2008 Woodie Awards
NU aims to rebound from KSU defeat to take on Tigers
Spencer Schubert
Issue date: 2/1/08 Section: Sports
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A week ago today, the Cornhuskers were 15-4 and 4-1 in the Big 12 Conference. One more win would have all but guaranteed them a top-25 ranking, considering they were receiving multiple votes in the national polls.
Now
"The thing about basketball is it just can't be offense," Griffin said. "You have to play defense. We like to say that our defense creates our offense, and that just wasn't the case (Wednesday night)."
Griffin's comment referred to Nebraska's 77-75 loss to the Wildcats, who won the game on a layup with fewer than 10 seconds left. Nebraska's defeat followed last Saturday's 20-point blowout defeat to Baylor in a game that saw Huskers lead by as many as 10 points early in the first half.
A couple things have changed in Lincoln, to say the least.
Wednesday night's loss has already proven to be a sharper sting for Nebraska. After the game, NU Coach Connie Yori basically said her team got outplayed. She said the players showed effort, but they lacked the focus needed to win such a critical Big 12 North game.
That sentiment is in stark contrast to what was said after Nebraska's upset of then-No. 21 Texas A&M on Jan. 23. Yori lauded her team then, saying that it proved it was a pressure squad by forcing the Aggies into 30 turnovers.
Yori said the problem now is mainly execution.
"We did not do a very good job of following our gameplan (Wednesday night)," Yori said. "We did not close out very well, and I didn't think we were very focused defensively, and I think it was very costly."
NU senior forward Danielle Page agreed, adding that the last two games haven't exactly been a normal walk through the park.
"We played Kansas State and Baylor, which are two incredible teams, and that's what you're going to find in the Big 12," Page said. "Every game is going to be a battle, and it just changes from week to week."
The next Big 12 opponent for the Huskers is Missouri. Unlike KSU and Baylor, which have came into their matchup with NU on long winning streaks, the Tigers have been struggling lately.
The last time Missouri won was on Jan. 12 when it beat Texas Tech at home. Since then, the Tigers have lost five straight games, including losses to Kansas, No. 25 Texas and Texas A&M - all teams Nebraska has beaten this season.
Although the situation may seem friendly toward a Nebraska win, the Huskers have said the exact opposite. Yori has repeatedly said that it doesn't matter who the opposition is in the Big 12. She said anybody can beat anybody on any given night, and her players resemble that attitude.
"Every game is difficult," Yori said. "There's not many easy ones in this league. It hurts a little more when you lose a close game, but we have to get back at it and get ready for Missouri."
Missouri and the Huskers are set to tip off at 3 p.m. on Sunday in Columbia, Mo. Nebraska will look to rebound after a tough stretch of playing four ranked teams in its last five games.
Griffin said she plans on the recent losses being a main contributor in helping her and her teammates regain focus for the Tigers this Sunday.
"It's difficult, but the great thing about the Big 12 is you have another game coming up against another great opponent," Griffin said. "We learned that we didn't execute our gameplan, and we can't dwell on things. We have to learn from them."
spencerschubert@dailynebraskan.com
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