Sunday, November 21, 2010

Five halftime thoughts: Nebraska

1.) Get Charles Jenkins more involved. The Dutchmen didn’t score from the field in the final 9:06, due in huge part to Jenkins being rendered almost invisible. He has just four shots and didn’t even have anything to do with the Dutchmen’s early run, which was keyed by eight points from David Imes. Expect Jenkins to get the ball early and often in the second half as the Dutchmen try to climb back.

2.) The Dutchmen seem gassed. They got off to a good start thanks to Imes, but looked spent during the final 10 minutes and took just nine shots during their half-ending drought. Is it playing a third game in four days or the deadened atmosphere inside an empty Coliseum?

3.) Nebraska’s depth may be too much to overcome. The Huskers’ bench has outscored the Dutchmen’s 20-0 and they’re throwing waves of big men at the undersized Dutchmen, who have been outrebounded 20-6.

4.) So, too, might be Nebraska’s versatility. The Huskers have been equally efficient dumping the ball inside against the Dutchmen’s zone defense and draining threes. Nebraska is shooting 54 percent (13-of-24), including 4-of-10 from beyond the arc. On what do the Dutchmen focus in the second half?

5.) This is pivotal 20 minutes for the Dutchmen. Leaving Puerto Rico off a blowout will negate any progress they made in the near-win over Western Kentucky. The Dutchmen need to bounce back and display the resiliency they showed Friday, even if it’s not enough to depart with a win.

Email Jerry at defiantlydutch@yahoo.com or follow Defiantly Dutch at http://twitter.com/defiantlydutch.

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