Women's team is 29-0 without new arena!

Do we need a new arena? It would help recruiting. The men's basketball team needs a boost. I don't think we can blame the demise of the men's team on not having the best facilities. Look at the women's basketball team. They play with similar facilties and yet they a Top 3 team in the nation. Nebraska has been able to pick up more Nebraska girls and, in that case, I think the expectations of updated facilities is less. The recruiting becomes easier.

But will the better facilities take the men's team to a higher level? It will help recruiting but the program will need much more.

Nebraska has to have a Nebraska connection to be good. The women's program has Dominique Kelley (Lincoln Northeast) and Yvonne Turner (Bellevue East)from Nebraska. Nikki Bober (Murdoch), who is hurt this season, also gives that Nebraska flavor. They are invaluable to the team as players and they also have that Nebraska work ethic.

The men don't have that. Nobody's fault. Talent has been down in boy's basketball to the fact that we haven't had Division I talent. Eliason from Chadron is going to the University of Minnesota. We'll wait and see what he contributes to that team. Drake Beranek from Ravenna and a transfer from UNK will provide that Nebraska tie but otherwise there isn't much there. Let's hope Nebraska produces two or three Division I players each year soon. Nebraska needs this!

What about coaching? I really like Doc Sadler and his blue collar approach but the team is not getting better. Is it bad luck with injuries? Can our coaches recruit. I really think that is yet to be decided. Time may be running out. 2010-11 will be critical for Nebraska to improve....improve substantially. Nebraska could have won four or five more games this year if they would have finished and that makes a different season from this fan's view. Next year Nebraska needs to be .500 or better in the Big 12.

Kansas and Texas recruit 3-5 players in the Top 100 players each year. Now Baylor, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, Texas A & M, etc. are all recruiting players in the Top 100. Nebraska just hasn't done so.

The turnover in the men's program has been huge. Last year we lost Alonzo Edwards and Cookie Miller. The year before we lost Jay-R-Stowbridge and Alex Chapman. Some of these players would have contributed this year. If you add in Rubert Sallie, the lost recruit and we may have had a different looking team this year. Some of the players that had to play this year were probably a year away from developing into Big 12 talent.

But the fact is we have recruited too many players that couldn't play in the Big 12. We've had too many Shang Pings. The coaches have to better identify the players that can play in this league.

Injuries have also hurt. Christopher Nieman and Toney McCray were starters this season.

So bad luck, or injuries, or coaching, or facilities? What is keeping Nebraska down? It is all of them but if the program doesn't advance Doc Sadler may the one going out. Let's hope next season Nebraska gets to that level we appreciate as Nebraska fans. Deep down I hope I Coach Doc Sadler is the one that takes us there. This season is all but over.