Men's Basketball: Cats Change Game Plan

Coach Bill Carmody said at the beginning of the season Northwestern would try and push the ball more with a true point guard in freshman Michael Thompson starting. The team did fairly well in the non-conference schedule, going 5-4 and shooting 48 percent in the first nine games of the season.

But the shooting has dropped off and the team has struggled since then, losing four straight entering Wednesday’s game against Chicago State. Now Carmody is beginning to re-think the strategy.

“I think maybe we’re just putting too much emphasis on pushing the ball downcourt and trying to get some shots,” Carmody said. “I think that helped us early in the year because Craig (Moore) and Jason (Okrzesik) were getting some early looks and knocking them down. Now I think it’s more (that) we’re doing that, but the other teams are doing it too and they like that kind of game. It helps them more than it helps us.”

Carmody said he feels more comfortable running a half-court offense with sophomore forward Kevin Coble back in the lineup. He said Coble gives the team a guy who can put the ball in the basket in a half-court setting. He is now worried about the team’s defense, getting the ball on rebounds and executing on offense.

The faster pace will still be there, but Carmody said it will be used more judiciously.…

With a four-game losing streak, Carmody might be looking to shake the lineup a little bit. He said Saturday sophomore guard Jeremy Nash could see more playing time as the team continues to struggle defensively.

“(I am) probably going to have to look to get him in there a little bit,” Carmody said. “Defensively he gives us something. We’re not getting much offense from the other guys. He has always been a smart player. He’s very healthy now.”

Nash missed the first eight games of the season with a back injury and has struggled to crack the rotation after averaging 2.4 points and 0.7 steals per game in 26 games as a freshman. He is averaging 2.7 points per game in three games this season and scored a season-high six points in three minutes late during Saturday’s game.…

Sophomore Kevin Coble missed practice Monday to be with his mother for her final round of chemotherapy. The sophomore forward took a leave of absence from the team for the first nine games of the season to be with his mother in Arizona while she recovered from breast cancer.

He returned to the team Jan. 2 against Penn State and is averaging 18.3 points per game since returning, including a career-high 34 points Saturday.