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Looking ahead to Saturday

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backdoorpass

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Jun 13, 2008
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Saturday will be an interesting day to gauge how we might stack up in the B1G. Not only do we have a big game at a Neutral site against a more-or-less evenly rated/matched opponent in Dayton, but it will also be fun to check out:

Purdue vs. Notre Dame at a Neutral site
Indiana vs. Butler at a Neutral site

Plus, Ohio State faces UCLA at a Neutral site.

Good games all around.
 
N

NJCat

All-Conference
Mar 7, 2016
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backdoorpass said:
Saturday will be an interesting day to gauge how we might stack up in the B1G. Not only do we have a big game at a Neutral site against a more-or-less evenly rated/matched opponent in Dayton, but it will also be fun to check out:

Purdue vs. Notre Dame at a Neutral site
Indiana vs. Butler at a Neutral site

Plus, Ohio State faces UCLA at a Neutral site.

Good games all around.
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Yep. Some really closely matched teams. UCLA will whip OSU though, the Bruins are very good.

Cats win a close one against UD. NU has a greater urgency on this game athan Dayton. The Flyers will likely get into the Tournament even with a loss. But for NU, any hopes of the NCAA this season rest on beating UD. Cannot go 0-3 against OOC Tournament teams (Texas winn NOT be in the NCAA this year!).
 
G

GOUNUII

Junior
Jan 4, 2004
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Fitzphile said:
Yep. Some really closely matched teams. UCLA will whip OSU though, the Bruins are very good.

Cats win a close one against UD. NU has a greater urgency on this game athan Dayton. The Flyers will likely get into the Tournament even with a loss. But for NU, any hopes of the NCAA this season rest on beating UD. Cannot go 0-3 against OOC Tournament teams (Texas winn NOT be in the NCAA this year!).
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Dayton mirrors NU in this regard. They too lost three big men (2 starters and a top sub) who were expected to be major frontcourt players this year.

The Flyers are still a very quick team with athletic depth. If we can control tempo, take care of the rock and occasionally get to the rim/foul line, we'll be just fine.

I like the look and feel of Collins' team this year. Cats 67 ... Flyers 59.

GOUNUII
 
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B

backdoorpass

Sophomore
Jun 13, 2008
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GOUNUII said:
Dayton mirrors NU in this regard. They too lost three big men (2 starters and a top sub) who were expected to be major frontcourt players this year.

The Flyers are still a very quick team with athletic depth. If we can control tempo, take care of the rock and occasionally get to the rim/foul line, we'll be just fine.

I like the look and feel of Collins' team this year. Cats 67 ... Flyers 59.

GOUNUII
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One thing that I like about our matchup with The Flyers is that we will have played two games (New Orleans and Chicago State) while Dayton has been stagnant and taking exams. Dayton beat East Tennessee on Saturday, but won't play again until they meet us.

You could definitely see some rust on our squad in the first 10 minutes of our game against New Orleans. We finished the first half strong and started the second half strong...and then the game was out of reach and whatever.

Starting strong against an evenly matched Dayton team could mean all the difference in the end.

Go 'Cats!
 
G

GOUNUII

Junior
Jan 4, 2004
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backdoorpass said:
One thing that I like about our matchup with The Flyers is that we will have played two games (New Orleans and Chicago State) while Dayton has been stagnant and taking exams. Dayton beat East Tennessee on Saturday, but won't play again until they meet us.

You could definitely see some rust on our squad in the first 10 minutes of our game against New Orleans. We finished the first half strong and started the second half strong...and then the game was out of reach and whatever.

Starting strong against an evenly matched Dayton team could mean all the difference in the end.

Go 'Cats!
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The Flyers' guards are very good. Smith and Cooke are skilled athletes that can penetrate, score and pressure the ball. They will test us defensively. Other than that, I think the Cats have the match-up advantages. Tap and Skelly will have their opportunities. Our team execution will be a decided advantage. Just gotta take care of the rock.

GOUNUII
 
F

Figrating

Redshirt
Dec 19, 2007
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backdoorpass said:
Saturday will be an interesting day to gauge how we might stack up in the B1G. Not only do we have a big game at a Neutral site against a more-or-less evenly rated/matched opponent in Dayton, but it will also be fun to check out:

Purdue vs. Notre Dame at a Neutral site
Indiana vs. Butler at a Neutral site

Plus, Ohio State faces UCLA at a Neutral site.

Good games all around.
Click to expand...

I love watching NU win, but too many of these recent games have been total mismatches, such as we expect tonight. Boring to watch after a while and the team can't grow playing against such weak competition.

I am really anxious to see what this team can do in the conference. In the meantime, Dayton will raise the bar.
 
mickbula

mickbula

Junior
Jul 1, 2011
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Has anyone seen that point guard for UCLA shoot? He makes almost every one he takes, but damn- it is really cockeyedjoe and weird how he releases the basketball. Alford really has them playing well- wait, he's still their coach right?. I will pick them to beat Villanova in the Final Four this year.
 
F

Fitz51

Senior
Oct 21, 2008
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Figrating said:
I love watching NU win, but too many of these recent games have been total mismatches, such as we expect tonight. Boring to watch after a while and the team can't grow playing against such weak competition.
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NU has played four teams that weren't the usual "weak competition" (WF, BUT, ND, TEX). That's much better than the usual zero or one though 9 games.
 
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Napcat

Redshirt
Nov 23, 2016
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Looking forward to attending the games on Saturday and seeing the Wildcats go to 9-2. Should be a great one!
 
M

mikewebb68

Senior
Oct 24, 2009
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GOUNUII said:
The Flyers' guards are very good. Smith and Cooke are skilled athletes that can penetrate, score and pressure the ball. They will test us defensively. Other than that, I think the Cats have the match-up advantages. Tap and Skelly will have their opportunities. Our team execution will be a decided advantage. Just gotta take care of the rock.

GOUNUII
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Have you seen them play a lot? I only saw them play Nebby, and watching that game I agree with your assessment on offense, but on D Nebby's guards seem to be able to repeatedly exploit them on the dribble-drive (which I think BMac could do similarly).
 
B

backdoorpass

Sophomore
Jun 13, 2008
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Fitzphile said:
BMac is the weak link right now. Has no confidence in his shot. His floaters off drives are not working.

Hope he turns it around Saturday evening.
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Let's not get carried away. BMac is not having the star season that we hoped for, but he is still averaging 12.6 ppg, 5.1 assists per game and a better than 2:1 assist to turnover ratio. At the same time, he is only shooting 25% from beyond the arc when the team is shooting 39% beyond the arc. He is not "the weak link," but he is our 3rd best player (when we expected him to be our best).
 
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JournCat

Junior
Aug 4, 2009
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I have two hypotheses about Mac:

1. He's adjusting to having to set up two assertive wing players, Lindsey and Law, after two years of dribble-drive with Olah or letting Demps create on his own, and the shift has messed up his rhythm.

2. The NU preseason marketing campaign curse has claimed another victim.
 
D

Deeringfish

All-Conference
Jun 23, 2008
21,019
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JournCat said:
I have two hypotheses about Mac:

1. He's adjusting to having to set up two assertive wing players, Lindsey and Law, after two years of dribble-drive with Olah or letting Demps create on his own, and the shift has messed up his rhythm.

2. The NU preseason marketing campaign curse has claimed another victim.
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He may also be adjusting to his scratchy beard.
 
N

NJCat

All-Conference
Mar 7, 2016
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NUThump said:
I saw a replay of Dayton's last game, and in the post game interview they talked about their goal of getting 60+% of their points in the paint. We need to be ready.
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Whew! At least NU won't get killed by the 3 like they did against CSU.....;)
 
DaCat

DaCat

All-Conference
May 29, 2001
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Fitzphile said:
Whew! At least NU won't get killed by the 3 like they did against CSU.....;)
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The announcers said that CSU shot something like 1-10 in three point shots against NU last year. Sometimes an individual or two gets a hot hand and you just ride him until he cools off, and that's what CSU did. Hope that we don't see that against Dayton.
 
N

NJCat

All-Conference
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DaCat said:
The announcers said that CSU shot something like 1-10 in three point shots against NU last year.
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Believe it or not, they shot 1-19 last year. As Jerry Seinfeld said, "it all evens out".
 
F

Fitz51

Senior
Oct 21, 2008
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300 level available for $41 after fees, and I imagine that a ticket up there will pretty much allow you the run of the place, meaning I can go sit center court. Strongly considering it; probably will bail before the Illini game.
 
DaCat

DaCat

All-Conference
May 29, 2001
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I hope to see NU make a statement today against Dayton. Come on Cats!
 
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