We missed Roper tonight

[freewillie07]

Not saying it would have made a 16-point difference, but we need to have fresh legs against their sharpshooters. We were able to hold our own in the paint, but they got progressively more space from outside and it killed us in the second half.

Flush it, take care of business at home against Michigan.

Look forward to the rematch on Feb. 19.

 

[Hungry Jack]

Agree. Great to see Martinelli progressing nicely in his absence but he’s a different player than JuRo.

 

[ballerog711]

Same. Marinelli did some good things, but he is not there defensively. Hopefully, it clicks and when Roper comes back, now NU is deeper.

 

[GatoLouco]

Yesterday was the first time I saw our guys playing kind of scared down the stretch this season.

I have ideas for possible reasons, but that's not what I want to point out. Many basketball players are wonderful competitors when the game is "normal". When the going gets tough it's more like the ball is on fire and they dont want the responsibility of stepping up and making plays. They go into their shell. Our last 10 minutes felt like that. It felt like we were left with Audige and Buie as the only ones willing to be aggressive.

 

[Hungry Jack]

Yesterday was the first time I saw our guys playing kind of scared down the stretch this season.

I have ideas for possible reasons, but that's not what I want to point out. Many basketball players are wonderful competitors when the game is "normal". When the going gets tough it's more like the ball is on fire and they dont want the responsibility of stepping up and making plays. They go into their shell. Our last 10 minutes felt like that. It felt like we were left with Audige and Buie as the only ones willing to be aggressive.

I thought Beran kinda disappeared.

 

[Sec_112]

... It felt like we were left with Audige and Buie as the only ones willing to be aggressive.

I'd add Barnhizer to Audige and Boo, but he's not to the point where I always want him aggressive when he has the ball.

 

[ThatadultfromHolland]

I thought Beran kinda disappeared.

Dude played good defense on Murray whenever he was out there. That was his assignment.

 

[Hungry Jack]

Dude played good defense on Murray whenever he was out there. That was his assignment.

I meant on offense. He certainly kept Murray mostly in check..

 

[ballerog711]

Beran should be able to get 10 pts, 5rebs each night. He is the key to how the season will go from here.

Defensive effort is there

 

[bringbacktherantboard]

Some of Iowa's threes were beyond NBA range. And some of them were actually well-guarded. Sometimes those shots just fall for the home team. Last night is not a game to panic over.

 

[PurpleWhiteBoy]

Some of Iowa's threes were beyond NBA range. And some of them were actually well-guarded. Sometimes those shots just fall for the home team. Last night is not a game to panic over.

Well, when regular fans can predict that specific teams are going to kill us from 3 point range... and then it happens... maybe you don't panic, but at some point you get frustrated when we just let it happen.

 

[PURPLECAT88]

Well, when regular fans can predict that specific teams are going to kill us from 3 point range... and then it happens... maybe you don't panic, but at some point you get frustrated when we just let it happen.

"Let it happen" is a heck of a phrase there. What do you suggest we sacrifice in order to try to cover the three-point line better? And don't say "Nothing." If they could cover it better without sacrificing, they would. No more, or significantly less, doubling in the post? Okay, let's watch Matt and Tydus sit on the bench in foul trouble all game. Less jumping the passing lanes? Okay, then tell me how we win games without the turnover advantage. We don't "just let it happen". The coaches, presumably led by CCC and Lowry, have chosen to play this way. And it's working for the most part! This is one of the best defensive team we've had in years.

You act as if the coaches could just say "Hey guys, they're hitting a bunch of threes," and the players would say "Thanks Coach, we hadn't noticed. We'll cover them better instead of twiddling our thumbs next possession."

 

[bringbacktherantboard]

Well, when regular fans can predict that specific teams are going to kill us from 3 point range... and then it happens... maybe you don't panic, but at some point you get frustrated when we just let it happen.

Some of those threes were made with a hand in the face. One was a 4-point play. And some of the open ones were beyond NBA range (usually you'll give them those shots).

My impression was that our perimeter D wasn't particularly bad last night. I was more frustrated with some of the "coast-to-coast" layups we gave up.

 

[PurpleWhiteBoy]

"Let it happen" is a heck of a phrase there. What do you suggest we sacrifice in order to try to cover the three-point line better? And don't say "Nothing." If they could cover it better without sacrificing, they would. No more, or significantly less, doubling in the post? Okay, let's watch Matt and Tydus sit on the bench in foul trouble all game. Less jumping the passing lanes? Okay, then tell me how we win games without the turnover advantage. We don't "just let it happen". The coaches, presumably led by CCC and Lowry, have chosen to play this way. And it's working for the most part! This is one of the best defensive team we've had in years.

You act as if the coaches could just say "Hey guys, they're hitting a bunch of threes," and the players would say "Thanks Coach, we hadn't noticed. We'll cover them better instead of twiddling our thumbs next possession."

Honestly, I think the burden of proof is on you.

I wrote before the game that Iowa moves the ball well and will be a problem for us, specifically that "Iowa will attempt to get us in foul trouble and kill us from outside when we double the guy with the ball."

I'm not willing to accept your guess that Nicholson and Verhoeven will immediately get in foul trouble if we don't double every time in the post.

All I can tell you is that our opponents score less effectively against us from INSIDE the arc.
We are the 10th best defense in the Big Ten in points allowed per game. We are 11th in pts allowed per 2 point attempt (1.01) and 14th in points allowed per 3 point attempt (1.18). We lead the conference in turnovers forced per game.

Given those averages, it seems clear that we should double less frequently against teams that can shoot from the perimeter and move the ball effectively, like Iowa.

 

[docrugby1]

I have been critical of NU's offense, but I thought we turned the corner at Nebraska, where there was good ball movement in and out of the post. I thought Iowa turned the game around when they employed a soft full court press, leaving NU with a short time clock, meaning Boo and Chase were forced to create their own shots.
The last 10 minutes reminded me of NU last year.
NU will continue to be vulnerable to the 3 point shot-Pitt, Rutgers, Iowa. If you double the ball continuously , there will be open 3 point shooters. NU's defense was good in the first half but still the game was tied at 39. Some nights teams will shoot lights out from 3 and you just have to give them credit

 

[macarthur31]

I meant on offense. He certainly kept Murray mostly in check..

Murray's 16 was his 2nd lowest tally in B1G all season (MSU held him to 11). Beran put up shots in the 2nd half, but they weren't falling - perhaps due to having to expend so much energy trying to contain Murray. I'm not too mad at him for not denting the scoresheet as much last night.