[Husker] UAB 73, Nebraska 72

[NUStLNorris at aol.com]

File it under “Opportunity Lost.”  But UAB is good and they were good  today 
late, down the stretch, when they needed to be.  Despite getting  
out-rebounded significantly, UAB made the plays and hit some big three pointers  to get 
the win.  They had two players go for career highs today at the  Devaney 
Center.  And … they made their free throws down the stretch whereas  NU missed some. 
 They forced a Nebraska defensive breakdown with three  seconds to play in 
the game as Eddins drove to the hoop with his team down one  at the time, and 
hit a high-percentage drive for the game winner.  Three  seconds remained … and 
UAB hung on as Jamel White’s jumper bounces off the iron  at the final horn.
 
Nebraska has to feel like they gave one away.  The Huskers didn’t play  well 
in the second half after leading 41-35 at the break.  NU didn’t shoot  well 
overall.  UAB broke out to a 10-2 lead, then NU countered with an 11-2  run to 
take the lead.  The Huskers then continued to play well in the first  half as 
Wes Wilkinson had 12 rebounds in the first half (finished with 17  points, 16 
rebounds).  I liked the way NU looked after the first half of  play.  The 
interior passing of the big men (Aleks Maric, Wilkinson and B.J.  Walker) is very 
good.  They’ve really been looking for each other with the  high-low post and 
give-and-go opportunities they create.
 
Unexplainably and outta‘ nowhere, Nebraska sleep-walks through the first  few 
minutes of the second half and UAB goes on a 11-0 run to begin the  half.  
However, NU recovered, and proceed to lead this game late.  NU  had the ball, up 
five with about four minutes to go and then UAB kept making  plays and 
Nebraska really mismanaged things to close it out.  Their   overall defensive play 
wasn’t as good, I didn’t think, in the second half.   Missed free throws, 
turnovers … shouldn’t have lost this one.
 
Tough defeat.  UAB was a very good team, but NU hammered them on the  boards. 
 Nebraska was in position late to beat a quality opponent despite  not 
playing real well.  It really got away from them late.  I suppose  you should be 
impressed by how well NU has played despite Joe McCray’s AWOL  status.  Joe can’
t do anything right.  Scored two points and saw his  playing time reduced 
significantly for the second straight game.   Overweight?  Attitude?  Whatever it 
is, the performance is just not  good.
 
5 and 1 on the young season now.  Need to keep practicing … keep  improving.  
South Dakota State at the Devaney Center Thursday night at 7  p.m.  Ouch, 
this one hurt. 
 
Dave Norris