Tre Demps: Cats Up
- Thread starter MickeyCat
- Start date
Thats a rather bold prediction.
He's definitely not hedging.
Just seems like it would be prudent for a professional basketball analyst to say something like "Northwestern is showing signs that they will not be a pushover this year."
Something a bit more realistic?
Or is he trying to be the next Dick Vitale? "Northwestern is AWESOME, baybeeeeeeee"
Yep, I watched a lot of it and Nebraska looked terrible in the second half, with numerous turnovers, and no cohesion on offense.
Doesn't really have to mean that much. Could be just that they become spoilers and win a couple that make others seasons more difficult. Would like it to mean more but who knows.
We all do. But he could just mean that they will be more entertaining. Win a couple extra games that put other teams in difficult spots. The difference between a good and bad season is often only a couple games and the difference in that for NU may be just being able to close out some games and win a couple close ones rather than lose them
I've been cautiously optimistic about this team and don't see any reason to lower my expectations.
To me Nicholson, Roper, Hunger and Barnhizer were the keys to the season. So far, Hunger isn't playing, but the other 3 are looking capable, at a minimum. Beran, Buie and Audige are known quantities who may (and should) improve somewhat over prior years.
There are 11 teams in the Big Ten rated ahead of us so far this year. Everybody is playing a soft schedule (bottom 55%) other than MSU. Eleven teams have played schedules in the bottom 25%. In other words nobody has proven anything. I'll assume Illinois is better than us.
I could see NU anywhere from 6th to 12th.
Well so far we know NEB is bad and Minn did not look good vs DePaul. Wis also did not seem as strong as in past so there should be opportunities. But it is still a gauntlet
Right now, if you believe Kenpom and Torvik - which, there's still a lot of movement - you have the following rankings:
IU, Iowa, MSU, Illinois, Purdue - NCAA tourney caliber (10-25 range)
Rutgers, Maryland, OSU, PSU, Michigan, Wisconsin - all in firm bubble territory (40-50 range)
NU - #55/#76
Nebraska #120/#103, Minny #146/#172 - garbage
Butler - #102/#92
Georgetown - #106/#178
Furman - #62/#81
We have 8 games against the top 5 teams, including 3 of our first 4 conference matchups and 4 in a row in Feb (though 3 are at home). We only have 2 games against Nebraska and Minny.
IU, Iowa, MSU, Illinois, Purdue - NCAA tourney caliber (10-25 range)
Rutgers, Maryland, OSU, PSU, Michigan, Wisconsin - all in firm bubble territory (40-50 range)
NU - #55/#76
Nebraska #120/#103, Minny #146/#172 - garbage
Butler - #102/#92
Georgetown - #106/#178
Furman - #62/#81
We have 8 games against the top 5 teams, including 3 of our first 4 conference matchups and 4 in a row in Feb (though 3 are at home). We only have 2 games against Nebraska and Minny.
Rutgers looks terrible after one half against Temple. Let’s see if they get it together in the second half.
Missing their starting guards out with injury. Mulcahey and McConnell (BT defensive POY)
Minnesota has missed their best player with injury all season. They aren’t good but are more dangerous with Battle playing.
Maryland looks very strong so far, as well. Maybe a sleeper behind Illini and Indiana. Kyler Murray is stepping up for Iowa and Penn State is very experienced (the oldest team in division one, according to TV announcers). BIG will be a handful this year, per usual. Cats need to rack up a bunch of wins in the non conference to have a respectable season. Pittsburgh is not good, DePaul has some good transfers but we get them at home. Heck, Prairie View A & M is 3-1 with an 11-point win over Washington State. Brown is probably the only real gimme on the schedule,
Unless we play Auburn in Mexico, we should only lose 1 game (at most) in the non-conference.
Our opponents are weak. Sagarin has us #54...
Liberty 150, UIC 246, Pitts 138, Prairie Dog 213, DePaul 103, Brown 234.
There are upsets all over the place, especially early in the season. Tarleton, just up from Division II (a la Merrimack versus the Cats), just walloped Boston College by 16 points at a tournament. With all the transfers in the offseason, these early rankings can be deceiving.
BC high academic school fired their coach. New coach is in second year.
They are 3 and 2 now. Two point win at home against Cornell, four point win against Detriot Mercy, five point loss against Maine. Fifteen point win against George mason and the loss against tarleton.
These are not tranfer schools.
They are 3 and 2 now. Two point win at home against Cornell, four point win against Detriot Mercy, five point loss against Maine. Fifteen point win against George mason and the loss against tarleton.
These are not tranfer schools.