Second-half thread for NU vs. Minnesota

[lou v]

Maybe it was the unfamiliar rims of Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Maybe it was tournament jitters. Maybe it was the coronavirus scare.

Whatever the reason, both Northwestern and Minnesota got off to slow starts offensively. The teams combined to hit just two of their first 19 shots from the floor. The Gophers led just 4-2 at the first media timeout with 14:54 to go.

Minnesota went on a 7-0 run to expand its lead to 17-9 on a Marcus Carr 3-pointer. But Robbie Beran responded with a 3 of his own to start a NU surge, as the Wildcats outscored Minnesota 11-2 and took a 21-19 lead after a Pete Nance triple from the corner with 4:54 left in the half.

The teams traded buckets from there and a Pat Spencer layup with 33 seconds left gave the Wildcats a 31-29 lead at the half.

Nance is continuing his stellar play over the last month or so, with 10 points to lead NU. Meanwhile, Daniel Oturu is killing NU again, with 15 of the Gophers' 29 points.

 

[GatoLouco]

They just announced no fans tomorrow. The crowd booed

 

[bringbacktherantboard]

They just announced no fans tomorrow. The crowd booed

I'd be pissed if I bought tickets and made the trip.

 

[bringbacktherantboard]

It's amazing how much easier it is to stay competitive when the opponent doesn't have four separate players shooting above 44% from 3.

 

[GatoLouco]

The MN players are showing very little aggressiveness. 2 fouls. If only we had not started so cold we’d be up by 10

 

[lou v]

NU in the danger zone right now, down 10 with 11:20 left. They can't let the Gophers get too far in front.

 

[GatoLouco]

24 pts allowed in 8:40. Eesh

 

[jensberg]

Minnesota four out of five from 3 in the second half they keep that up this game is a blowout

 

[TheC]

This painful season is winding down

 

[GatoLouco]

30 allowed in 10. We’re done

 

[willycat]

I'd be pissed if I bought tickets and made the trip.

Why did they allow the games to be played today with fans present? The NCAA announced earlier today that no tournament games would have fans present. Sounds like a bad decision by the Big Ten and the city of Indianapolis.

 

[freewillie07]

That’s game.

Absolutely brutal miss on an easy layup from Jones.

Oh, and they’re not missing any shots.

 

[bringbacktherantboard]

It's amazing how much easier it is to stay competitive when the opponent doesn't have four separate players shooting above 44% from 3.

Well, now, suddenly Minny has FIVE players shooting at least % from 3. I think I jinxed us.

 

[jensberg]

That’s game.

Absolutely brutal miss on an easy layup from Jones.

Oh, and they’re not missing any shots.

Exactly that was the telling sequence of the game. Their player makes a contested three and Jones misses a layup with a 6'4" player guarding him

 

[TheC]

This is the third worst team in the conference and they are light years better than us.

 

[freewillie07]

This is the third worst team in the conference and they are light years better than us.

lol

Any team looks good when they make every contested 3 they take. Come on.

 

[Figrating]

Damn - back in that 10+ point hole again. NU started missing just as Minny went on a roll.

Might need two miracles to save this one.

 

[cometclear]

Terrible effort in the second half. Not a good omen.

 

[clarificationcat]

lol

Any team looks good when they make every contested 3 they take. Come on.

They are 11 for 21 on 3's. We are 5 for 18. Do the math. As much as a few folks on this board want to keep it 1973, it's generally all about the 3-point shooting in today's game unless you have superior athletes (and we don't). How'd we shoot from 3 against Penn State? We were 11-22. Go figure.

 

[TheC]

lol

Any team looks good when they make every contested 3 they take. Come on.

Second chance points are something like 18-2. Free throw disparity is once again huge. We are not in the same universe as the the third worst team in the league.

 

[DaCat]

Minny made their shots, we missed our shots. They don't have any seniors according to the announcers, yet they are playing much better than us.

 

[GatoLouco]

3 pt shots tend to go in more with open looks. Just saying.

 

[bringbacktherantboard]

3 pt shots tend to go in more with open looks. Just saying.

But it's tough to deny EVERYBODY open looks when there are six players who each made at least half their 3s.

 

[GatoLouco]

GatoLouco said:

↑



3 pt shots tend to go in more with open looks. Just saying.

But it's tough to deny EVERYBODY open looks when there are six players who each made at least half their 3s.
[/quote]
So what’s your explanation? Just bad luck?

 

[jensberg]

If you knew nothing about our team and watched tonight for the first time just the second half one would think that most of the players on our team are division 3 not big 10 players. We couldn't box out, we couldn't defend, couldn't shoot. I'm not sure how bright the future is.

 

[bringbacktherantboard]

So what’s your explanation? Just bad luck?

Minnesota has done it to us twice now. They clearly have some shooters. I think they're a bad matchup for us. They also destroyed us on the boards both games. They're more physical and they wore us down in the second half.

 

[loyolacat]

we do not have any lock down defenders...so we are always in help and cover mode....which if the other team executes at all will get a decent shot...and if you have a bunch of good shooters....gonna be an uphill road.....does anyone know the defensive make up of the guys available next year ? Watching a lot of LU games , they play defense first...they have a couple of guys who could not hit the ocean..but man can they guard....defense travels....and if you have to work 100% constantly on defense it will take a toll on your offense. Was a rough year for what seems like a super bunch of kids playing hard

 

[GatoLouco]

Minnesota has done it to us twice now. They clearly have some shooters. I think they're a bad matchup for us. They also destroyed us on the boards both games. They're more physical and they wore us down in the second half.

Basketball is not, for the most part, about shutting down every facet of the opposing team's game. It is about limiting it in a way that gives you the best chance to win a game.

Apply that to MN, and if you help a lot inside, they are going to get open shots. You do not, and Oturu goes off, even Demir was threatening to put up some numbers.

Early in the 2nd half we gave up 4 or 5 threes that were just as opposed as a warm up shot. Go review it and you'll see it.

Additionally, we scored 57 points. Not going to win a lot of games like that. Giving up 74 pts is not good, but it's not laughable either. We could have easily gone up by 10 in the 1st half. We could have scored more than 26 in the 2nd. We didn't, we lost the game.

This narrative of losing games just because the other team got hot is non sense. We got work to, that's the truth.