Game thread for NU @ Michigan

NU Houston

Junior
Apr 12, 2010
6,370
321
83
We’ve posted variations of this message over and over for about 20 years now. It’s just another BIG10 loss for Northwestern.
There's a lot of trauma that comes with being a NU sports fan, isn't there?
 

PurpleWhiteBoy

Redshirt
Feb 25, 2021
5,303
0
0
Our lack of Big Ten level depth in the frontcourt was on full display today.
When Nicholson had to go to the bench so early, that made it pretty likely that Beran would also end up in foul trouble.
And we have no legitimate size besides those two.

Michigan beat us when they started using two big guys and we couldn't counter.

This should help enlighten those who scoffed about the negative impact of Luke Hunger's injury.
 

1830 Sherman

Redshirt
May 29, 2001
464
28
28
He’s an imperfect NU player, obvious weaknesses overcome with grit and effort. NU will never have more talent in the conference, so we need guys that overwhelm their deficiencies with effort. Boo is a dog, like Chase is a dog, like Barnhizer is a dog. We need 13 dogs.

(Mostly tho, I wrote ‘never sit him’ as a joke because he did something cool, I think it was his weird falling banked-in leaner over Dickerson on a drive to the right block, moments after I posted that he should sit more so that Berry-Roper-Chase could play together.)
Ok my bad, I missed your context. Probably because I was blinded by my frustration with him.
 

GatoLouco

Sophomore
Nov 13, 2019
5,636
116
63
Our lack of Big Ten level depth in the frontcourt was on full display today.
When Nicholson had to go to the bench so early, that made it pretty likely that Beran would also end up in foul trouble.
And we have no legitimate size besides those two.

Michigan beat us when they started using two big guys and we couldn't counter.

This should help enlighten those who scoffed about the negative impact of Luke Hunger's injury.
Small ball helped us in the first. It was driven be Mats 2 fouls.

But that was a fluke. I feel like I’ve stated this opinion a million times, but small ball works with physical and athletic perimeter players. That’s not us.

So later Howard, instead of matching small, plays big. We lost. He still sucks
 

Hungry Jack

All-Conference
Nov 17, 2008
37,173
2,666
67
Here is what I tell my twelve year old and his teammates (not a guarantee they listen): an open shot is a good shot choice—provided it’s within your range. I tell Little H (Canute) that his range ends where he can’t make at least 40%. He wants to shoot the 3, but he knows what dad will say when that happens.
 

PurpleWhiteBoy

Redshirt
Feb 25, 2021
5,303
0
0
I think very highly of Robbie Hummel as an analyst. He is usually right on it...

In this case, his praise of the small ball lineup was reasonable, but he chose to interpret that as a knock on Nicholson, who played a good game overall, while his teammates were playing very poorly at the start of the game. I think the success of the small ball lineup might be more easily explained by crediting Barnhizer, who got off the bench and played well. (Lately Barnhizer has only been out there as Beran's backup, playing with Verhoeven - he deserves more than that).

Barnhizer - 4 of 8 shooting. 10 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 1 turnover. 26 minutes.
Nicholson - 5 of 5 shooting. 13 points, 5 rebounds, no assists or turnovers, 19 minutes.
 
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GatoLouco

Sophomore
Nov 13, 2019
5,636
116
63
I think very highly of Robbie Hummel as an analyst. He is usually right on it...

In this case, his praise of the small ball lineup was reasonable, but he chose to interpret that as a knock on Nicholson, who played a good game overall, while his teammates were playing very poorly at the start of the game. I think the success of the small ball lineup might be more easily explained by crediting Barnhizer, who got off the bench and played well. (Lately Barnhizer has only been out there as Beran's backup, playing with Verhoeven - he deserves more than that).

Barnhizer - 4 of 8 shooting. 10 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 1 turnover. 26 minutes.
Nicholson - 5 of 5 shooting. 12 points, 5 rebounds, no assists or turnovers, 19 minutes.
IMO the question the small ball raises today is not whether it’s a good way for us to play or not. Last year should give us a good idea of the results.

The question it raises, in my mind, is if it’s preferable over using Verhoeven. In other words, it raises the question if Matt’s replacement at 5 should be Beran. It’s not great, but perhaps better than using Verhoeven. In effect, it would transfer most of Verhoeven’s minutes to Barnhizer.
 
Sep 9, 2015
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IMO the question the small ball raises today is not whether it’s a good way for us to play or not. Last year should give us a good idea of the results.

The question it raises, in my mind, is if it’s preferable over using Verhoeven. In other words, it raises the question if Matt’s replacement at 5 should be Beran. It’s not great, but perhaps better than using Verhoeven. In effect, it would transfer most of Verhoeven’s minutes to Barnhizer.
Those were exactly my thoughts.
 

NUCat320

Senior
Dec 4, 2005
19,469
495
0
Barnhizer is so physically overmatched playing as a 4, but he makes up for it with his grit. Today was his first B1G game in double figures scoring (second career).

The downside is that Beran is *also* overmatched as a five. He was in more foul trouble than I recall this season.
 

PURPLECAT88

Senior
Feb 4, 2003
7,682
740
113
IMO the question the small ball raises today is not whether it’s a good way for us to play or not. Last year should give us a good idea of the results.

The question it raises, in my mind, is if it’s preferable over using Verhoeven. In other words, it raises the question if Matt’s replacement at 5 should be Beran. It’s not great, but perhaps better than using Verhoeven. In effect, it would transfer most of Verhoeven’s minutes to Barnhizer.
It might work, but introducing it against one of the premier centers in the B1G is probably not the best. Not blaming Collins here, he did it out of necessity.
 

hoosboot

All-American
Nov 7, 2001
26,893
6,534
0
Exactly predictable for you to bring the negativity. And either you believe Michigan is better than us or you believe we had no chance (“ball game”).. Which one?
You should probably complain to Cappy about the personal attacks...oh, wait...
 

GatoLouco

Sophomore
Nov 13, 2019
5,636
116
63
I wonder why, if contact is made only after the shot is released, a shooting foul is called.
Because it alters the shot. Not every time, but if your brain realizes you are going to be touched, your shot will come out differently.

Back in the day there were guys who, after a shot, would shove their forearm into a shooter's chest, just to send a message and try to get the shooter to rush the next one.

Additionally, what contact would be allowed after the release? Maybe a tackle is too much, but where is the line drawn?
 
Aug 31, 2003
14,966
440
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Additionally, what contact would be allowed after the release? Maybe a tackle is too much, but where is the line drawn?
When you can't tell if there was actually any contact or if it was a flop.

If I see a 3-point-shooter fall on his *** after maybe his hand was touched, I don't want to reward that.
 

TheC

All-Conference
May 29, 2001
19,102
1,171
62
When you can't tell if there was actually any contact or if it was a flop.

If I see a 3-point-shooter fall on his *** after maybe his hand was touched, I don't want to reward that.
If you make contact with a three=point shooter at all, that means you are in his airspace. That can be potentially very dangerous and should always be a foul, even if the shooter didn't land on you.
 

GatoLouco

Sophomore
Nov 13, 2019
5,636
116
63
When you can't tell if there was actually any contact or if it was a flop.

If I see a 3-point-shooter fall on his *** after maybe his hand was touched, I don't want to reward that.
Flops are a disgrace. And I think it's positive they are cracking down on it.

But what you are describing is a... flop... if you can't see contact, it's a flop. You don't whistle maybes.
 
Aug 31, 2003
14,966
440
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Flops are a disgrace. And I think it's positive they are cracking down on it.

But what you are describing is a... flop... if you can't see contact, it's a flop. You don't whistle maybes.
I've seen lots of maybes whistled. Why do you think flops are a thing?
 

CatJones

Redshirt
Nov 30, 2013
316
10
0
Additionally, what contact would be allowed after the release? Maybe a tackle is too much, but where is the line drawn?
That would be a foul but not a shooting foul; the referee would decide if the amount of contact warrants a foul
 

CatJones

Redshirt
Nov 30, 2013
316
10
0
When you can't tell if there was actually any contact or if it was a flop.

If I see a 3-point-shooter fall on his *** after maybe his hand was touched, I don't want to reward that.
I don't like the flop call rule. It puts too much of the onus on the referee. He has to decide if there is a foul and then decide if there is a flop, two potentially game changing calls in one brief moment. Who cares if the shooter falls down after the shot (Boo does it after most drives to the basket)? It's the foul call (or not) that counts.
 
Dec 24, 2010
3,099
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The flop matters because if the ref rewards guys who flop, more guys will flop, which means more and more bodies cluttering up the floor on plays risking incidental injury and other problems.

I'd also like to see charging calls on the guys who like to leap into other players and then toss the ball towards the net so we can maybe decrease that stupid play style.