12-Step Program

Just as it looked like Nebraska would end its 10-game Big 12 road losing streak Saturday night against Texas Tech in Lubbock, the Cornhuskers found a new way to fuel its losing addiction away from the Devaney Center. This time, it was a 12-Step Program, as NU shot itself in the foot and pissed into the wind for more than four minutes of game-clock time. What resulted was a last-second loss to the Red Raiders and another season on the brink. Let's examine:

1. After Toney McCray put Nebraska up 62-57 with a three-pointer, the Huskers actually had possession again. Brandon Richardson missed a driving bank shot, and McCray rebounded it. Instead of pulling the ball out for another solid possesion, he forced the putback attempt, missed, then fouled the TT rebounder to send him to the free throw line.

2. Raider forward Robert Lewandowski missed the front end of the one-and-one that followed, but Brian Diaz forgot to box out. Layup. 62-59

3. On the ensuing possession, NU guard Bear Jones dribbled the ball off his foot. Turnover.

4. After being fouled, TT's Mike Singletary missed one of two free throws after a bullshit reach-in foul call on Drake Beranek.

5. NU took the ball down court right after the free throws. Lance Jeter gets a very questionable charge call (translation: a pussy call that if you called in any pickup game might get the shit kicked out of you), as the Tech announcer calls him DEREK JETER for the second time of the night.

6. Texas Tech missed its next shot, but Diaz forgot to box out, then fouled the rebounder on his putback shot. 62-62. TT misses the go-ahead free throw. (See, the Raiders were trying to keep Nebraska in the game the best they could.)

7. After being fouled, Husker center Andre Almeida misses two free throws.

8. Next offensive possession, Jones forces a three-pointer early in the shot clock and misses as usual.

9. Almeida misses a short turnaround hook the next time down with NU trailing 64-62.

10. After missing a bunny layup, McCray gets the rebound and is fouled on the putback attempt. He missed BOTH free throws, and NU still trails 64-62.

11. Still behind 64-62, NU gets an offensive rebound, Brandon Ubel (mispronounced U-bull probably 30 times by TT's announcers) nearly turns it over and then Caleb Walker misses a three pointer.

12. Then to cap it off, TT takes it down the floor, Walker forgets to pay attention to Raider guard John Roberson and is two steps late in rotation as Roberson drains his SEVENTH three of the night to make it 67-62, completing a 10-0 run and the game's deciding run. Perhaps mental gaffes like this is why Walker, NU's most athletic player, was on the floor for just 13 minutes in another game where the Cornhuskers were physically outmatched.

Thankfully, McCray ended the carnage with a free throw at the 2:16 mark. PYB must give Doc Sadler's boys credit, as they did fight back to take the lead in the final minute until Tech's game-winning tip in. To Say Bear Jones missed the boxout that allowed the tip would be dishonest, as he turned to the bucket without even thinking of blocking out his man. Inexcusable, and the rest is history.

A loss as disappointing as this has already brought out the "Woe is Me" Chicken Little Husker fans: "Just when I started rooting for them! How could they do this to me! Typical Huskers!"

PYB offers a big fuck you to all of you. Anyone with basketball sense realizes that any Big 12 road win is hard to come by, and with NU being just a four-point road favorite, the game was anything but a sure thing. No team in conference will roll over. Fans who aren't prepared to deal with the ups and downs of a basketball season and the gut-wrenching losses that go with them aren't basketball fans to begin with.

They're better served creaming over the fact that the NU football team signed another 5'7" 180-pound running back and ordering their matching Suh and Raiola jerseys for their new favorite team, the Detroit Lions.

Did NU blow this game? Absolutely. Does it make qualifying for the postseason that much harder? Yes. Is all hope lost? No. It just means NU must overcoming the daunting task of beating aTm, Mizzou, or KU at home and then stealing a road win somewhere along the line.

Considering they've lost 11 straight, that's no easy task. Especially considering its three-point defense and clutch free throw shooting woes. But hopefully, they'll quit their 12-Step Program from Lubbock before the next time they try.