest in recent Bear history.

6. Oklahoma State (16-6, 4-4) Life on the bubble and from the 3-point line. Beat Kansas State one week, play awful defense vs. Missouri and Texas the next. The Cowboys will be in that throng of “last in, first out” teams.

7. Texas A&M (15-6, 4-3) Huge, winnable game at Missouri Wednesday. The Aggies have the guards to bust the Tigers’ pressure. Will they play the defense? Three home wins over Oklahoma, Colorado and Texas Tech aren’t worth much.

8. Oklahoma (12-9, 3-4) Every year, Nebraska provides an excellent blueprint on how to beat the Sooners, and every year, a lot of teams don’t pay any attention. If OU doesn’t play in the Lloyd Noble, where the baskets are like giant sewers, it probably doesn’t win again this year.

9. Iowa State (13-8, 2-4) The Cyclones got stuck with a ridiculous Big 12 schedule that has them playing six road games in less than a calendar month.

10. Texas Tech (14-7, 2-5) Defense-optional, giving up 75 points per game. Not going to beat many teams with that formula in this league.

11. Colorado (11-10, 2-5) The Buffaloes are one year away from being a NCAA Tournament contender.

12. Nebraska (13-8, 1-5) Tuesday night’s game vs. Kansas State may not seem winnable - but it is.

THE BREAKDOWN (before you freak out, it'll be updated each week)

NCAA Tournament: Kansas, Texas, Baylor, Kansas State, Missouri

NCAA Bubble: Texas A&M, Oklahoma State

NIT: None

Uphill: Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Iowa State, Nebraska, Colorado

ALL-LEAGUE TEAM
G: Sherron Collins/Kansas
G: Tweety Carter/Baylor
F: Damion James/Texas
F: James Anderson/Oklahoma State
C: Ekpe Udoh/Baylor

Player of the Year: Collins
Newcomer of the Year: Udoh
Freshman of the Year: Tommy Mason-Griffin/Oklahoma
Coach of the Year: Frank Martin/Kansas State

Permanent Link to this Blog Post

Our Big 12 basketball rankings as conference season hits its stride:

1. Kansas (16-1, 2-0, beat Nebraska 84-72 and Texas Tech 89-63) The light went on for Marcus Morris, who was a beast this week - 18/7 vs. NU, and 20/8 vs. the Red Raiders. If he stays this hot, that’s just another option for KU. Anything below a No. 1 seed for the Jayhawks would be a disappointment.

2. Kansas State (16-2, 3-1, beat Texas A&M 88-65, Colorado 87-81 and Texas 71-62) Three different wins three different ways. KSU doesn’t win pretty, but it wins, beating some pretty stiff competition in the process. The Wildcats scrap and hustle and score in the paint. They miss free throws, commit odd turnovers and foul too much, as well. And yet, right now, it’s all working. KSU looks like a Big Ten team - say, Michigan State.

3. Texas (17-1, 2-1, beat Iowa State 90-83 and Texas A&M 72-67 in overtime, lost to Kansas State 71-62) As league play begins, UT’s youth and inconsistency is beginning to show. The Longhorns missed 13 free throws and committed 18 turnovers in the loss to K-State, and were lucky beat the Aggies. There’s some major talent on the floor - and equally major potential for error.

4. Missouri (14-4, 2-1, beat Texas Tech 84-79, lost to Oklahoma 66-61) A cold-shooting day kept Mizzou from beating Oklahoma in Norman, but the rousing, exciting win in Lubbock (after blowing a double-digit lead in the last five minutes) more than made up for it. The Tigers need more from forwards Keith Ramsey and Justin Safford.

5. Baylor (14-2, 2-1, lost to Colorado 78-71, beat Oklahoma State 83-70) He’s the beneficiary of Baylor’s strong inside play, but guard LaceDarius Dunn hit 9 of 19 3-pointers during play this week, and averaged 24 points. The Bears can shoot, as evidenced by a 52 percent performance in the win over Okie State. Defense? Not so much.

6. Oklahoma (11-6, 2-1, beat Missouri 66-61) The Sooners scrapped out a couple of home wins with timely shooting and gritty guard play, but OU still turns over the ball too much and doesn’t make enough shots.

7. Texas A&M (12-5, 1-2, lost to Kansas State 88-65 and Texas 72-67 in overtime) The Aggies mailed in the loss to KSU, then blew a game in Austin, going cold during the last 15 minutes of regulation. A&M may struggle to recover from that loss. It’s the kind that can shatter the season.

8. Oklahoma State (13-4, 1-2, lost to Baylor 83-70) Another cold-shooting night in Waco. If OSU can’t shoot, it’s pretty much an automatic loss.

9. Iowa State (12-5, 1-1, lost to Texas 90-83, beat Nebraska 56-53) ISU was lucky to beat Nebraska on a night when NU’s heads weren’t screwed on very tight, but the Cyclones are still destined for a lower-division finish.

10. Colorado (10-7, 1-2, beat Baylor 87-81 and lost to Kansas State) CU allowed Kansas State to head to the free throw line 54 times. That’s an absurd number. The Buffaloes can score, though. Going to Boulder is going to be a pain in the rear in 2010.

11. Texas Tech (12-5, 0-3, lost to Missouri 84-79 and Kansas 89-63) The Red Raiders just can’t play defense; they haven’t given up less than 70 points since Dec. 3. Offense or not, it’s hard to win games like that. Pat Knight’s on the hot seat for the rest of the year, wethinks.

12. Nebraska (12-6, 0-3, lost to Kansas 84-72 and Iowa State 56-53) One of the low moments in recent NU history, because the Huskers had a real chance in both home games, botched both with poor decision-making on the floor and from the bench, and may in the Big 12 cellar for some time now. The front part of the schedule is just too hard.

THE BREAKDOWN (before you freak out, it'll be updated each week)

NCAA Tournament: Texas, Kansas, Baylor, Kansas State and Missouri

NCAA Bubble: Texas A&M, Texas Tech and Oklahoma State

NIT: Iowa State, Oklahoma

Uphill: Nebraska, Colorado

ALL-LEAGUE TEAM
G: Sherron Collins/Kansas
G: LaceDarius Dunn/Baylor
F: Damion James/Texas
F: Craig Brackins/Iowa State
C: Ekpe Udoh/Baylor

Player of the Year: James
Newcomer of the Year: Udoh
Freshman of the Year: Avery Bradley/Texas
Coach of the Year: Frank Martin/Kansas State

Permanent Link to this Blog Post

A second-half swoon. Bad shot selection. An inability to get key stops, or make trips to the free throw line.

Nebraska’s basketball team committed the same costly errors Saturday night that it has much of the season. Coupled with a coaching blunder that Doc Sadler called the worst error of his NU career, the Cornhuskers turned in its ugliest performance of the season, a 56-53 loss to Iowa State that could be an early derailment toward postseason hopes of any kind.

At the very least, it’ll make for a long bye week in and around the Bob Devaney Sports Center.

“I’ve done as bad a job of coaching as you can do because we continue to make the same mistakes,” Sadler said. “...We’re breaking down in the same areas every time.”

Sadler was particularly critical of the Huskers’ shot selection. They made 36 percent of their shots, and took 19 3-pointers - many of them long, off-balance efforts - connecting on just five. They fell behind to ISU 26-14 midway through the first half before staging an 18-5 run with stingy defense against a gassed Cyclone unit.

In the second half, Nebraska made just 1 of 8 3-point attempts, blew a 46-41 lead on bad shots and a five-minute scoring drought, and committed a ghastly turnover on its second-to-last possession when senior Sek Henry dribbled into a double team with no discernible shooting or passing option and lost the ball.

Iowa State led 55-53 with 42 seconds left.

Sadler then chose to let the Cyclones grind the clock for 26 seconds before ISU called a timeout. Then, instead of making Iowa State beat the shot clock, Sadler instructed his team to immediately foul.

But he didn’t know Nebraska had committed only five fouls for the half. So the Huskers had to foul again. NU wasted at least seven seconds - but arguably a half-minute - that it could have used for multiple possessions.

“The mistake that I made in that basketball game was bigger than any mistake a player has made for us in four years,” Sadler said. “I’m very, very upset about it.”

The Huskers still had a chance to tie when ISU guard Lucca Staiger made just 1 of 2 free throws. But Lance Jeter’s final desperation shot was ill-conceived and well short.

For the game, NU attempted only eight free throws. Freshman forwards Brian Diaz and Christian Standhardinger took 20 shots combined, made only four, and didn’t draw a single shooting foul between them. ISU was only whistled for nine fouls in 40 minutes - a reflection of the Huskers’ lack of aggression and their willingness to settle for bad shots.

“Our shot selection, at times, was bad as it can be in this league,” Sadler said.

Senior forward Ryan Anderson took his share of head-scratchers, but made up for it with eight rebounds and five steals, including a deft theft of ISU’s Craig Brackins that gave NU a chance to tie the game in the final minute. He led Nebraska with 13 points, but, biting his lip afterward, had no easy answers for his team's struggles.

“I can’t whip up nothing, man,” Anderson said. “I don’t know, honestly.”

Sadler did and said so - in blunt terms.

“I promise you: There are some guys on that bench that ain’t getting to play - they will do what I ask them,” Sadler said. “We may not be as good. Everybody may think we’re not going to be as good. But we’re going to do what I ask…I got a lot of young guys. And I’ll play them.”

He’ll have a week to tinker. Nebraska doesn’t play again until Jan. 23 - at Missouri.

Until then - welcome to the Big 12 cellar.

Permanent Link to this Blog Post

For a half, by the hair of its Husker chin, Nebraska’s basketball team beat No. 3 Kansas at its own offensive game: A smooth all-court combination of 3-point shooting and savvy post play.

NU led 44-43 as Brandon Richardson’s 3-pointer with two seconds left in the half had capped a stunning 20 minutes of basketball. The Huskers had hit 56 percent of their shots, and 8 of 11 from 3-point territory. They boasted 12 assists. Jorge Brian Diaz - not Kansas’ Cole Aldrich - looked like the all-conference center.

But that beauty had its price. The pace took its toll. For KU is KU.

“You can’t get into a scoring match with Kansas,” head coach Doc Sadler said.

Opting for just a seven-man rotation, Sadler watched as Kansas surged ahead in the second half, survived an eight-point spurt from Richardson, and put away the Huskers with a series of offensive rebounds and second-chance buckets in a 84-72 win Wednesday.

“If they’re going to score in the 80s, you’re not going to win many games,” Sadler said. “And that’s ultimately what happened.”

NU lost its 14th in a row to the Jayhawks. Sadler fell to 0-8 against the only Big 12 team he hasn‘t beaten. It’s his seventh loss to Kansas by double digits.

“I’m tired of losing at home,” Sadler said. “You can’t lose at home to these guys. You gotta beat em. We didn’t.”

For much of the game in front of a raucous, active crowd of 12,510 at Bob Devaney Sports Center, Nebraska (12-5 overall and 0-2 in the Big 12 Conference) matched Kansas (15-1, 1-0) blow for blow. But the Huskers’ had fallen into a trap, Sadler said, of settling for long jumpers, instead of forcing KU to defend for the length of the shot clock.

“That’s what they want,” Sadler said. “They want the possessions.”

The strategy worked as long as Nebraska hit its perimeter shots. When NU immediately cooled off to start the second half, Kansas took control, turning a one-point deficit into a 53-46 lead within five minutes.

“It was our first five minutes or theirs,” point guard Lance Jeter said. “Theirs won.”

Said Kansas coach Bill Self: “Well the law of averages. Isn’t it amazing how that works? They missed a lot of the same shots that they made in the first half.”

But Richardson - who led NU with 18 points despite losing eight pounds to the stomach flu - rattled off two treys and a baseline two-point jumper to recapture the lead 54-53 with 13:09 left.

Kansas guard Sherron Collins, who scored a game-high 22, answered with a layup four seconds later. Nebraska never led again.

As the Huskers shot just 31 percent in the second half, Collins controlled the game with a variety of jumpers and runners, and sophomore forward Marcus Morris (19 points, seven rebounds) owned the paint.

In a crucial 90-second span that began with KU leading 65-61, Morris scored seven points and grabbed two rebounds. The second of those boards turned into a Tyshawn Taylor 3-pointer that capped a 10-1 run and inflated the lead to 75-62 with 5:35 remaining.

During this stretch, Diaz was on the bench with four fouls. The tallest Husker on the floor was 6-foot-8 Christian Standhardinger, playing in his second career collegiate game. Sadler did not insert forwards Brandon Ubel and Quincy Hankins-Cole for rebounding relief.

Sadler chalked up the key run to NU’s lack of defensive fortitude.

“We don’t have the mental toughness you have to have right now,” Sadler said. “I could come up with excuses but they don’t matter right now. When the game is on the line, we are not getting stops. It doesn’t mean enough to us to hurt, to get in a stance and hurt and grind.”

The loss didn’t overshadow the best game of Diaz’s young career. Hot and cold during his redshirt freshman season, he reappeared Wednesday night, scoring 15 against an excellent defensive center in Aldrich with an array of moves and shots. A silky turnaround jumper. A drop-step hook shot. An up-and-under. A transition layup. His best play was a skip pass to Sek Henry for a 3-pointer.

“He’s getting better,” Sadler said. “He’s getting more confident. I think he’s understanding it. And the guys are getting more confidence in him.”

Diaz only had one rebound, but Sadler said he wasn’t surprised, with the Morris twins and Aldrich in the blocks. Aldrich had an off night on offense - 6 points on 1-of-4 shooting - but made up for it with nine rebounds and three blocks.

The other Kansas senior, Collins, kept the Jayhawks afloat after Nebraska jumped out to a quick 12-1 lead. He hit a trio of contested 3-pointers to cut NU’s lead to 17-14. Shortly thereafter, KU snuck ahead on another trey from Tyrel Reed.

“Sherron put us on his back,” Self said. “Sherron got us back to the point where it was a basketball game and we played a lot better after that.”

Permanent Link to this Blog Post

Please enable Javascript, or download the podcast here.

Join Husker Locker today - it's free!

Permanent Link to this Blog Post

Our Big 12 basketball rankings as conference season hits its stride:

1. Texas (15-0 overall, 1-0 in the Big 12 beat Colorado 103-86 on Saturday) Faithful readers of these rankings know I don’t think Rick Barnes can coach his way out of a paper bag. But, I can’t lie: This the best team I’ve seen, period, in the first two months. Obscenely good on the boards (45 rebounds per game!), UT can afford to miss some 3-pointers and get second chance points. Efficient in transition, aggressive, athletic, willing to outscore teams - you have to hand it to the Longhorns. For now.

2. Kansas (14-1, 0-0, lost to Tennessee 76-68 on Sunday) After a month of scorching hot basketball, KU hit a wall in Knoxville - and it probably comes at the right time for the Jayhawks. And the wrong time for Nebraska. Naysayers might suggest Sherron Collins has to do too much for this team down the stretch. I say that’s a better alternative than a true freshman like Xavier Henry being counted upon. No way Henry keeps hitting 3-pointers at a 48-percent clip in Big 12 play. KU relies too much on outside shooting for a team with an All-American center in Cole Aldrich.

3. Baylor (13-1, 1-0, beat Oklahoma 91-60) Ekpe Udoh! Mark him down as the Big 12 Newcomer of the Year, as the Michigan transfer is averaging 15 points and 11 rebounds as the Bears, almost out of nowhere, have started the season on fire. BU is big - four guys above 6-foot-7 - and guards on Tweety Carter and LaceDarius Dunn have been sizzling from behind the 3-point line.

4. Missouri (13-3, 1-0, beat Kansas State 74-68) The Tigers aren’t subtle. They pressure the ball (12 steals per game) shoot 3-pointers (almost 10 makes per game) and hit free throws (71 percent). Mizzou isn’t the best team in the league, but it easily has the most dangerous set of guards in Kim English, J.T. Tiller, Zaire Taylor, Michael Dixon and Marcus Denmon. But did I see some empty seats on the TV broadcast for a top ten team? Odd - at least for Columbia.

5. Kansas State (13-2, 0-1, lost to Missouri 74-68) Late during the loss to the Tigers, head coach Frank Martin smacked one of his players on the arm for making a turnover Then Martin did something novel - at least for coaches these days. He apologized to the kid, and in public. Was that so hard? Apparently, as Monday Martin felt like it was necessary to unpack the “sensitive times” we Americans live in and how he needs to be “more of a politician” in the future.

First - kudos to Martin for admitting he made a mistake. Second - uncontrolled anger is not useful to any time. Any era. Any person. You. Can. Not. Touch. Them. And if you do - can they hit you back? Which punch would hurt more?

It gets old - or at least it’s getting old during the last three months - watching these coaches bemoan their inability to berate, belittle and smack their players with immunity. Really old. There is no divine right of coaches. This is not a setback in our times. It’s an improvement! It makes for smarter coaches. And more creative players.

As for the Wildcats - their ranking heading into Big 12 play impressive. But certain numbers like turnovers per game (almost 16), fouls per game (22) and free throw shooting (65 percent) are not. KSU is a little sloppier than its record suggests, and that came to bear Saturday in Columbia, when the Cats threw away a plum chance at a road win by sending Mizzou to the line 43 times.

6. Texas A&M (12-3, 1-0, beat Nebraska 64-53) Not terribly blown away by the Aggies based on Saturday’s performance, but Mark Turgeon does, at the very least, have a go-to guy in Donald Sloan. A&M looks vulnerable in the post against teams more experienced and committed to the inside game than NU is.

7. Oklahoma State (13-3, 1-1, beat Texas Tech 81-52, lost to Oklahoma 62-57 on Monday) The Cowboys run a 7-man rotation into the ground, but as long as James Anderson can stroke 3-pointers all night long, as he did in a rout over the Red Raiders, OSU is plenty dangerous. I think this team wears down over the next two months. Nobody can get hurt. When Anderson went out for just a handful of minutes on Monday night, the Pokes were pretty sunk.

8. Nebraska (12-4, 0-1, lost to Texas A&M 64-53) One of these days, NU won’t have to face Kansas in the opening two weeks of the Big 12 season. The Huskers shoot the long ball OK. Need to shoot free throws better.

9. Texas Tech (12-3, 0-1, lost to Oklahoma State 81-52) That Knight motion offense worked like a charm until Saturday, when the Red Raiders fell apart in the wake of Anderson’s barrage of points. Tech shares almost zero similarities with Missouri, and yet, like the Tigers, are unique in the Big 12 for its offensive style that eschews 3-pointers. Some nights, it’s potent. Other nights, it’s impotent.

10. Oklahoma (10-6, 1-1, lost to Baylor 91-60, beat Oklahoma 62-57 on Monday) Young and inconsistent leads to wins over Utah, Arizona and Arkansas, and losses to Virginia Commonwealth, San Diego, and a 31-point setback to the Bears. OU doesn’t play its usual brand of defense, doesn’t rebound very well (just 35 per game) and struggles when behind. It’s more than the absence of Blake Griffin, a 31-point loss to the Bears. The Sooners got lucky when OSU’s Anderson got hurt midway through the bedlam game Monday night.

11. Iowa State (12-4, 0-0, beat North Dakota State 73-71) The Cyclones seem to be short one consistent scorer. His name is Wesley Johnson, he transferred to Syracuse, and he’s a big reason why the Orange - and not ISU - is one of the big surprises of the season.

12. Colorado (9-6, 0-1, lost to Texas 103-86) Early-season losses to Arizona and Gonzaga seemed to take the wind out of the Buffs’ sails to some extent. CU doesn’t play much defense, and replaces Nebraska as the league’s worst rebounding team (29 per game). But Colorado guards Cory Higgins and Alec Burks can fill it up, and will make some team’s life miserable during the season as a result.

THE BREAKDOWN (before you freak out, it'll be updated each week)

NCAA Tournament: Texas, Kansas, Baylor, Kansas State, Missouri and Texas A&M

NCAA Bubble: Texas Tech and Oklahoma State

NIT: Nebraska, Iowa State

Uphill: Oklahoma, Colorado

ALL-LEAGUE TEAM
G: Sherron Collins/Kansas
G: James Anderson/Oklahoma State
F: Damion James/Texas
F: Craig Brackins/Iowa State
C: Ekpe Udoh/Baylor

Player of the Year: James
Newcomer of the Year: Udoh
Freshman of the Year: Xavier Henry/Kansas
Coach of the Year: Rick Barnes/Texas

Permanent Link to this Blog Post

Six strong takes, just as you like them, Husker football right at the top.

*One week ago, I mentioned heightened expectations for Nebraska’s football team. The definition of being “back.” Now that the Cornhuskers are beginning to appear in the top ten of various (and ridiculously early) top 25 rankings, you can begin to get the picture.

NU will be playing a 365-day season in 2010 - not 150. In recruiting, offseason development, spring football, the summer police “blotta” and all the rest, the Huskers will get more play - good and bad - from the national media outlets that control, to some extent, preseason perception and placement. Those things are important, understand, when it comes to bowl pairings later in the year. Possibly even BCS bowl pairings.

In a sense, that’s just another challenge for Bo Pelini and his staff. Whether or not Bo sees himself as a creature of the media - he’s going to become one. There’s something attractive - authentic - about his occasionally explosive sideline style, the emotions worn on his sleeve - hell, his bare arms. Bo isn’t prone to quotables, but his confidence plays well on talk shows and TV programs that crave black/white statements.

Bo has some acolytes in the national media. Jim Rome is one of them. Kirk Herbstreit, a former teammate, is another. Throw Andy Staples of SI in there, too, for all the positive pub he’s given the Big Red. Here’s a New Year’s resolution hoping he reaches out to those guys before spring ball, during spring ball, and throughout the summer. The recruitiniks at Rivals and Scout, too. Hey - those guys know how faithfully Husker fans follow Signing Day in February. Then - you post every one of those appearances and articles on Bo’s personal Web site.

Bo may not personally want that kind of hyper-attention. But it’s the kind Nebraska needs to keep up with the Big 12 South’s primary outpost, Texas.

*Would I put NU in the top ten right now? Upon further review, I guess not yet. Not until Zac Lee’s rehab points toward full recovery.

If Lee rehabs OK, I’d look hard at top 5-7, along with Alabama, Boise State, Virginia Tech, Ohio State and a few surprises.

If not - I’d need a crystal ball detailing Cody Green’s development. Green will never get a better chance at taking the reins than this offseason - his second at Nebraska. These three months - that’s his window, whether he officially beats out Lee or not. If Green makes the leap, he’s the guy, at the very least, in 2011. If not, there will be some freshman nipping at his heels.

*And that freshman, if I had to play a hunch, will be Brion Carnes, Bradenton (Fla.) Manatee quarterback who will take a visit in January. If he can get past being “Tommie Frazier’s nephew” - a hurdle in Lincoln - Carnes possesses many of the skills a new, more physical NU offense desires. Carnes - who was committed to South Florida, but has wavered with the firing of Jim Leavitt - is mobile, has better-than-average footwork, and knows how to make throws on the run.

If not Carnes, than possibly Kain Colter out of Colorado. If not, Colter, then the mystery man, Darian “Stump” Godfrey, the Gilmer, Texas product who accounted for 64 touchdowns and more than 4,400 yards in leading his team to an undefeated season and a 3A championship.

NU is trying to put some tasty frosting on its 2010 recruiting class, as Chicago-area safety Corey Cooper and Portland defensive end Owa Odighizuwa are the biggest names the Huskers continue to pursue, and both seem intent on waiting until Signing Day to make their decisions. If Nebraska gets both, the class becomes a nice comeback after a slow summer. If both go elsewhere, you get the sense that NU may make changes in its approach for 2011. More changes, I mean, than the ones that have already been made.

The best potential recruit of the 2010 class? Jermarcus Hardrick, if he morphs into a Phil Loadholt clone and mans the right tackle spot for the next two years. Among the four-year recruits, Columbia (Mo.) product Chase Rome jumps out as a major defensive tackle in two years, with potential for Jared Crick numbers. Landing Odighizuwa - a bright, athletic end whose background, demeanor and intelligence is eerily reminiscent of Ndamukong Suh - would trump them all.

My sleeper? A guy Nebraska landed almost a year ago - offensive tackle Mike Moudy. A 6-foot-7, 300-pound rock. I just like the way he attacks defenders on film.

*So the SEC won its fourth straight national championship. It has to say something, right? Sure. But I’m not sure it’s saying the same things, year after year.

In 2006, Florida’s speed and defensive aggression forced an over-hyped quarterback, Ohio State’s Troy Smith into a game-long meltdown.

In 2007, LSU was simply better than Ohio State, and everybody knew it. Throw the statistics out the window. The Buckeyes actually competed more in that game than I anticipated.

In 2008, Oklahoma controlled the first half, threw the game away with its insistence on the no-huddle offense at the goal line, and wore down in the second half as Sam Bradford wasn’t protected by penalty flags like he was in the Big 12.

In 2009, you know the ugly story.

The binding statistic - SEC teams all rushed for more yards than its opponents - reflects a consistency of style, a commitment to traditional football, albeit from unconventional (or shall we just say old-fashioned) means: The single wing, the option, the counter trey. Three of the four opponents (Ohio State in 2006, OU and UT) were spread/shotgun offenses that routinely used four and five wide receivers. All of them were stymied in one way or another by the SEC‘s defensive speed, and unable to adjust.

Trends can be tough to detect. Was Nebraska a trend in the 1990s? Not on offense. On defense, though, absolutely: Following in the footsteps of Miami, Washington and Florida State, NU got smaller, faster and more aggressive. That trend remained true until Michigan and Tennessee won national titles with more traditional base defenses/pro-style offenses in 1997 and 1998.

Is there a SEC method that Bo’s trying to copy? You’d hope so, because it seems to work. It’s not exactly foolproof - goodness, look at LSU, post-Pelini, and South Carolina, since forever - but it puts Nebraska in a unique position in the Big 12.

*USC is panicking for the moment, but Pete Carroll’s departure from the program is precisely what it needs. That’s right. Carroll, for all his considerable strengths, was beginning to construct a team of diminishing returns, choosing transfers and freshmen over more seasoned position players, and a green staff over assistants who, like Norm Chow once did, might steal Carroll’s thunder.

While he was far from losing control of the Trojans’ program, Carroll had lost track of it, to a certain extent, and his hubris over Mark Sanchez’s timely departure last year, coupled with his various shrugs at off-the-field issues in 2009, suggested he was as committed to his highly-laudable work in the Los Angeles community as he was to game-planning and roster management. Nowhere was that more evident than in a game vs. Oregon - a team Carroll typically owned - in which the Ducks so badly out-schemed the Trojans that it looked as though USC was back in its Paul Can’t-Hackett days.

The Trojans ought to hire Carroll-lite - Stanford’s Jim Harbaugh, whose shoulder chip is similar to Carroll’s in 2001, with equal charisma and passion to burn - now that Mike Riley is no longer available. Harbaugh has the ego, NFL background and sheer personality to deal with USC athletic director Mike Garrett, who has a history of rubbing folks a certain way.

*Excellent debut for Christian Standhardinger, who scored 13 points and grabbed 7 rebounds in a 64-53 loss at Texas A&M Saturday. He got to the line five times and made four free throws. Expect those numbers to continue, and increase.

I know it’s not easy for head coach Doc Sadler to sacrifice defensive possessions and potentially wins in developing Standhardinger and center Jorge Brian Diaz as NU’s primary offensive threats, but everything I saw vs. the Aggies confirmed, again, that putting those two on the floor at the same time represents NU’s best long-term interests. Standhardinger provides at least some resistance on the boards, and Diaz really does have a deft touch around the basket. Plus - they can draw fouls. Right now, who among Nebraska’s true guards - be it Brandon Richardson, Sek Henry, Lance Jeter or Eshaunte Jones - is consistently doing that.

Sadler wants the Huskers to work for better shots instead of settling for long 3-pointer. But I’m not seeing any guards with a first step quick enough to do it. I am seeing two post players, now that Standhardinger is in there, who can create their shots and are serviceable from the foul line.

Permanent Link to this Blog Post

Giving up offensive rebounds. Settling for bad 3-pointers early in the shot clock. Failing to foul the wrong opposing guards in endgame situations.

Nebraska’s young basketball team could get away with those mistakes against Southern Utah and Jackson State. Not on the road at Texas A&M, which used a 24-11 run in the last ten minutes of the game to break open a nip/tuck game and beat the Cornhuskers 64-53.

The thing that concerned me coming into the game was I wanted to have a chance with five minutes to go in the game," NU head coach Doc Sadler said. "That’s where toughness kicks in. You’ve got to find a way to win the game. Obviously they were little bit tougher than us mentally. They made plays and we didn’t. Welcome to the road and welcome to the league. I can’t say I’m totally disappointed though, especially when you look at the number of young guys I played. But we have to get tough quick.”

A&M guard Donald Sloan led all scorers with 26 points, punctuating the win with an alley-oop jam.

While NU (12-4 overall, 0-1 in the Big 12 Conference) controlled the tempo for most of the game and held A&M (12-3, 1-0) to 38 percent shooting, the Aggies enjoyed a 33-9 advantage in free throw attempts and a 39-25 cushion on the boards, which included 12 offensive rebounds.

“In all four of losses this year, the biggest problem is putting teams at a free throw line,” Sadler said. “They shot 33 free throws. We shot nine. And you’re not going to win many road games shooting 24 fewer free throws.”

Both categories played a key role in the Aggies’ deciding run, which started after Nebraska freshman Christian Standhardinger - making an auspicious debut with 13 points and 7 rebounds after sitting out the non-conference season - nailed a 3-pointer to give the Huskers a 42-40 lead with 10:29 left.

Over the next five minutes, Nebraska scored one point. A&M scored 11, and nine of them were free throws. After settling for their own bad perimeter shots for most of the game - the Aggies made only 3-of-21 from beyond the arc - Sloan began to attack the basket, slashing into the lane while senior Sek Henry, the primary defender on Sloan, was sitting on the bench with three fouls.

Then, after center Jorge Brian Diaz - who finished with 10 points - scored a transition layup to cut the lead to 51-45, A&M forward Nathan Walkup hit a wide open back-breaking 3-pointer with 4:29 left. NU never got closer than seven after that, as Sadler said the Huskers “panicked a little bit” taking deep, desperate 3-pointers when there was enough time to work for easier two-pointers. Although the Aggies are only shooting free throws at a 64 percent clip for the season, the Huskers repeatedly fouled Sloan - whose season average is 77 percent - instead of going after players whose percentages were much lower.

The Huskers also seemed to struggle with a quick whistle in their first Big 12 game. Two other league games Saturday, Texas-Colorado and Missouri-Kansas State, had 54 and 56 fouls called in them, respectively.

The upside of Saturday night: NU’s freshman-laden team competed with the faster Aggies, and Standhardinger more than looked like he belonged.

The downside: NU next gets No. 1 Kansas - presuming the Jayhawks can beat Tennessee Sunday - at home on Wednesday. KU is the only Big 12 team Sadler hasn’t beaten.

“We got to play much better than we did tonight,” Sadler said. “But, at the same time, we’re going to compete hard, and if we makes some shots - we have a chance.”

Permanent Link to this Blog Post

Only a mother in a houndstooth coat could’ve loved the final statement of the 2009 college football season. The BCS national title game - Alabama’s 37-21 win over Texas - was a bust, in part because Colt McCoy’s arm went dead - we think - but mostly because neither staff could coach their way out of a paper bag.

Since you’re looking at two of the nation’s top five teams in 2010 - and possibly the top two, unless voters do Ohio State or USC a big, fat favor - take heart, Nebraska fans. You just saw the enemies, and they can be had.

The Longhorns and Crimson Tide were sloppy, nervous and so blissfully unaware of stuff like clock, field position and down and distance that I thought, for a second, the Rose Bowl had been invaded by gamers who secretly toggled stupidity into the headsets on each sideline. Alabama had the better offensive line, while Texas appeared to be the Tide’s equal on along the defensive line. Bama couldn’t cover UT’s receivers worth a salt, but the Longhorns compensated by dropping a ton of passes.

Bama, the prohibitive favorite by any measure, decided to select “Botched Bowl Punt Fake” from the Bill Callahan Collection on its opening drive of the game, throwing a pass, from its own 6-yard-line, on 4th-and-23. The Tide were lucky UT safety Blake Gideon intercepted it, instead of batting it down. Big Game Nick Saban? Eh - not exactly.

Had McCoy not received such an ill-timed shoulder stinger UT probably takes a 7-0 lead. As it was, with backup Garrett Gilbert, the Longhorns settled for a field goal, and one more later in the first quarter.

The Tide rattled off the next 24 points with considerable help from Brown and Texas offensive coordinator Greg Davis.

The shovel pass call with 10 seconds left in the first half - intercepted off a carom and returned for what turned out to be the deciding touchdown - was a decision worthy of demotion, an inexplicable call with no discernibly good purpose, other than potential meaningless yards. It ranked up there with the Washington Redskins’ boneheaded flare pass in the 1984 Super Bowl against the Los Angeles Raiders, also intercepted for a score right before half. At least the Redskins had an excuse: The play had gone for a touchdown earlier in the year.

What was Texas’ excuse?

"We knew we were going to struggle with points, and we felt like we had 15 seconds left so we called the safest thing that might squirt,” Brown said afterward. “We called a little shuffle pass that I had never seen intercepted before, and I certainly hadn't seen it intercepted for a touchdown.”

Stunning. Stunning! Understand that, at that moment, Brown had no clear idea whether McCoy would return. The smart play wasn’t to try getting a cheap, unlikely three points, or throwing a Hail Mary for the end zone. The smart play was to get into the locker room, find out if McCoy could go in the second half, and tighten the score on UT’s opening drive.

Instead, Bama went to halftime with a 24-6 lead. It looked insurmountable, didn’t it? Shoot, I watched a few extra minutes of Dr. Drew’s “Celebrity Rehab” just for the yell of it.

Inside Texas’ locker room, McCoy wanted back in. Plenty of sources confirm this. Brown clearly declined the offer. Down 18, what was the use of getting the kid hurt even more?

Quickly in the third quarter, the story around McCoy’s injury seemed to change. Now McCoy couldn’t go at all. Now his arm was completely dead. While his post-game interview on ABC was a mixture of class, pain and grace, I also sensed something else: Incredulity. Frustration.

Texas fans will never get a straight answer on this issue. There will be the official side, and the whispers. It’s a shame. Last week, I watched Pittsburgh Steelers’ quarterback Ben Rothlisberger re-enter the game after his right shoulder had been unimaginably wrenched. He held his arm after every play. But he threw the ball and completed passes. A potential playoff berth was on the line.

A national title is on the line, and winningest, grittiest quarterback Texas has ever put on the field doesn’t even get a single snap? Not one shot? Nope. And, see, by halftime, Brown left McCoy no choice. Three scores on a dead arm?

Brown nudged the kid out of his final chance by mismanaging the end of the first half, and allowing Davis to blow a field goal try that would have brought Texas within 14-9 after the Longhorns forged their way inside the Bama 30. On a third-and-medium, Davis dialed up a crossing pattern for Gilbert right at the sticks instead of plowing ahead, getting a few yards, and letting Hunter Lawrence try a kick of similar length to the one he made in Dallas to beat NU.

Instead, Gilbert tossed his first of four picks, his first of two to Javier Arenas. Gilbert’s next “throw” was the Carom Six.

Two years in a row, the Big 12’s “elite” and best-paid coaches, Bob Stoops and Brown, badly mishandled key scenarios in the second quarter of the national title game. Chew on it. You think NU’s Bo Pelini lags so far behind these guys? No. Give Pelini this much: He had a respect for field position - for saving points by refusing to give up cheap ones - and it worked wonders for Nebraska over the last half of the season.

Pelini came within one second of beating UT with Zac Lee's torn up right arm and a bum ankle, a left guard with a torn pectoral muscle, a center with the bruise the size of a water cooler, a running back with half a shoulder. He beat Oklahoma with all of that plus Rex Burkhead's broken foot.

Alabama, ahead 24-6 and confident to lean on its running game, patiently waited for the roof the cave in. Gilbert popped a few big ones to Jordan Shipley - the best skill player on the field, either team - in the second half to draw Texas within 24-21. UT even got its shot at a game-tying or game-winning drive until Saban dialed up an aggressive blitz, linebacker Eryk Anders jarred the ball loose from Gilbert, Bama recovered inside the UT five, and Heisman Trophy Winner Mark Ingram - who looked good, but no better than his freshman backup, Trent Richardson - scored from the one.

The Tide added two more picks and one more touchdown in the final three minutes.

It wasn’t Alabama’s best effort. Julio Jones caught a single pass. Ingram and Richardson had their way at the end of the first quarter and throughout the second, but not much otherwise. The Tide’s defensive line was good, but I still can’t fall for the 3-4 as a base defense that often forced Saban to commit five guys to rushing Gilbert, which usually left a UT receiver in single coverage.

Is that what Nebraska’s offense needs to resemble? I’d like to see more passing balance - something in between playaction deep and tunnel screen - but the running game is certainly commendable.

And yet - Bama was plenty human Thursday night. Super in the SEC Championship. Jittery, nervous and conservative on a neutral field for the marbles. Nebraska could have beaten the Tide Thursday night. Know that.

Permanent Link to this Blog Post