[Husker] which way is the bball bouncing?

[dryter at inebraska.com]

I can't figure this Husker basketball team out!  I've played, officiated and
watched enough basketball to know how schizophrenic a team can appear,
regardless of it's talent or effort level, but this is nuts.  Was the source of
the problem Joel McCray?  Could have been.  Effort?  I have been crossed up on
this one too.  In interviews, Dourisseau et al. have talked about righting the
ship and coming out and playing hard, showing pride, etc., and ISU happens,
then KU happens.  After Creighton you think that maybe it's coaching and the
talent level, then OU and KSU happens, then MU happens (granted, MU is on the
skids, but not as bad as NU appeared to be).   One thing appears consistent,
the core group of Wilkinson, Dourisseau, Richardson and Maric are willing to
keep fighting and try to get back on track.

I still think that the team has the talent to get to the NIT, or the Dance with
a remarkable, overachieving run in the B12.  I have to think that team unity
will improve and consistency will improve without McCray.  Basketball teams can
be affected more severely than a football team by one bad apple--I'm not going
to run the floor hard and take an elbow in the chops to pull a rebound or fight
through a moving pick just so some would-be Kobe can launch another ill-advised
off-balanced, floating NBA three.  Developing trust and getting to know each
other on the court could help to keep the backcourt from those meltdowns that
killed them in their three conference losses.  I'm a bit optimistic, but
wouldn't predict any outcome down the road.

Derek