The verdict is still out on Nebraska’s men’s basketball team.
Are the Cornhuskers, 80-67 winners over then-No. 23 Texas on Saturday in Lincoln, Neb., and narrow 68-66 losers to Missouri on Dec. 30 in Columbia, Mo., a good basketball team that simply started slowly under first-year coach Barry Collier?
Or are the Huskers (8-7 overall, 1-1 Big 12) just mediocre, evidenced by losses to Oral Roberts, UMKC, Murray State and Creighton?
Kansas (13-1, 2-0) figures to find out Wednesday night when the Huskers visit Allen Fieldhouse. Tipoff is 8:05 p.m.
“They are an experienced team, a senior-dominated team. Perhaps some of their early struggles could be tied into the fact whether they’re buying into what Barry said,” KU coach Roy Williams said. “If and when they buy into what he’s saying, it’ll be much better for them.
“Cookie Belcher coming back after not playing last year adds so much to it. He’s one of the premier players in the league. Their win over Texas did not surprise me,” Williams added.
Belcher, a 6-foot-4 senior point guard who redshirted last year because of a wrist injury, is averaging 16.1 points, 4.3 assists and 3.0 steals a game. Center Kimani Ffriend, a 6-11 senior, averages 14.4 points and 6.9 boards. Steffon Bradford, a 6-6 senior, and Cary Cochran, a 6-1 junior, average 13.0 and 10.4 points respectively.
“It’s probably par for the course,” Collier said of inconsistent play early in a coach’s first year. “It’s a great struggle all teams have, especially ones that are trying to find themselves from previous games or seasons where they have struggled.
“We’ve shown the ability to play well in stretches. We’ve lost four of our seven by a total of seven points, plus the overtime game (74-70 loss at Minnesota). We’re not that far away.”
Nebraska held Texas to 20 points on 29.2 percent shooting in the first half of Saturday’s shocking victory. Missouri managed 26 points on 27.3 percent shooting the first half in Columbia as NU built a 34-26 lead.
“Both teams in both cases were selective and the pace of the games have been a little bit slower,” Collier said. “But I do believe our team has played better defense. I think we can play well enough in any situation to give ourselves a chance to win.”
The KU game is a big one for the Huskers, who will meet Iowa State on Saturday and Missouri on Monday in Lincoln.
“We just have to be tough-minded and go into this game with more backbone than wishbone,” Collier said.
Williams reflects on Crider
Williams on John Crider’s transfer to Washburn:
“I’m sorry I was out of town when the official announcement was made (last week), but John and myself and his family did have several discussions about his decision.
“I am very much in support of John Crider and his decision to go to Washburn. I respect (WU coach) Bob Chipman very much both as a coach and as a person, and that had a big impact on me in giving John some guidance. John is a marvelous young man, and will always be thought of as part of the Jayhawk family. He just desperately wanted to be somewhere where he could play more, and the best place for that to happen for him is at Washburn.”
Crider, a 6-4 guard from Horton, played in 27 games in two years, logging just over two minutes per game.
KU coach likes his boss
Williams is a big supporter of KU athletics director Bob Frederick, who has been criticized by fans on Internet message boards.
“Dr. Frederick hired me and I thank him every single day for that. I’m very loyal to him,” Williams said Monday on his Hawk Talk radio show. “He had to take a lot of heat when he chose this guy named Roy Williams 13 years ago.
“I’ll never lose that loyalty he’s shown me and I’m very happy he’s my boss.”
Critics of Frederick rarely mention his hire of Williams or the fact KU has put some money into football the past few years.
“I think it’s a little bit of people wanting more, more,” Williams said. “An Oklahoma writer was telling me (OU coach) Kelvin (Sampson) has had Oklahoma in the (NCAA) Tournament six straight years and now they (fans) expect more. It’s a little bit the same with Dr. Frederick. Some great things in athletics have happened here the last 15 years. People look and see a new arena at Texas Tech or new one somewhere and wonder why can’t we have it.”