ChipperF1
02-24-2002, 10:25 AM
I fired up the sattellite and locked in on the Red Raider network, and you know the best thing about getting the game via Scientific Atlanta is you get to see all the good stuff before the broadcast starts.
Here's what I saw:
I saw Lady Raider fans getting fired up long before the game started. It was great.
I saw the Texas Tech players in warm up getting themselves ready. You could tell they were wired up and ready for this one.
I saw the same look of resignation on the face of Nebraska players. They looked sluggish in warm-ups, as if they really didn't wanna play ball this day.
I also saw Senior Night, and the love of TTU fans. I'm sure television didn't do it justice at all. I was disappointed Amber Tarr couldn't play. She is one of my favorite Big 12 players.
HOW TEXAS TECH WON THE GAME QUICKLY.
Pressure. Unrelenting pressure. Nebraska's offense never stood a chance against the constant changing pressure that Texas Tech put on them.
Thirteen turnovers in the first half, and all of them led to TTU points. Jia Perkins was everybody's nightmare. In Nebraska's first five possession, Jia got a hand on the band at least once on each of them. Even if it was a deflection out of bounds, #15 made the play. The Nebraska backcourt was effectively neutralized by Perkins, and that killed any hopes of an inside game.
There was also the rebounds. In the first half, opened with a 13-3 run where Nebraska got one shot per possession on five straight possession.
Then came the punch in the mouth. Lady Raiders up 24-14, and then the really put the defensive guns up. They switch off between zone-trap and aggressive man-to-man to notch five straight Nebraska turnovers and no field goals for 5 minutes.
Texas Tech ended the surge up 35-18, and Nebraska did what they always do. They quit.
Then it got brutal. During a two posession stretch at the end of the first, I could have sworn Amber Tarr was out there. But Amber wears #32? WHO IS THIS #23 RITCHIE GIRL, AND HOW IS SHE HITTING ALL THESE THREES!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It was 45-24 at halftime, and despite Nebraska finally getting some offensive production, TTU did whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted in the second half. When a team shoots 62% in a half, it because the other's defense can't stop them no matter what. Nebraska spent an entire half chasing its tail. It was a pathetic, dire, awful display.
It was sad seeing Jia Perkins just destroy Keasha Cannon and Jina Johansen. Natalie Ritchie had good looks all night. She could've really racked up some big numbers (not saying that her 21 points were bad).
Inside Tanisha Ellison played a rather aggressive game, as did Cisti Greenwalt. Jolee Ayers played in a manner in which I've haven't seen her play before, too. I thought this team was young and little wobbly and they have been at parts of the year, but the Texas Tech team I saw last night was everything I thought they'd be at the beginning of the year.
I'll never forget the last play. Kari Jo Simmons made two juniors look feeble on her drive to the hole at the end of the game. She's just a freshman? That's a scary thought for me, the youth of this team.
I'm convinced Nebraska will NEVER beat Texas Tech.
I envy Lady Raider fans, you have a team with a bright future, and pretty darn good here and now.
WHAT DIDN'T WORK FOR NEBRASKA (besides getting off the bus)
1. FOCUS
This team didn't want to play any ball, and it showed. I don't understand this ballclub. This is the second straight game against a brand-name opponent and this team doesn't sense the urgency at all.
I know we are losing, but even Kansas is willing to give a little bit of the fight before they give up. I believe if Nebraska could have forfeited that game with TTU, they would have
The worst thing I saw was when Nebraska player started getting frustrated in the final five minutes and started taking stupid fouls. The worst offender was Grichaly Cepero when she practically tackled Jamie Nagle in the final minutes. If the football team tackled as well, they wouldn't have looked so bad in the Rose Bowl.
That play erased an otherwise respectable outing for Cepero. Granted her 7 points and 6 rebounds all came after the game had turned farcical, she played well in her time. But that play was UNEXCUSABLE. You're already getting embarassed, don't make it worse
2. Turnovers
21 turnovers that lead to 42 Texas Tech points. That is how a game gets really ugly, really quick.
The Lady Raiders don't need any help creating opportunities, but the Huskers gave them a lot of help.
Keasha Cannon led the way (as usual), with 5 turnovers. And tonight our only good player spent half the night throwing bad passes and generally making pour decisions. Despite 9 points and 7 rebounds this was not a good game for her.
Jina Johansen was outclassed badly by just about every player put on her. She's a freshman, and she's getting baptism by fire.
Shannon Howell might as well stayed in Lincoln. She just wasn't there last night. She took 2 shots all night, wasn't really working hard to get the basketball and defensively, the image of her being 3 steps too late as Natalie Ritchie did her best Iowa State impression is burned in my mind.
When you have to bring in K.C. Cowgill and Margaret Richards to actually start a fire, you're in trouble. And it hurt inside people who actually played decent.
Stephanie Jones was solid, but you could tell the struggle at the perimeter really affected her game. She had 11 points, but I wish she could have gotten to the line more.
Katie Robinette played like a freshman. One good play (she had a nice block on Casey Jackson that was a real good play), and then two bad ones (four turnovers and Ayers had her out of position most of the night)
But all of this goes back to the turnovers. TTU disrupted everything with their aggression and Nebraska never got out of the hole.
Overall Outlook: The same outlook I always have, Pinky.
In Europe when a team fails like this, that team gets relegated to a lower division or league the next year.
That wouldn't be a bad idea for Nebraska, perhaps they should be relegated to the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference and have to work their way back in the Big 12.
It's by far the worst effort of the year for us. We didn't have any energy or emotion" --Paul Sanderford
No energy or emotion, coach? If you can't get up for playing a ranked team, then something's wrong.
Next game is senior night. We could've have picked a worst opponent to play than Colorado. The Buffs are feeling it right now. They are strong and confident.
What a way to send out a player who was the antithesis for everything Nebraska Womens Basketball has been the last two seasons. Amanda Cleveland fought for her life an then fought to come back just to suit up again. She didn't put up gaudy statistics. She will never play in an NCAA tournament game. Her courage makes her a champ to me.
If only her teammates would take that courage to heart.
--ChipperF1
Here's what I saw:
I saw Lady Raider fans getting fired up long before the game started. It was great.
I saw the Texas Tech players in warm up getting themselves ready. You could tell they were wired up and ready for this one.
I saw the same look of resignation on the face of Nebraska players. They looked sluggish in warm-ups, as if they really didn't wanna play ball this day.
I also saw Senior Night, and the love of TTU fans. I'm sure television didn't do it justice at all. I was disappointed Amber Tarr couldn't play. She is one of my favorite Big 12 players.
HOW TEXAS TECH WON THE GAME QUICKLY.
Pressure. Unrelenting pressure. Nebraska's offense never stood a chance against the constant changing pressure that Texas Tech put on them.
Thirteen turnovers in the first half, and all of them led to TTU points. Jia Perkins was everybody's nightmare. In Nebraska's first five possession, Jia got a hand on the band at least once on each of them. Even if it was a deflection out of bounds, #15 made the play. The Nebraska backcourt was effectively neutralized by Perkins, and that killed any hopes of an inside game.
There was also the rebounds. In the first half, opened with a 13-3 run where Nebraska got one shot per possession on five straight possession.
Then came the punch in the mouth. Lady Raiders up 24-14, and then the really put the defensive guns up. They switch off between zone-trap and aggressive man-to-man to notch five straight Nebraska turnovers and no field goals for 5 minutes.
Texas Tech ended the surge up 35-18, and Nebraska did what they always do. They quit.
Then it got brutal. During a two posession stretch at the end of the first, I could have sworn Amber Tarr was out there. But Amber wears #32? WHO IS THIS #23 RITCHIE GIRL, AND HOW IS SHE HITTING ALL THESE THREES!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It was 45-24 at halftime, and despite Nebraska finally getting some offensive production, TTU did whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted in the second half. When a team shoots 62% in a half, it because the other's defense can't stop them no matter what. Nebraska spent an entire half chasing its tail. It was a pathetic, dire, awful display.
It was sad seeing Jia Perkins just destroy Keasha Cannon and Jina Johansen. Natalie Ritchie had good looks all night. She could've really racked up some big numbers (not saying that her 21 points were bad).
Inside Tanisha Ellison played a rather aggressive game, as did Cisti Greenwalt. Jolee Ayers played in a manner in which I've haven't seen her play before, too. I thought this team was young and little wobbly and they have been at parts of the year, but the Texas Tech team I saw last night was everything I thought they'd be at the beginning of the year.
I'll never forget the last play. Kari Jo Simmons made two juniors look feeble on her drive to the hole at the end of the game. She's just a freshman? That's a scary thought for me, the youth of this team.
I'm convinced Nebraska will NEVER beat Texas Tech.
I envy Lady Raider fans, you have a team with a bright future, and pretty darn good here and now.
WHAT DIDN'T WORK FOR NEBRASKA (besides getting off the bus)
1. FOCUS
This team didn't want to play any ball, and it showed. I don't understand this ballclub. This is the second straight game against a brand-name opponent and this team doesn't sense the urgency at all.
I know we are losing, but even Kansas is willing to give a little bit of the fight before they give up. I believe if Nebraska could have forfeited that game with TTU, they would have
The worst thing I saw was when Nebraska player started getting frustrated in the final five minutes and started taking stupid fouls. The worst offender was Grichaly Cepero when she practically tackled Jamie Nagle in the final minutes. If the football team tackled as well, they wouldn't have looked so bad in the Rose Bowl.
That play erased an otherwise respectable outing for Cepero. Granted her 7 points and 6 rebounds all came after the game had turned farcical, she played well in her time. But that play was UNEXCUSABLE. You're already getting embarassed, don't make it worse
2. Turnovers
21 turnovers that lead to 42 Texas Tech points. That is how a game gets really ugly, really quick.
The Lady Raiders don't need any help creating opportunities, but the Huskers gave them a lot of help.
Keasha Cannon led the way (as usual), with 5 turnovers. And tonight our only good player spent half the night throwing bad passes and generally making pour decisions. Despite 9 points and 7 rebounds this was not a good game for her.
Jina Johansen was outclassed badly by just about every player put on her. She's a freshman, and she's getting baptism by fire.
Shannon Howell might as well stayed in Lincoln. She just wasn't there last night. She took 2 shots all night, wasn't really working hard to get the basketball and defensively, the image of her being 3 steps too late as Natalie Ritchie did her best Iowa State impression is burned in my mind.
When you have to bring in K.C. Cowgill and Margaret Richards to actually start a fire, you're in trouble. And it hurt inside people who actually played decent.
Stephanie Jones was solid, but you could tell the struggle at the perimeter really affected her game. She had 11 points, but I wish she could have gotten to the line more.
Katie Robinette played like a freshman. One good play (she had a nice block on Casey Jackson that was a real good play), and then two bad ones (four turnovers and Ayers had her out of position most of the night)
But all of this goes back to the turnovers. TTU disrupted everything with their aggression and Nebraska never got out of the hole.
Overall Outlook: The same outlook I always have, Pinky.
In Europe when a team fails like this, that team gets relegated to a lower division or league the next year.
That wouldn't be a bad idea for Nebraska, perhaps they should be relegated to the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference and have to work their way back in the Big 12.
It's by far the worst effort of the year for us. We didn't have any energy or emotion" --Paul Sanderford
No energy or emotion, coach? If you can't get up for playing a ranked team, then something's wrong.
Next game is senior night. We could've have picked a worst opponent to play than Colorado. The Buffs are feeling it right now. They are strong and confident.
What a way to send out a player who was the antithesis for everything Nebraska Womens Basketball has been the last two seasons. Amanda Cleveland fought for her life an then fought to come back just to suit up again. She didn't put up gaudy statistics. She will never play in an NCAA tournament game. Her courage makes her a champ to me.
If only her teammates would take that courage to heart.
--ChipperF1