In Reply to: a bit operspective (in search of a positive spin on bad news) posted by barrya on January 06, 2025 at 08:16:57
First, credit to Nebraska. If we can’t acknowledge their performance, then we can’t take much credit as a team either, because they essentially beat us at our own game. They played outstanding defense and made scoring incredibly difficult for us.
That said, there’s plenty of blame to go around, and Cronin isn’t exempt. But let me start with the players. Dylan is catching a lot of criticism, but let’s not overlook Sebastian. Yes, he hit some incredible shots that kept us in the game, but he also contributed to Nebraska building their lead. His tendency to drive straight into a packed defense hoping for a call often backfires. More often than not, it leads to forced or out-of-control shots, followed by him arguing for a whistle. And when he does get to the line, he’s been inconsistent with free throws lately.
This ties back to Cronin. Let me be clear—I like Cronin. But liking him doesn’t mean he’s above critique. The offensive strategy he designed for this game relied heavily on isolating Sebastian at the top of the key, even though Nebraska is known for packing the paint and daring teams to beat them from the perimeter. Was that the best approach? To be fair, Cronin was working with a limited roster, as Kyle and Dailey were both out. In my opinion, their absence was a significant factor in the loss.
However, here’s my main concern. Cronin emphasizes accountability, often pulling players when they make mistakes. But at what point does he let guys like Dylan, Mara, and even Perry (to a lesser extent) play through their errors? We’ve seen what Dylan is capable of—last season, he was arguably the best player on the team. He defended top perimeter threats and shot the ball efficiently. There’s no reason to believe he can’t do that again. The same goes for Mara. He brings elements this team sorely needs: he’s a legitimate deterrent in the paint, altering opponents’ shots, and he’s a skilled passer who adds value offensively.
Cronin says he wants the ball to go through Mara, but how does that happen if Mara is on the bench? Additionally, asking Biladeau to guard opposing centers is unsustainable. Against Nebraska, it clearly wore him down, and in my view, that significantly impacted his performance.
I realize some of these points may have already been raised, but I felt the need to share my perspective. Apologies for the redundancy, but I’m not one to open my laptop much over the weekend.