Rutgers
- Thread starter wildcatpn
- Start date
Rutgers is good. Won at Purdue. Hope we pack the place in purple on Wednesday and cheer for the best. I’m still not allowing myself to be a believer (flashbacks to two seasons ago are traumatizing), but this has been a very pleasant surprise so far. Huge win today in a tough venue, following a satisfying one at home against IL. Go ‘Cats!
Rutgers is really good. They have a terrific coach who has brought a great culture to the program. When March arrives, they stand to go a couple of rounds into the tournament. I hope our Cats show up.
Rutgers is an excellent team that sometimes has off nights shooting. Such as today. But they play TOUGH. Will be great to see if we can match them in toughness - a great sign if we can!
Iowa, virtually left for dead a week or two ago, took down Rutgers today after a tremendous comeback to beat Indiana earlier in the week. Maryland also defeated Ohio State. Illinois, after its crap performance against the Cats, beats Wisconsin this weekend. Looks like a wild year in the B1G. Not many championship caliber teams, but very competitive.
R
If there is a team that is better on D than the Cats, it is RUT. And they are better on the O end than we are so it will be tough. Hopefully it will be more of a home crowd than usual at WR
Have to be able to get them in. But I would add in Cam Spencer (our Spencer's little brother), who hit the shot that beat Purdue.
I hear you. Samesies.
A shame our (double)
speed took a (precipitous) tumble 
this season 
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Serious question....
Is Matt Nicholson the fastest "big man" in Northwestern history?
Maybe Robbie Beran, but he's not really a big...
Shon Morris vs Nicholson?
Kevin Rankin?
Alex Olah?
Esch?
Nance?
Young?
The Nicholbomb would dust those guys far worse than what he did to Trayce Jackson-Davis at the end of the first half...
I only go back 20 something years as an NU supporter. But, for me, he is the most impressive
speed at 5 we have had. Off the ball, of course, with the ball, not really.You know, if you drink enough Malort, Chivas, and White Claw, saying "Matt Nicholson is awesome" will come out sounding like "Mads Mikkelsen izawthum."
And nothing could be closer to the truth.
Mads Mikkelsen has played the three scariest guys in cinematic history with effortless aplomb. It's only fitting that his name is uncannily similar to that of our glorious power center.
As LeChiffre in "Casino Royale", Mikkelsen somehow willed his eye to bleed without having to stab it with a spork. That's just badass.
And in "Polar", Mikkelsen fends off an armed assailant in the midst of copulation. Talk about "finishing!" He eventually chases down Blut, his former employer, and cuts off his head and throws it out the window, just to be sure. Defenestrating your enemy's head? That's just badass.
Finally, in "Valhalla Rising", Mikkelsen scared the living crap out of me without ever saying a word. I have been too frightened to be able to board a Viking long ship ever since watching that movie.
So our Matt Nicholson is really a basketball version of Mads Mikkelsen, the biggest badass on the screen since Charleton Heston.
And nothing could be closer to the truth.
Mads Mikkelsen has played the three scariest guys in cinematic history with effortless aplomb. It's only fitting that his name is uncannily similar to that of our glorious power center.
As LeChiffre in "Casino Royale", Mikkelsen somehow willed his eye to bleed without having to stab it with a spork. That's just badass.
And in "Polar", Mikkelsen fends off an armed assailant in the midst of copulation. Talk about "finishing!" He eventually chases down Blut, his former employer, and cuts off his head and throws it out the window, just to be sure. Defenestrating your enemy's head? That's just badass.
Finally, in "Valhalla Rising", Mikkelsen scared the living crap out of me without ever saying a word. I have been too frightened to be able to board a Viking long ship ever since watching that movie.
So our Matt Nicholson is really a basketball version of Mads Mikkelsen, the biggest badass on the screen since Charleton Heston.
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I think this is the type of deep and insightful player analysis we're all coming here looking for.
If NU plays like they played against the vacuum cleaners, they'll win.
The big experience last game was, with two minutes left, the team was looking at one another thinking, geez, we're the better team! The discovery was so distracting they nearly gave the game away. CCC got to give the most fun lecture of his tenure on how to close out tough opponents.
The big experience last game was, with two minutes left, the team was looking at one another thinking, geez, we're the better team! The discovery was so distracting they nearly gave the game away. CCC got to give the most fun lecture of his tenure on how to close out tough opponents.
I am all for this thread descending into a Mads Mikkelsen 
thing. Even better if it comes with emojis. 
Want to talk about badass? How about having the
to try to live up the outsized expectations that come with portraying Hannibal Lector? All with a hint of homo eroticism along the way? 
Show aired already a while ago and was tragically cancelled before it deserved to be. They committed the cardinal sin of making it too artsy to have mass appeal
But Gato's 16 daughter yo came to the Hannibal party late, a few months ago actually. And what do you do when your teenager shows interest in sharing something with you? You get f'ing interested in it. 
For all this sweet bastard has done for years now, the image that stays in my mind, is of a less murdery kind, despite no less badass. It comes in the excellent 2020 movie Another Round. And it ends like this
thing. Even better if it comes with emojis. Want to talk about badass? How about having the
to try to live up the outsized expectations that come with portraying Hannibal Lector? All with a hint of homo eroticism along the way?
Show aired already a while ago and was tragically cancelled before it deserved to be. They committed the cardinal sin of making it too artsy to have mass appeal
But Gato's 16 daughter yo came to the Hannibal party late, a few months ago actually. And what do you do when your teenager shows interest in sharing something with you? You get f'ing interested in it. For all this sweet bastard has done for years now, the image that stays in my mind, is of a less murdery kind, despite no less badass. It comes in the excellent 2020 movie Another Round. And it ends like this
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Mads is really going to be tested tonight against Rutgers.
They've got a bunch of 6'6" - 6'7" athletes that will be probably able to pass over the top of Berry, Roper, Buie and Audige, depending on who guards whom. And Omoruyi is quick, skilled and quite the leaper.
Collins may be forced to play Barnhizer at the 3 for significant stretches to counter Rutgers' height at the other positions.
Hopefully we take the ball away from them with great frequency and avoid foul trouble in the frontcourt.
They've got a bunch of 6'6" - 6'7" athletes that will be probably able to pass over the top of Berry, Roper, Buie and Audige, depending on who guards whom. And Omoruyi is quick, skilled and quite the leaper.
Collins may be forced to play Barnhizer at the 3 for significant stretches to counter Rutgers' height at the other positions.
Hopefully we take the ball away from them with great frequency and avoid foul trouble in the frontcourt.
We need ballers and he is one. With Spencer, with his brother coming here we should have at least been a viable destination
Derek Pardon looks pretty fast in this video (just needed an excuse to watch this play again...)
For me the game will be decided on whether good Buie or bad Buie shows up and whether Rutgers can take advantage of its length on thr guard wing spots.
Mulcahy had a career game against NW last year and at 6'7 NW doesn't have an answer size wise at guard. Spencer is 6'4 and Caleb is 6'7 so there will be an advantage somewhere
Can Cliff use his athleticism to score?
Will NW play a zone? Rutgers struggles shooting and didn't look great against Iowa's zone and they stink at defense
Rutgers is in a prime bounce back spot after losing a rare home game. NW seems to be due for a loss. Possibly the 2 best defensive teams in the B1G. Might come down to just who hits their 3's tonight and who throws up bricks
Mulcahy had a career game against NW last year and at 6'7 NW doesn't have an answer size wise at guard. Spencer is 6'4 and Caleb is 6'7 so there will be an advantage somewhere
Can Cliff use his athleticism to score?
Will NW play a zone? Rutgers struggles shooting and didn't look great against Iowa's zone and they stink at defense
Rutgers is in a prime bounce back spot after losing a rare home game. NW seems to be due for a loss. Possibly the 2 best defensive teams in the B1G. Might come down to just who hits their 3's tonight and who throws up bricks
With Rutgers having the #3 defense and NU having the #10 defense (by KenPom), I expect someone to win this game 58-56. Could be an ugly slugfest that will have James Naismith rolling around in his grave.
Your quick guards scare me, as -- despite our defensive acumen this year -- we have at times struggled with pick and roll offenses.
I would expect 6-7 guard/wing Caleb McConnell (DPOY in the B1G last year) to guard Audige, but that leaves us with 6-7 PG Paul Mulcahy likely guarding Berry, and 6-4 SG Cam Spencer guarding Buie. We have a much quicker (but true freshman) 6-2 guard in Derek Simpson who will likely play 20 minutes as well. Our defense is pretty good at sagging and digging below the foul line extended, but I am worried about your quickness at guard compared to our guys (who play capable "team" defense but who might not be as good 1-on-1). Spencer actually leads the league in steals, as he has an incredible knack for getting into passing lanes.
We have also put on a pretty effective full court press at times this year, led by our lengthy wings Mawot Mag and McConnell. It can be a ferocious press that has caused alot of turnovers (we lead the conference in caused TOs by a wide margin), but I suspect your quick guards will neutralize it.
On the other end, though, you should expect either McConnell or more likely Mulcahy to look for opportunities to post up your smaller guards. Collins would be smart to play lots of zone, which takes away Mulcahy's dribble penetration and dishing abilities, and allows your defense to crowd Cliff Omoruyi. We struggled against Iowa's zone for these reasons.
But you might see Pikiell make an adjustment and put Mulcahy at the foul line in the middle of your zone. In the past, he's been very effective making plays from that spot, either using his size to get down the lane, or dish to the wing, or lob or bounce pass to Cliff.
It should be an interesting cat and mouse game on both ends of the floor.
Your quick guards scare me, as -- despite our defensive acumen this year -- we have at times struggled with pick and roll offenses.
I would expect 6-7 guard/wing Caleb McConnell (DPOY in the B1G last year) to guard Audige, but that leaves us with 6-7 PG Paul Mulcahy likely guarding Berry, and 6-4 SG Cam Spencer guarding Buie. We have a much quicker (but true freshman) 6-2 guard in Derek Simpson who will likely play 20 minutes as well. Our defense is pretty good at sagging and digging below the foul line extended, but I am worried about your quickness at guard compared to our guys (who play capable "team" defense but who might not be as good 1-on-1). Spencer actually leads the league in steals, as he has an incredible knack for getting into passing lanes.
We have also put on a pretty effective full court press at times this year, led by our lengthy wings Mawot Mag and McConnell. It can be a ferocious press that has caused alot of turnovers (we lead the conference in caused TOs by a wide margin), but I suspect your quick guards will neutralize it.
On the other end, though, you should expect either McConnell or more likely Mulcahy to look for opportunities to post up your smaller guards. Collins would be smart to play lots of zone, which takes away Mulcahy's dribble penetration and dishing abilities, and allows your defense to crowd Cliff Omoruyi. We struggled against Iowa's zone for these reasons.
But you might see Pikiell make an adjustment and put Mulcahy at the foul line in the middle of your zone. In the past, he's been very effective making plays from that spot, either using his size to get down the lane, or dish to the wing, or lob or bounce pass to Cliff.
It should be an interesting cat and mouse game on both ends of the floor.
Audige actually leads the league in steals. Spender is 2nd. http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/conferences/statistics/_/id/7/big-ten-conference
That game permeated this board into believing he is the 2nd coming of Magic Johnson. Not that he's not a good player. He is.
If Mulcahy was the surefire player needing to be slowed down, Audige would be on him, and despite giving up 3 inches I don't see a problem with it. But that's not the case. And NU switches most times 1-4. I'd be shocked if they did not tonight.
I'd also be shocked if there was a zone
1) NU has used zone in zero possessions this season
2) IA needed to do something as their defense stinks
3) Chances are, because of losing, RU been practicing it anyway
RU is composed of some tough sumofbitches.