Singleton at backup center?
- Thread starter CatChatAR
- Start date
He looks like a guy who is best on the wing working with some space.
Kropp is lost right now. He will figure it out.
Kropp is lost right now. He will figure it out.
I think we would be at a disadvantage at every position on defense. Play Kropp and have him bang even if he fouls.
A 6-8, 215 LB Freshman trying to bang down low defensively with Big Ten Centers seems like... not a good recipe. I'm less concerned by having a rigidly defined center in our offense as I am somebody who can match up with all the traditional bigs of the Big Ten defensively. If they go small for a few minutes and somebody is stuck trying to slow down a center at a mismatch... maybe, but it seems like a big mismatch.
We're going to have troubles at center all year. There is no one that can truly match up with elite bigs on our roster. And beyond Page, no one with the size to even try. We're going to play small a lot this year and hope we can pressure the perimeter enough and crash a double team to any post players to limit their advantage. The concern is going to be rebounding. Can we play small and limit teams to one shot?
D1 opponent? Yes
Legit D1 opponent? I don’t know. At my first glance of the schedule, I thought we were playing a hospital.
Ha. They did finish 3rd in the NEC last year (their first year in D1), way ahead of our nemesis of a few years ago, Chicago State.
Did a quick scan of kenpom (In order by kenpom rankings). Below are the starting 5s (based on 1-2 games played):
| Team | Player | Ht, Wt, Yr | Notes |
| Purdue | Daniel Jacobsen | 7'4, 250, SO | Logged 1.8 %Min as a frosh |
| Illinois | Zvonimir Ivisic | 7'2, 250, JR | transfer from ARK, proven pivot was kenpom MVP in 3 SEC games last year |
| Michigan | Aday Mara / Morez Johnson | 7'3, 255, JR / 6'9, 250 So | Both transferred from B1G teams where they were rotation players |
| Wisconsin | Nolan Winter | 7'0, 235, JR | Program vet stepping into a leading role on team - can hit from inside and outside |
| UCLA | Xavier Booker | 6'11, 245, JR | Only played 28.4 %Min at Mich St last year, but projects to be a contributor |
| USC | Jacob Cofie | 6'10, 231, SO | Promising early returns- kenpom MVP in opener vs. Cal Poly. Transferred from UVA (52%Min) |
| Indiana | Sam Alexis / Reed Bailey | 6'9, 240, SR / 6'10" SR | FL Gators transfer who logged only 17.8%Min for them, kenpom MVP in opener vs. kp330 AL A&M. Bailey, has earned 4 kpMVPs in A10 play in '25 |
| MSU | Jaxon Kohler | 6'9, 245, SR | 4 year Sparty, also kp MVP vs kp 182 Colgate - 16 on 8 (2/4 3FG), 15 rebs |
| OSU | Christoph Tilly | 7'0, 240, SR | Santa Clara transfer, kp MVP vs kp345 IU Indy. Also was kpMVP in 3 WCC games last season. |
| Maryland | Pharrell Payne | 6'9, 250, SR | Gophs 1st 2 years, TA&M last season. kp MVP vs kp363 Coppin State (21 on 8, 6 reb) |
| Iowa | Alvaro Folgueiras | 6'10" 230, JR | Robert Morris last 2 years, can DReb and shoot the 3 (41.7% in '25) - 6 kpMVPs in Horizon League play. |
| Washington | Franck Kepnang / Lathan Sommerville | 6'11, 253, Grad / 6'10, 275 SO | They split time so far - Kepnang is 4th year as Huskie, Somerville transferred from Rutgers |
| Oregon | Nate Bittle | 7'0", 250, Grad | 5th Year at ORE, 6 kp MVPs in B1G play in '24 |
| Nebraska | Rienk Mast | 6'10" 250 Grad | 2nd Year at NEB, can shoot from outside |
| Northwestern | Arrinten Page | 6'11", 245, JR | You know the deal |
| Minnesota | Jaylen Crocker-Johnson | 6'8" 240, JR | Transfer from CSU Rams where he played 53 %Min - solid contributor there |
| Rutgers | Emmanuel Ogbole | 6'10, 260, SR | Program guy - def/reb focused. Rutgers appears to be going 5 by committee |
| Penn State | Ivan Zuric | 7'10, 250 FR | Brand new, so far playing 55 %Min for Nits, scored 13 on 5 (1/1 3FG), 4 reb in 22 min vs. kp300 Fairfield |
My quick takes: I don't think the B1G has a whole lot of "elite" bigs. However, it's fair to say that the super majority of the teams are rolling out 5s with upperclassmen that have been:
- with their program multiple years and logged B1G minutes (MSU, WISC, WASH, ORE, RUT, NEB), or
- have Power Conference experience - at least 50% Min played (ILL, MICH, MD, USC), or
- upperclassmen who made jump from mid-major, but was strong contributor (IND, MIN, OSU, IOWA)
- Purdue. Starting a soph, but that place is Pivot U, and their guards are the headliners.
- UCLA. Booker has 2 seasons of sub 30%Min play at Michigan State on his resume, so at least dude knows what it takes. UCLA is also backcourt strong.
- PSU. True frosh. Good luck with that.
Sooo.... Arrinten Page has minimal in-game Power Conference experience (approx 20 %Min played in last 2 years), has never merited a kpMVP rating for any previous performance. So, yeah, at this point, based on resume alone, NU is in the bottom quartile at the 5.
If you did this for the other 4 starting positions, I believe NU would be in the bottom quartile in 3 of those positions.
Thanks for doing this! Very informative.
I wonder not so much about where our center is relative to the rest of the league as I wonder if he can hang and not be completely dominated by the opponents. He seems to still be very raw in the sense of being naive and foul prone. But I don't necessarily see that he's going up against skilled offensive players. No Edey, Dickinson or Cockburn? So, maybe, just maybe, we are overly worried about him staying on the floor. That's the optimistic view!
He had no fouls in 22 minutes against Mercyhurst. I think the preseason referring was intentionally strict. B1G refs allow much more contact. I think he will be OK (but I'm just another message board doofus, what do I know).
Still blows my mind that we never replaced FitzMagic via the portal. I imagine it will only get worse as the season progresses. 
FitzMagic played only 22.3%Min in B1G play last year, and his boost occurred as the staff discerned that Luke Hunger wasn't work out as the backup. Otherwise, Fitz would've been likely in 10%Min which is Blake Smith territory.Still blows my mind that we never replaced FitzMagic via the portal. I imagine it will only get worse as the season progresses.
Fitz was unique in that he bought into the value proposition of being a backup B1G at NU. (His time at Stanford suggested he could hang academically, as well as his past experience as Ty Berry's AAU teammate)
Perhaps Collins could've found another backup C in the portal - but I gotta think the filter of academically eligible and OK with playing 8 minutes a game is pretty small - and then at that point, is it worth the scholarship/NIL money when I could let a higher ceiling frosh work through those minutes.
Kropp did real well in the FIBA U19 World Cup this summer, and perhaps that gave them assurances that he'll be a quick study.
I don’t know why anybody thinks that little World Cup tournament should have been the harbinger of anything at the power conference level. A glorified high level AAU tournament
As if we have guys in the past that played in these games all the time…
Not saying it might not be a sign for his future in some way, but the idea that it translates immediately to Big Ten play against highly paid grown *** 20-23 year old men is… just no. I hope by Big Ten play he’s able to semi competently defend much older and stronger big men 10 MPG
I like his chances. He’s likely struggling now because of team defense concepts, not 1:1.
I have never seen Bennerman(sic) and it seems like a redshirt is planned but I remember Derek P.'s first game against Nebraska. Bennerman has 5 fouls to give , is 7' tall and I would have him develop by playing because NU can't be sure he will stay all 5 years anyway
He played briefly against ISU, and it wasn't pretty. A long way from being on a high major floor.
My mind was (and is still is) similarly blown. If Page gets injuredStill blows my mind that we never replaced FitzMagic via the portal. I imagine it will only get worse as the season progresses.
I agree that if AP were out, NU would be in trouble at the 5. However, after seeing him live twice now, my initial reaction is AP is much better than I thought he was coming into this season. I think C Lowe and James will convince AP that he has more value on the court than stuck to the pine with fouls. He will need to accept losing a few battles to win the war. Kropp is not a stiff, but needs time to learn the defensive concepts of the wizard. He should be good for 10 minutes by conference time.
Arguably, through the first two games, Reid and AP are NU’s second and third best players. Of course, weaknesses will get exposed with stronger competition, but so far, very pleased with both of them.
Arguably, through the first two games, Reid and AP are NU’s second and third best players. Of course, weaknesses will get exposed with stronger competition, but so far, very pleased with both of them.
I don’t think arguably. Through the first two games they clearly were the 2nd and 3rd best players. Although it’s still early and there’s a few guys with the ability to be that player on any given night.
Very whistle happy exhibition games. Which is good for exhibition games.