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Huskers ranked. Yep, for serious.

uneblinstu

By uneblinstu
in The Haymarket Hardwood

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HuskerCager

HuskerCager

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They were ranked #16 in the 70's per this pre-season issue of S.I.  But ended up 14-13. :( 

Sports Illustrated - November 27, 1978 Issue


16-NEBRASKA
The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1978-79 should turn out to be no less explosive than its 1854 predecessor. Consider the matchups: the renowned Jayhawk fast break against the celebrated Cornhusker defense; big Kansas Center Paul Mokeski against agile Nebraskan Pivotman Carl McPipe; Jayhawk playmaking Guard Darnell Valentine against Cornhusker smoothie Brian Banks. On paper, the teams are close. What makes Kansas the favorite in the Big Eight is Nebraska's tendency to fold. Last year the Cornhuskers won their first 10 and were 19-3 at one point, but faded to finish at 22-8.
 

Ranked in the Top 20 on three occasions, they lost their next game each time. "It was difficult to maintain high intensity," says Terry Novak, the captain of that team. "Maybe we got worn out by the practices." Adds Forward Curt Hedberg, a graduate student in architecture who is still eligible for the varsity under a new NCAA regulation, "Every year I've been here we've peaked and burned out.The coaches have let up a little in preseason practices this year,which is a good sign."


For Nebraska to challenge Kansas, the 6' 8" McPipe cannot afford to burn out--or foul out. He was in foul trouble in 19 of 30 games last season. "I have to be smoother," he says, "and keep my hands to myself." If he can stop being so aggressive, McPipe should be the best center in the Big Eight. His statistics last season--15.3 points and 7.9 rebounds a game--were impressive enough. Back then he was spelled by 6' 7" Andre Smith, one of the country's best substitutes. An excellent shot inside of 15 feet, Smith came off the bench to score 21 points against Colorado and 18 against Kansas State. Having improved his rebounding, he will start this season in Novak's vacated forward spot. Hedberg, swingman Bob Moore and freshman Jerry Shoecraft, who starred on the Indiana championship high school team, will give Nebraska an excellent forecourt--if McPipe is not forced to the bench too often.


Then there is Banks, a ball hawk, playmaker and shooter extraordinaire. Banks came out of the infirmary to engineer a 62-58 upset over Kansas, and he does less dramatic things well, too. "He can draw a charge better than anyone I know," says Novak. In fact, Coach Joe Cipriano kept Banks busy doing so many things that he tended to tire. "I know that Brian didn't get enough rest in the past," Cipriano says. "Now we have Jack Moore, and he should give it to him." Jack is no relative of Bob, but he was a teammate of Shoecraft in Indiana. Though only 5' 10", he was the MVP in the Hoosier high school tournament. Both Banks and Moore should stay fresh, thanks to a skilled third guard, Mike Naderer. Nebraska's man-to-man defense, eighth best in the country last season, is coached by Hank Iba's son Moe. "Everybody in the conference is scared of our defense," says Cipriano, "and they have a right to be. Of course, we have to outfinesse them because we're so small. We lost the best defensive player in the conference in Novak, but I think we'll improve on offense." The Cornhuskers had better, because their deliberate attack has frequently been a weakness. Although Cipriano expects to rely on his usual give-and-go offense that works for shots after two or three passes, in his wilder moments he envisions speedy Bob Moore scoring at the end of an occasional fast break. "We did wear down last season," says Cipriano. "We had to play with such intensity. This year we won't because our players will get more rest." Which means that fans in Kansas and Nebraska will not get a moment's relaxation.

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Norm Peterson

Norm Peterson

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I noticed that the Big East has a team that's ranked.  That's really nice for them.  Big ol' shot in the arm for their league, probably, to see the Villanueva School is listed -- almost in the top 10!  Wow!  Way to go, guys.  Just one spot behind that school from the Missouri Valley, Wichita State.

 

So, good for the Big East.  That's really, really neat.  (Polite applause for the Big East, please.)

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