The Matchup: Northwestern (5-1) @ North Carolina State (5-0)
Location: RBC Center (Raleigh, NC)
TV: ESPNU (6:00 PM CT Tuesday December 1st)
Radio: WIND 560 AM
Fun Fact: This is the second ACC/Big Ten Challenge meeting between N.C. State and Northwestern. N.C. won in Raleigh in 2002-03.
About the Game
This ACC/Big Ten Challenge game features two teams that were crowed tournament champions last week. Northwestern won the 4th Annual Chicago Invitational Challenge and N.C. State won the Glenn Wilkes Classic.
N.C. State used good defense to win that tournament as they held their opponents to 53.8 ppg. The Wolfpack didn’t exactly explode on offensive as they scored 65.2 ppg, but that total puts them and Northwestern very much in the same neighborhood. Basically, both teams want to slow the game enough that the winning margin is somewhere in the 60s or low 70s at the highest.
In terms of generating points, N.C. State looks to a pair of forwards to lead the offense. Senior Dennis Horner stands 6-9 and weighs 226 pounds. He averages 15.5 ppg (stat as of 11/28) and has made 7-of-12 three pointers this season. He is also a 90% free throw shooter so it is clear he is an excellent shooter. N.C. State’s other scoring forward is junior Tracy Smith. Smith is 21-of-47 this year, but has not tried a three pointer. He does, however, lead the team in free throw attempts and both offensive and defensive rebounds. It will be important NU keep him off the glass to prevent easy baskets.
Another interesting matchup for Northwestern will be 6-7 freshman guard Scott Wood. Wood is suppose to be a three point shooter, but so far this year he has struggled. He is shooting only about 30% from three. In the past, many struggling shooters have broken out against Northwestern and the 1-3-1 zone. Coach Carmody did an excellent job against Iowa State of not staying in the 1-3-1 when the Cyclones started to hit easy threes. Although it might be tempting to stick in the 1-3-1 against N.C. State because the Wolfpack have basically a 1-to-1 assist to turnover ratio, if Wood and Horner start hitting threes Carmody needs to be willing to go back to the matchup zone.
The tough part of the matchup will be that other than point guard Javier Gonzalez every Wolfpack starter is 6-6 or taller. Northwestern commonly plays three guys who are 6-4 or shorter. This means that NU will really need to crash the glass and will need to try and force some turnovers to compensate for Wolfpack offensive rebounds.
A lot of pressure will be on NU’s three-headed monster at center. All three NU centers have had strong moments this season, but they need to be more consistent. Though N.C. State is big overall, unless they play 7-1 238-pound freshman Jordan Vandenberg, the tallest player on the court will be the NU center. That means Rowley, Mirkovic, and Curletti should all be aggressively attacking the glass.
Prediction:
These teams seem very even as both have similar records and both play similar styles of basketball. Northwestern has an advantage it seems in that they take care of the ball better, but N.C. State seems statistically better at converting second chance points off of offensive rebounds. N.C. State also has an edge in that they are playing at home, but Northwestern has faced much stronger competition so far this season and although they have to travel, they do get an extra day off. Traditionally, teams struggle when facing the Princeton Offense with only one day of prep. Northwestern, 65 N.C. State, 63
Monday, November 30, 2009
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Northwestern Should Offer a Fifth Year to Jeff Ryan
Jeff Ryan should get the chance to tour Welsh-Ryan after helping NU to many wins next season. If you look at realistic expectations for Northwestern for the rest of this year and next year, one has to conclude that next season should be a huge year for NU. Yes, Northwestern might be the NCAA Tournament this year, but next year NU could realistically be a top-25 team in the preseason with top-5 Big Ten aspirations. Next year, though, will also offer up a non-conference schedule which will feature several road tests, unlike this season where NU only plays one non-conference road game. NU will have to go to Northern Illinois, DePaul, and Texas Pan-America for sure next season. While none of those three schools are power houses, sometimes teams panic on the road. Having two fifth-year seniors on the floor would certainly help stabilize NU if the team gets into trouble. The experience would be even more valuable if NU renews it’s series with Stanford and travels back to California or takes on an out of state in-season tournament trip which matches the team’s high expectations. A team with Coble, Thompson, and Ryan would be one of the most experienced teams NU ever put on the floor. Also, when you consider that Shurna will be a junior who will have started for 2 years the team would probably be as experienced as any team in the nation. Now, I’m not saying Ryan would start along with those guys, but he could rotate into any spot on the floor expect center. Also, if Coach Carmody wanted, Ryan could even step back into the starting lineup and play the top of 1-3-1 as NU will graduate defensive stopped Jeremy Nash.
Jeff Ryan being a very versatile player is my next point in favor of offering the Glenview, Illinois native a fifth year. If NU adds a point guard recruit, which seems the target, NU would no doubt have valuable asset in a true backup for Juice Thompson who Juice could mentor for a year. NU would not, however, have a player who could back up Thompson, Shurna, Coble, and whoever starts at shooting guard. Jeff Ryan could do so. I think it’s also important to note that NU and other schools have successfully played freshman guards in the past. Therefore, it is not essentially NU add a player to be a backup for a season next year.
Admittedly whoever NU recruited would probably be a better scorer than Ryan, but when you look at NU’s 2010-11 roster the ‘Cats don’t really need another scorer. They’ll have Thompson, Shurna, Coble, Marcotullio, Cobb, Crawford, and probably a center with an improved offensive game in order to put up points. With that group what NU will need is a reliable guy who can offer stability off the bench and play defense and rebound. Ryan can do both those things very well.
The bottom line is while the Chicago Invitational Challenge has me expecting success from NU the rest of this season; I expect a next year to be even better. However, I also expect next year to be even more challenging and believe Jeff Ryan’s experience as a fifth year senior would help NU meet that challenge.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
67-65 Victory Over Iowa State Gives Northwestern Chicago Invitational Challenge Title
John Shurna scored 23 points in a follow up effort to yesterday’s 25 to lead Northwestern to a 67-65 victory over Iowa State and the Chicago Invitational Challenge Championship. The win gave the Wildcats their first in-season tournament title since December 30, 1993. Shurna’s 48 points in two days gave him the tournament’s MVP award. Along with Shurna’s MVP honors, Jeremy Nash and Michael “Juice” Thompson represented NU on the All-Tournament Team for the CIC.
In tonight’s game Shurna scored 17 points in the first half. When NU got off to a very slow start, it was 9 early points by Shurna which kept NU in the game. Although Iowa State adjusted to keep Shurna somewhat quiet after his early outburst of points, the Wildcat sophomore still kept himself involved in the NU offensive by dishing out key assists to Luka Mirkovic, Jeremy Nash, and Drew Crawford. Shurna also once again hit the boards hard and helped NU almost match Iowa State rebound for rebound despite the fact ISU had a much larger lineup. Shurna finished the day with 7 rebounds. He totaled 15 for the two days.
Juice Thompson added 16 points against Iowa State on 6-of-9 shooting. He once again looked comfortable both shooting the three and driving towards the basket to shoot his soft floater. If Thompson continues to show such versatility he will be very tough to defend. Credit also has to go to Thompson for his ironman performances this season. He is averaging nearly 40 minutes a game and he doesn’t seem tired at all.
The Wildcats other all-tournament selection was Jeremy Nash. Nash had 10 points tonight including two huge threes which helped NU get back into the game in the second half when Iowa State took a 9-point lead. He also made two clutch free throws which proved to be the game’s winning margin.
A number of other Wildcats played well, but I’ll give special recognition to Alex Marcotullio and Davide Curletti. Marcotullio once again made a couple big threes and showed he wasn’t afraid to keep shooting after a miss. Davide Curletti came off the bench and played excellent defense on Iowa State star (and future NBA draft pick) Craig Brackins. I truly believe that despite being the smallest of NU’s three centers, Curletti is the best post defender on the NU roster. He is also athletic enough that he can get rebounds against bigger guys. I’m not saying he should play 40 minutes, but he should get action in every contest. NU needs to play all three centers for them to learn, but right now I think Curletti should be getting minutes similar to Luka Mirkovic and Kyle Rowley should be the one playing more of a supporting role. One skill which could help Curletti get more minutes is showing the ability to knock down the three. Curletti is a good shooter, but he hadn’t really shown that skill until knocking down a huge three pointer to give NU a 6 point lead in tonight’s game at 61-55. If Curletti or Luka Mirkovic can knock down threes it will make the Princeton Offense nearly impossible to stop.
In tonight’s game Shurna scored 17 points in the first half. When NU got off to a very slow start, it was 9 early points by Shurna which kept NU in the game. Although Iowa State adjusted to keep Shurna somewhat quiet after his early outburst of points, the Wildcat sophomore still kept himself involved in the NU offensive by dishing out key assists to Luka Mirkovic, Jeremy Nash, and Drew Crawford. Shurna also once again hit the boards hard and helped NU almost match Iowa State rebound for rebound despite the fact ISU had a much larger lineup. Shurna finished the day with 7 rebounds. He totaled 15 for the two days.
Juice Thompson added 16 points against Iowa State on 6-of-9 shooting. He once again looked comfortable both shooting the three and driving towards the basket to shoot his soft floater. If Thompson continues to show such versatility he will be very tough to defend. Credit also has to go to Thompson for his ironman performances this season. He is averaging nearly 40 minutes a game and he doesn’t seem tired at all.
The Wildcats other all-tournament selection was Jeremy Nash. Nash had 10 points tonight including two huge threes which helped NU get back into the game in the second half when Iowa State took a 9-point lead. He also made two clutch free throws which proved to be the game’s winning margin.
A number of other Wildcats played well, but I’ll give special recognition to Alex Marcotullio and Davide Curletti. Marcotullio once again made a couple big threes and showed he wasn’t afraid to keep shooting after a miss. Davide Curletti came off the bench and played excellent defense on Iowa State star (and future NBA draft pick) Craig Brackins. I truly believe that despite being the smallest of NU’s three centers, Curletti is the best post defender on the NU roster. He is also athletic enough that he can get rebounds against bigger guys. I’m not saying he should play 40 minutes, but he should get action in every contest. NU needs to play all three centers for them to learn, but right now I think Curletti should be getting minutes similar to Luka Mirkovic and Kyle Rowley should be the one playing more of a supporting role. One skill which could help Curletti get more minutes is showing the ability to knock down the three. Curletti is a good shooter, but he hadn’t really shown that skill until knocking down a huge three pointer to give NU a 6 point lead in tonight’s game at 61-55. If Curletti or Luka Mirkovic can knock down threes it will make the Princeton Offense nearly impossible to stop.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Shurna's 25 Points Push 'Cats Past Fighting Irish
Northwestern’s decentralized hero system continued Friday night as sophomore John Shurna had his best game of the season and his career with 25 points and 8 rebounds against the 23rd ranked Fighting Irish. Shurna made 9-of-18 shots, but what was impressive was aside from hitting some key threes, including a huge momentum swinger at the end of the 1st half, Shurna also displayed a solid ability to score inside. Notre Dame’s Ben Hansbrough was matched up on Shurna for much of the game and NU successfully used Shurna’s height advantage to get inside looks. They weren’t always easy looks, and Shurna didn’t convert all of them, but he made enough clutch shots to help NU hold the lead in the second half.
Aside from Shurna, NU also got fantastic production from Michael “Juice” Thompson and Alex Marcotullio. Thompson scored 20 points and made 4 free key free throws to seal the game in the final 48 seconds. Marcotullio totaled 13 points and made 3 big three pointers. His final three pushed a 58-56 NU lead to 61-56 and was essentially the shot which won the game for Northwestern. What I like about Marcotullio is that he already has shown a fearless quality similar to former Wildcat shooting guard Craig Moore. Marcotullio had a series of misses, including one which hit the side of the backboard, but he didn’t stop shooting. When he releases the ball he shows great confidence and I have no doubt he believes he can hit any shot he takes. Head Coach Bill Carmody even indicated that the play which resulted in Marcotullio’s final shot was supposed to go to Juice Thompson, but Marcotullio pulled the trigger when he saw the open space. That’s the type of gutsy play Marcotullio brings to NU. He also plays excellent defense and showed no fear attacking inside. He grabbed four rebounds and made a great pass to Luka Mirkovic for an easy two. Any team that thinks of Marcotullio as only a one-dimensional shooter is selling the Wildcat guard very short.
Luke Mirkovic is something of an unsung hero in tonight’s Wildcat win as well. Mirkovic scored enough points to make a dent in the scorebook, but where he really excelled was playing defense and keeping ND’s Luke Harangody off the glass. NU ran their 1-3-1 much of the game and it wasn’t always Mirkovic’s job to box out Harangody, but when it was Mirkovic won that battle more often than not. Jeremy Nash also deserves credit for his play in the 1-3-1. Thanks to Marcotullio’s ability to play the top of that defense, Nash was able to play on the wing and make himself available for more rebounds. Northwestern’s defense deserves great credit as they held a team who averaged more than 80 points a game to just 58 points.
Looking Ahead to Iowa State…With NU playing Iowa State tomorrow at 7:00 PM CT, I’m not going to write a full preview of that contest, but here’s a preview in short: The Cyclones are 6-0 and beat St. Louis University 65-54 on Friday. In comparing them to a Big Ten team they are most similar to Tubby Smith’s Minnesota Golden Gophers in that they play a very aggressive defensive style and try to win by forcing 20+ turnovers a game from opponents. They also have a star big man in center Craig Brackins. With the way NU played Harangody ‘Cat fans should be confident in facing Brackins. On the other hand, with NU’s 1-5 record against Tubby Smith’s similar system, maybe NU fans shouldn’t be as confident. Despite that lack of success, I think NU’s experience with Minnesota will work in the Wildcats favor while Iowa State hasn’t seen a team similar to Northwestern. Northwestern, 61 Iowa State, 60
Aside from Shurna, NU also got fantastic production from Michael “Juice” Thompson and Alex Marcotullio. Thompson scored 20 points and made 4 free key free throws to seal the game in the final 48 seconds. Marcotullio totaled 13 points and made 3 big three pointers. His final three pushed a 58-56 NU lead to 61-56 and was essentially the shot which won the game for Northwestern. What I like about Marcotullio is that he already has shown a fearless quality similar to former Wildcat shooting guard Craig Moore. Marcotullio had a series of misses, including one which hit the side of the backboard, but he didn’t stop shooting. When he releases the ball he shows great confidence and I have no doubt he believes he can hit any shot he takes. Head Coach Bill Carmody even indicated that the play which resulted in Marcotullio’s final shot was supposed to go to Juice Thompson, but Marcotullio pulled the trigger when he saw the open space. That’s the type of gutsy play Marcotullio brings to NU. He also plays excellent defense and showed no fear attacking inside. He grabbed four rebounds and made a great pass to Luka Mirkovic for an easy two. Any team that thinks of Marcotullio as only a one-dimensional shooter is selling the Wildcat guard very short.
Luke Mirkovic is something of an unsung hero in tonight’s Wildcat win as well. Mirkovic scored enough points to make a dent in the scorebook, but where he really excelled was playing defense and keeping ND’s Luke Harangody off the glass. NU ran their 1-3-1 much of the game and it wasn’t always Mirkovic’s job to box out Harangody, but when it was Mirkovic won that battle more often than not. Jeremy Nash also deserves credit for his play in the 1-3-1. Thanks to Marcotullio’s ability to play the top of that defense, Nash was able to play on the wing and make himself available for more rebounds. Northwestern’s defense deserves great credit as they held a team who averaged more than 80 points a game to just 58 points.
Looking Ahead to Iowa State…With NU playing Iowa State tomorrow at 7:00 PM CT, I’m not going to write a full preview of that contest, but here’s a preview in short: The Cyclones are 6-0 and beat St. Louis University 65-54 on Friday. In comparing them to a Big Ten team they are most similar to Tubby Smith’s Minnesota Golden Gophers in that they play a very aggressive defensive style and try to win by forcing 20+ turnovers a game from opponents. They also have a star big man in center Craig Brackins. With the way NU played Harangody ‘Cat fans should be confident in facing Brackins. On the other hand, with NU’s 1-5 record against Tubby Smith’s similar system, maybe NU fans shouldn’t be as confident. Despite that lack of success, I think NU’s experience with Minnesota will work in the Wildcats favor while Iowa State hasn’t seen a team similar to Northwestern. Northwestern, 61 Iowa State, 60
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Game 5: Northwestern Wildcats vs Notre Dame
The Matchup: Northwestern (3-1) vs Notre Dame (5-0)
Location: UIC Pavilion (Chicago, IL)
TV: Big Ten Network (7:30PM Big Ten Network on Friday)
Radio: WGN 720 AM
Fun Fact: This is the first game between these teams since a 79-61 Notre Dame victory since 1984.
About the Game
Norte Dame enters this game with a 5-0 record and the #23 national ranking. If Northwestern can win this game it would be a major step forward for a Wildcat team which is still working to find itself since the injuries to Kevin Coble and Jeff Ryan.
Coble’s absence was felt strongly in the Wildcats loss to #11 Butler, but he may be an even bigger missing link against Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish are led by 6-8 246 pound forward Luke Harangody who scores 27.2 points per game and grabs 10.4 rebounds. While Coble probably wouldn’t have matched up on Haranbody one-on-one, he still would have been the player the Wildcats could go to in order to match Harangody’s points. Also, Coble’s size and ability to drive the lane and draw fouls on big men could really have helped NU get the Irish star in foul trouble.
In terms of stopping Harangody NU will likely use the 1-3-1 zone to try and prevent the big man from getting touches. The ability to prevent big people from getting the ball is one of the advantages of the 1-3-1. The trouble is that when that is the focus, it does allow open three point looks from the outside. Notre Dame guard Ben Hansbrough (Tyler’s brother) will likely salivate at that thought as he comes into this contest shooting 12-of-18 from three point range. Northwestern will need a great performance from Jeremy Nash at the top of that 1-3-1 to force some turnovers and rushed shots before Hansbrough can get his feet set.
On offense Northwestern will have to contend with Harangody’s defense and he will likely limit the point production from NU’s big men. That might be okay as Kyle Rowley and Luka Mirkovic haven’t been offensive dynamo’s anyhow, but it would still help NU a great deal if they could at least get 10 points total and keep Harangody off the boards. Harangody is the type of player that Kyle Rowley’s size might help with. Even though Rowley might not score a ton of points or get a ton of rebounds if his 7-0 280 pound size keeps Harangody off the boards and allows NU to get some easy second baskets it will help NU a great deal. The Wildcats will also need to make some threes in this game which is why the breakout game from Drew Crawford against Liberty has NU fans feeling good.
Prediction: I think Drew Crawford’s play against Liberty should give the young man some confidence. Crawford in conjunction with Michael “Juice” Thompson and Jeremy Nash now gives Northwestern multiple guys on the perimeter which a defense has to account for. This will help NU and I think Thompson will have another big guy. However, I don’t think it’ll be enough. Notre Dame, 77 Northwestern, 63
News and Notes: Congrats to the NU’s women’s basketball team on their win over #15 DePaul. With the Wildcats men’s squad not playing the Blue Demons this season the women’s win gives the Wildcat basketball program city bragging rights for this year.
Location: UIC Pavilion (Chicago, IL)
TV: Big Ten Network (7:30PM Big Ten Network on Friday)
Radio: WGN 720 AM
Fun Fact: This is the first game between these teams since a 79-61 Notre Dame victory since 1984.
About the Game
Norte Dame enters this game with a 5-0 record and the #23 national ranking. If Northwestern can win this game it would be a major step forward for a Wildcat team which is still working to find itself since the injuries to Kevin Coble and Jeff Ryan.
Coble’s absence was felt strongly in the Wildcats loss to #11 Butler, but he may be an even bigger missing link against Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish are led by 6-8 246 pound forward Luke Harangody who scores 27.2 points per game and grabs 10.4 rebounds. While Coble probably wouldn’t have matched up on Haranbody one-on-one, he still would have been the player the Wildcats could go to in order to match Harangody’s points. Also, Coble’s size and ability to drive the lane and draw fouls on big men could really have helped NU get the Irish star in foul trouble.
In terms of stopping Harangody NU will likely use the 1-3-1 zone to try and prevent the big man from getting touches. The ability to prevent big people from getting the ball is one of the advantages of the 1-3-1. The trouble is that when that is the focus, it does allow open three point looks from the outside. Notre Dame guard Ben Hansbrough (Tyler’s brother) will likely salivate at that thought as he comes into this contest shooting 12-of-18 from three point range. Northwestern will need a great performance from Jeremy Nash at the top of that 1-3-1 to force some turnovers and rushed shots before Hansbrough can get his feet set.
On offense Northwestern will have to contend with Harangody’s defense and he will likely limit the point production from NU’s big men. That might be okay as Kyle Rowley and Luka Mirkovic haven’t been offensive dynamo’s anyhow, but it would still help NU a great deal if they could at least get 10 points total and keep Harangody off the boards. Harangody is the type of player that Kyle Rowley’s size might help with. Even though Rowley might not score a ton of points or get a ton of rebounds if his 7-0 280 pound size keeps Harangody off the boards and allows NU to get some easy second baskets it will help NU a great deal. The Wildcats will also need to make some threes in this game which is why the breakout game from Drew Crawford against Liberty has NU fans feeling good.
Prediction: I think Drew Crawford’s play against Liberty should give the young man some confidence. Crawford in conjunction with Michael “Juice” Thompson and Jeremy Nash now gives Northwestern multiple guys on the perimeter which a defense has to account for. This will help NU and I think Thompson will have another big guy. However, I don’t think it’ll be enough. Notre Dame, 77 Northwestern, 63
News and Notes: Congrats to the NU’s women’s basketball team on their win over #15 DePaul. With the Wildcats men’s squad not playing the Blue Demons this season the women’s win gives the Wildcat basketball program city bragging rights for this year.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Crawford, Shurna Help NU Beat Liberty 69-53
Two guys NU fans expected to step up in the quest to replace Kevin Coble’s points, Drew Crawford and John Shurna, both played their best games of the season tonight to help NU defeat Liberty 69-53. Crawford’s performance was huge to increase the young freshman’s confidence and Shurna looked the most comfortable he has all season.
Drew Crawford had shown excellent athletic skill in NU’s first 3 games, but tonight he showed the ability to hit three point shots as well. Crawford scored 22 points on 8-of-14 shooting including 5-of-10 threes. He also looked very comfortable in NU’s offense as he took the right shot at the right time. Often times freshman are too aggressive or too reluctant to shoot, but Crawford found the right balance today. He also dished out 4 assists, grabbed 4 rebounds, and blocked another shot with his great leaping ability.
John Shurna scored 14 points tonight including two dunks. I think NU has dunked the ball more in four games this year than they did in all of some past seasons. Shurna also made 2-of-6 threes tonight. That’s not great, but it is a little better than he has been doing. I also liked that of those six shots it did not look like he was forcing them. Shurna added 9 rebounds to his stat line along with 3 assists and 0 turnovers.
Northwestern as a team had 22 assists and 13 turnovers. The 13 turnovers are still probably too many. Especially with some unforced. However with 22 assists on 27 made field goals one could see the Princeton Offense in full swing for the Wildcats.
Mention also has to go to the fact Coach Bill Carmody started Kyle Rowley tonight instead of Luke Mirkovic. Rowley responded with 8 points on 4-of-5 shooting. I was impressed with Rowley’s first basket on a left handed hook shot and several others where he went up quick to release the ball. Mirkovic was better than he has been the past two games as he scored 6 points of his own and grabbed 4 rebounds. I suspect Coach Carmody might chose to go back to Rowley starting and Mirkovic coming off the bench as he did more often last season.
Aside from the turnovers and some defensive lapses, especially a couple times NU didn’t get back on defense, the worst part of the night for NU was freshman guard Alex Marcotullio hitting the ground hard in the first half and not returning to action. Marcotullio has a sprained right thumb according to reports from NU. Hopefully he’ll be back when the Wildcats play Notre Dame on Friday.
Drew Crawford had shown excellent athletic skill in NU’s first 3 games, but tonight he showed the ability to hit three point shots as well. Crawford scored 22 points on 8-of-14 shooting including 5-of-10 threes. He also looked very comfortable in NU’s offense as he took the right shot at the right time. Often times freshman are too aggressive or too reluctant to shoot, but Crawford found the right balance today. He also dished out 4 assists, grabbed 4 rebounds, and blocked another shot with his great leaping ability.
John Shurna scored 14 points tonight including two dunks. I think NU has dunked the ball more in four games this year than they did in all of some past seasons. Shurna also made 2-of-6 threes tonight. That’s not great, but it is a little better than he has been doing. I also liked that of those six shots it did not look like he was forcing them. Shurna added 9 rebounds to his stat line along with 3 assists and 0 turnovers.
Northwestern as a team had 22 assists and 13 turnovers. The 13 turnovers are still probably too many. Especially with some unforced. However with 22 assists on 27 made field goals one could see the Princeton Offense in full swing for the Wildcats.
Mention also has to go to the fact Coach Bill Carmody started Kyle Rowley tonight instead of Luke Mirkovic. Rowley responded with 8 points on 4-of-5 shooting. I was impressed with Rowley’s first basket on a left handed hook shot and several others where he went up quick to release the ball. Mirkovic was better than he has been the past two games as he scored 6 points of his own and grabbed 4 rebounds. I suspect Coach Carmody might chose to go back to Rowley starting and Mirkovic coming off the bench as he did more often last season.
Aside from the turnovers and some defensive lapses, especially a couple times NU didn’t get back on defense, the worst part of the night for NU was freshman guard Alex Marcotullio hitting the ground hard in the first half and not returning to action. Marcotullio has a sprained right thumb according to reports from NU. Hopefully he’ll be back when the Wildcats play Notre Dame on Friday.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Game 4: Liberty @ Northwestern Wildcats
The Matchup: Liberty (1-4) @ Northwestern (2-1)
Location: Welsh-Ryan Arena (Evanston, IL)
TV: www.bigtennetwork.com for $2.99 (5:30 PM November 24th)
Radio: WGN 720 AM
Fun Fact: Northwestern is the only team in the Chicago Invitational Challenge who the Liberty Flames have played before.
About the Game
This Northwestern team is still something of a mystery, but that’s understandable considering the ‘Cats are still probably adjusting to loss of Kevin Coble and Jeff Ryan. Against Tennessee State, Michael “Juice” Thompson stepped up big with 31 points. Against Northern Illinois it was Jeremy Nash who stepped up with 20 points. Against Butler nobody stepped up for NU. Those facts seem to prove that NU is still trying to find a consistent replacement for Coble’s points. The good news is the Wildcats have several options; the bad news is several have been very inconsistent. In fact, other than Thompson, NU hasn’t really gotten the production they expected from their other top offensive weapons. This game against Liberty could be a chance for front court guys like John Shurna and Luka Mirkovic to really step up.
The shortest description of Liberty would young and small. Liberty’s tallest starter is 6-6 guard David Minaya. Their tallest front court starter is 6-5 Patrick Konan. Liberty does have two more traditional big men on the bench, but neither 6-10 Joel Vander Pol or 6-11 Carter McMasters has seen that much time. McMasters has made a number of blocks in his time on the court and may get more action against NU, but at only 210 pounds if NU wants to use Kyle Rowley or even Davide Curletti he might get pushed around.
The top scorer on the Flames is 6-4 swingman Kyle Ohman. He averages around 15 points per game and has displayed an ability to rebound as well with about five per game. 6-3 guard Jesse Sanders also gets more than 5 rebounds per game. This has to be something of a concern for NU as the ‘Cats did allow both Butler and Tennessee State to get a number of second chance shots. If NU wants to get back to rebounding like they did against NIU it’ll take another good effort from freshman Drew Crawford and some major steps forward from the center position and John Shurna.
Given Liberty’s size disadvantage it’ll be interesting to see if NU tries to feed the post or if they continue to depend on the outside shot. If NU wants to shoot from distance I suspect Alex Marcotullio will continue to see his playing time increase.
Marcotullio is also interesting on defense as he displayed some good athletic skills at the top of the 1-3-1 against Tennessee State. If Marcotullio can play the top of that zone, it’ll free Jeremy Nash up to play on the wing and that might help NU close out on shooters as Nash has good size and quickness on the wing.
Prediction: Northwestern has been unimpressive the last two games, but I think they learned some important facts about themselves in the narrow win over TSU. I look for the Wildcats to work Alex Marcotullio into the game early and try to get John Shurna going offensively as well against the smaller Flames. Those two guys combined with continued solid play from Juice Thompson and a concentrated effort to take care of the ball should give NU a win. Northwestern, 70 Liberty, 57
Location: Welsh-Ryan Arena (Evanston, IL)
TV: www.bigtennetwork.com for $2.99 (5:30 PM November 24th)
Radio: WGN 720 AM
Fun Fact: Northwestern is the only team in the Chicago Invitational Challenge who the Liberty Flames have played before.
About the Game
This Northwestern team is still something of a mystery, but that’s understandable considering the ‘Cats are still probably adjusting to loss of Kevin Coble and Jeff Ryan. Against Tennessee State, Michael “Juice” Thompson stepped up big with 31 points. Against Northern Illinois it was Jeremy Nash who stepped up with 20 points. Against Butler nobody stepped up for NU. Those facts seem to prove that NU is still trying to find a consistent replacement for Coble’s points. The good news is the Wildcats have several options; the bad news is several have been very inconsistent. In fact, other than Thompson, NU hasn’t really gotten the production they expected from their other top offensive weapons. This game against Liberty could be a chance for front court guys like John Shurna and Luka Mirkovic to really step up.
The shortest description of Liberty would young and small. Liberty’s tallest starter is 6-6 guard David Minaya. Their tallest front court starter is 6-5 Patrick Konan. Liberty does have two more traditional big men on the bench, but neither 6-10 Joel Vander Pol or 6-11 Carter McMasters has seen that much time. McMasters has made a number of blocks in his time on the court and may get more action against NU, but at only 210 pounds if NU wants to use Kyle Rowley or even Davide Curletti he might get pushed around.
The top scorer on the Flames is 6-4 swingman Kyle Ohman. He averages around 15 points per game and has displayed an ability to rebound as well with about five per game. 6-3 guard Jesse Sanders also gets more than 5 rebounds per game. This has to be something of a concern for NU as the ‘Cats did allow both Butler and Tennessee State to get a number of second chance shots. If NU wants to get back to rebounding like they did against NIU it’ll take another good effort from freshman Drew Crawford and some major steps forward from the center position and John Shurna.
Given Liberty’s size disadvantage it’ll be interesting to see if NU tries to feed the post or if they continue to depend on the outside shot. If NU wants to shoot from distance I suspect Alex Marcotullio will continue to see his playing time increase.
Marcotullio is also interesting on defense as he displayed some good athletic skills at the top of the 1-3-1 against Tennessee State. If Marcotullio can play the top of that zone, it’ll free Jeremy Nash up to play on the wing and that might help NU close out on shooters as Nash has good size and quickness on the wing.
Prediction: Northwestern has been unimpressive the last two games, but I think they learned some important facts about themselves in the narrow win over TSU. I look for the Wildcats to work Alex Marcotullio into the game early and try to get John Shurna going offensively as well against the smaller Flames. Those two guys combined with continued solid play from Juice Thompson and a concentrated effort to take care of the ball should give NU a win. Northwestern, 70 Liberty, 57
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