Coach Bill Carmody announced Wednesday that sophomore Nikola Baran will transfer and leave the Northwestern program.
"I would like to thank Nikola for his commitment to the program for the past two seasons," Carmody said in a press release. "He has decided to seek another opportunity where he can receive more playing time and we wish him nothing but the best in his future endeavors."
Baran played all 30 games last year for the Wildcats, starting 16. He averaged 3.1 points per game and 1.1 rebounds per game while shooting 29.8 percent from the field. Baran redshirted his freshman season.
Ivan Peljusic replaced Baran in the starting lineup in the middle of the season as the 6-foot-8 Baran continued to struggle with his shot and defend the bigger post players of the Big Ten.
With four post players coming into the program next season -- John Shurna, Davide Curletti, Kyle Rowley and Luka Mirkovic -- Baran seemed to be the one who would get lost in the shuffle.
Showing posts with label Men's Basketball. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Men's Basketball. Show all posts
Friday, July 11, 2008
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Men's Basketball: Cats come up short against Hoosiers
Freshman guard Michael Thompson had two chances to give Northwestern its first conference victory of the season. Thompson drove the lane with 20 seconds left, with the Wildcats down just one point, and got to the basket. He put up a shot over Indiana forward D.J. White, but it fell short.
Thompson missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer which would have sent the game to overtime as the No. 15 Hoosiers avoided the upset at Welsh-Ryan Arena 85-82.
The Cats (7-18, 0-14 Big Ten) led for much of the game, but trailed coming down the stretch. They erased a 6-point deficit and for the second straight game and see-sawed in and out of the lead against the Hoosiers (23-4, 13-2) as the game came down the stretch.
NU had a chance to win the game for the second straight outing. The team missed two 3-pointers which would have given it the first conference win of the season Tuesday against Iowa.
Sophomore forward Kevin Coble scored a career high 37 points and grabbed five rebounds. Thompson scored 15 points and junior guard Craig Moore added 12.
The Hoosiers were playing a day after the school announced the resignation of former coach Kelvin Sampson. The team was coached by former assistant Dan Dakich.
Dakich said the team seemed a little distracted from the emotional roller coaster the team has been on throughout the week, but pulled through it in the end. Guard Armon Bassett had 24 points and Jordan Crawford scored 21 points off the bench for Indiana.
The Hoosiers shot 56 percent from the floor and hit 30 of 37 free throws, overcoming the 17 turnovers the Cats forced.
NU, still in search of its first conference win, will play at Michigan on Tuesday night.
Thompson missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer which would have sent the game to overtime as the No. 15 Hoosiers avoided the upset at Welsh-Ryan Arena 85-82.
The Cats (7-18, 0-14 Big Ten) led for much of the game, but trailed coming down the stretch. They erased a 6-point deficit and for the second straight game and see-sawed in and out of the lead against the Hoosiers (23-4, 13-2) as the game came down the stretch.
NU had a chance to win the game for the second straight outing. The team missed two 3-pointers which would have given it the first conference win of the season Tuesday against Iowa.
Sophomore forward Kevin Coble scored a career high 37 points and grabbed five rebounds. Thompson scored 15 points and junior guard Craig Moore added 12.
The Hoosiers were playing a day after the school announced the resignation of former coach Kelvin Sampson. The team was coached by former assistant Dan Dakich.
Dakich said the team seemed a little distracted from the emotional roller coaster the team has been on throughout the week, but pulled through it in the end. Guard Armon Bassett had 24 points and Jordan Crawford scored 21 points off the bench for Indiana.
The Hoosiers shot 56 percent from the floor and hit 30 of 37 free throws, overcoming the 17 turnovers the Cats forced.
NU, still in search of its first conference win, will play at Michigan on Tuesday night.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Men's Basketball: Cats Feel First Win is Near
Northwestern walked off the floor at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Tuesday night the closest it has been this season to a conference win. The Wildcats had two Craig Moore 3-pointers hit off the front rim which potentially could have won the game. Instead Iowa walked off with the 53-51 win.
The loss was the team's first by less than 10 points and was nearly the breakthrough win the team has been looking for since the beginning of the conference season in January.
"We haven't won in a while, so we almost have to remember how to win and control a game," Moore said. "(Tuesday) we were struggling a little bit in the first half, but we were playing great defense, getting rebounds and not letting them get second chances. We knew in the second half we were going to shoot better and we did that. But we didn't fight hard enough on defense."
NU has rarely played with a lead late in the game, but the team has played in competitive games throughout the conference season.
The Cats held a 14-point lead against Iowa on Tuesday, but also had a two-point lead against No. 14 Purdue on Saturday after coming from behind early in the second half. NU also trailed by single digits in recent games against Ohio State, No. 19 Michigan State and No. 15 Indiana.
The Cats trailed by just six points with less than eight minutes to play at Bloomington, Ind. on Feb. 3. The Hoosiers travel to Evanston in the Cats' next game Saturday.
The close calls have been disheartening and frustrating for this team, but it should help them gain experience for the next time they play with a lead.
"We had a lead and we haven’t had that big of a lead all Big Ten season," senior guard Jason Okrzesik said. "Coach (Bill Carmody) was saying at the end, ‘We don’t know how to play with a lead,’ and you can tell it out there. I think it’s something we need to work on in practice."
Okrzesik said experience is the only way to learn how to manage a lead. With 13 conference losses, playing with a lead is a premium NU has not been able to afford.
The two most recent games, where the Cats have held a lead in the second half, are signs the team is on the verge of piecing together its first conference win.
The loss was the team's first by less than 10 points and was nearly the breakthrough win the team has been looking for since the beginning of the conference season in January.
"We haven't won in a while, so we almost have to remember how to win and control a game," Moore said. "(Tuesday) we were struggling a little bit in the first half, but we were playing great defense, getting rebounds and not letting them get second chances. We knew in the second half we were going to shoot better and we did that. But we didn't fight hard enough on defense."
NU has rarely played with a lead late in the game, but the team has played in competitive games throughout the conference season.
The Cats held a 14-point lead against Iowa on Tuesday, but also had a two-point lead against No. 14 Purdue on Saturday after coming from behind early in the second half. NU also trailed by single digits in recent games against Ohio State, No. 19 Michigan State and No. 15 Indiana.
The Cats trailed by just six points with less than eight minutes to play at Bloomington, Ind. on Feb. 3. The Hoosiers travel to Evanston in the Cats' next game Saturday.
The close calls have been disheartening and frustrating for this team, but it should help them gain experience for the next time they play with a lead.
"We had a lead and we haven’t had that big of a lead all Big Ten season," senior guard Jason Okrzesik said. "Coach (Bill Carmody) was saying at the end, ‘We don’t know how to play with a lead,’ and you can tell it out there. I think it’s something we need to work on in practice."
Okrzesik said experience is the only way to learn how to manage a lead. With 13 conference losses, playing with a lead is a premium NU has not been able to afford.
The two most recent games, where the Cats have held a lead in the second half, are signs the team is on the verge of piecing together its first conference win.
"We’re right there and we know it. We’ve just got to keep going and keep plugging away," Moore said. "We come back to practice Thursday, we just have to have the same enthusiasm we had the last two days and know we’re right there."
Saturday, February 16, 2008
NU vs. Purdue: Welcome to the Live Blogosphere
Welcome back to Welsh-Ryan Arena, where NU is set to take on upstart Purdue on Greek Day. The student section was supposed to be filled with fraternity and sorority members, but just a few minutes before tip-off, the Wildside remains largely empty. Perhaps the Greek spirit was not enough to sway people to attend what looks to be, at least on paper, a blowout in the making. The Boilermakers, led by two freshmen and two sophomores, sit at the top of the Big Ten at 11-1, having one 10 consecutive games. Conversely, the Cats are winless in the Big Ten, and haven't even come close, losing every conference game by at least 10 points.
One fan is holding up a sign that reads, "Pur-due 4 an upset." We'll see if that holds true.
Here are the starting lineups:
Purdue: G- Chris Kramer, G- Keaton Grant, G- E'Twaun Moore, F- Robbie Hummel, F- Nemanja Calasan
NU: G- Craig Moore, G- Michael Thompson, G- Sterling Williams, F- Ivan Peljusic, F- Kevin Coble
Juice Thompson was mistakenly announced as being 6-foot-10. Oooooops.
Purdue fans clearly outnumber NU fans in the stands thus far. We'll see how much that effects the game.
19:20: Ivan Peljusic with an impressive offensive move for the game's first points. Who knew? He's also grabbed a couple of rebounds so far, doing much more to justify the start than in the last game.
16:17: Thompson shakes a hard foul a minute earlier to bury a 3, giving NU an early 7-4 advantage.
14:55: E'Twaun Moore does not only have the greatest name ever. He also has four straight points to pull Purdue within one.
14:21: The NU lead was short lived. At the first timeout, Purdue is back in the lead, 11-9, after a Robbie Hummel 3. The Boilermakers will also have a pair of free throws coming when play resumes.
13:15: Capocci, Baran and Nash are all in after the timeout, and NU gets a turnover and turns it into a Moore 3-pointer to go back ahead, 12-11.
11:55: Timeout on the floor with NU leading 14-11, helped by a Purdue missed dunk. The student section is still not completely full, but the Cats don't seem bothered by it and are playing some inspired basketball right now.
10:52: NU opens up a 6-point lead on a Juice 3, and Purdue looks a little flustered.
7:12: Timeout on the floor, with NU still leading 24-20, even after a 4-0 Purdue run. The combo of Baran and Peljusic is giving the Cats far more than they've gotten from that position most of the season. But Purdue is not backing down, so NU is going to have to keep up this level of play the whole game if it wants to pull the upset.
3:40: Timeout, with NU's lead shaved to 29-27. The Cats have started missing some open shots, while the Boilermakers have been knocking down some highly contested attempts. We'll see if the Cats can hold onto their lead for the rest of the half.
3:11: NU has led for most of the half, but not anymore. E'Twaun just knocked down a 3 to put Purdue ahead 30-29.
1:47: Jason Okrzesik just tried to tip in a miss, forgetting that he's generously listed as 6-foot-1. This did not turn out well for him.
0:065: NU trails 35-31, with one last chance to close the gap before halftime. We'll see what sort of magic Carmody draws up in the huddle.
0:00: The play consisted of Juice driving all the way down the court to the basket for the layup and it would have worked had he not been soundly rejected at the last second. Purdue closes the half on a 19-7 run to take the lead. Oh well......
At halftime, E'Twaun leads all players with 16 points, while Thompson and Baran lead NU with eight apiece. Thanks mostly to Nikola, the Cats lead Purdue 10-0 in bench scoring. But the Boilers are shooting 63.6 percent, while the Cats are at 42.9 percent. That's the difference so far. NU is going to have to avoid the big runs it has consistently surrendered to its opponents in the second half this season if it wants to have a shot.
18:32: NU was only 2 of 6 from the free throw line in the first half and Sterling Williams just missed one of two in the team's first trip of the second half. NU doesn't get to the line much, but when it does, it needs to capitalize. The Cats need every point they can get with Purdue shooting the way it is.
15:45: Timeout on the floor, as Purdue has started to pull away a little, leading 45-38. E'Twaun continues to torment the Cats, with 21 points. This second half is starting to look painfully familiar for NU, which has got to figure out a way to keep this game close.
14:50: Baran just tried to flop and draw an offensive foul, but the refs weren't buying his theatrics and Grant hit a 3 for Purdue on the same possession to make it a 10-point game.
11:57: Matt Painter calls a timeout for Purdue after Coble buries a beautiful baseline runner to make it a 48-43 contest, with Purdue in front. NU is playing their little hearts out and staying within striking distance, but the Boilers are a tough team. The Cats still have a shot at an upset, but it is going to be far from easy.
11:51: Another timeout, and it's LadyCat time!
11:08: NU is back within one after Nash puts in a fastbreak layup. The small lineup of Nash, Juice, JO, Baran and Coble seems to be working.
9:48: Coble buries a 3 to put NU up 50-48 and the now-mostly-full stands go crazy.
9:10: Well, that was short-lived. Purdue is right back ahead by three after a Grant trey.
8:29: Coble clanks a pair of free throws, the second time he's done that today, and Grant responds by burying another triple to make it a 56-50 game. NU calls timeout, looking a little shell-shocked.
7:46: Nash just picked up a technical foul after shoving a Purdue player after the play. That gives Purdue two free throws and the ball and puts Nash at four fouls. 58-50 Purdue, and a timeout on the floor.
6:56: Remember those big second-half runs we were talking about? Well, here we are. Purdue is son a 12-0 spurt since NU briefly took the lead and is now ahead 60-50. Moore just tried a patented Tim Doyle no-look, backwards, over-the-head pass, perhaps trying to impress his mentor, who is calling the game for the Big Ten Network. Unfortunately for him, it didn't lead to any points, as Baran missed a 3-pointer.
3:47: E'Twaun strikes again, knocking down a 3 to make it 67-52 and stick the official dagger in the Cats' hearts. It was another valiant effort by NU, but the team simply couldn't hit enough big shots or make enough big stops when it counted, and the opponent made a big run. Again. Well, there's always next year.
0:47: All the scrubs are coming in, so it's a done deal. Purdue has even put in a player with no name on the back of his jersey. This is never a good sign for the opposing team.
Final score: Purdue 71, NU 56
That's it. Until next time, be well and stay out of trouble.
One fan is holding up a sign that reads, "Pur-due 4 an upset." We'll see if that holds true.
Here are the starting lineups:
Purdue: G- Chris Kramer, G- Keaton Grant, G- E'Twaun Moore, F- Robbie Hummel, F- Nemanja Calasan
NU: G- Craig Moore, G- Michael Thompson, G- Sterling Williams, F- Ivan Peljusic, F- Kevin Coble
Juice Thompson was mistakenly announced as being 6-foot-10. Oooooops.
Purdue fans clearly outnumber NU fans in the stands thus far. We'll see how much that effects the game.
19:20: Ivan Peljusic with an impressive offensive move for the game's first points. Who knew? He's also grabbed a couple of rebounds so far, doing much more to justify the start than in the last game.
16:17: Thompson shakes a hard foul a minute earlier to bury a 3, giving NU an early 7-4 advantage.
14:55: E'Twaun Moore does not only have the greatest name ever. He also has four straight points to pull Purdue within one.
14:21: The NU lead was short lived. At the first timeout, Purdue is back in the lead, 11-9, after a Robbie Hummel 3. The Boilermakers will also have a pair of free throws coming when play resumes.
13:15: Capocci, Baran and Nash are all in after the timeout, and NU gets a turnover and turns it into a Moore 3-pointer to go back ahead, 12-11.
11:55: Timeout on the floor with NU leading 14-11, helped by a Purdue missed dunk. The student section is still not completely full, but the Cats don't seem bothered by it and are playing some inspired basketball right now.
10:52: NU opens up a 6-point lead on a Juice 3, and Purdue looks a little flustered.
7:12: Timeout on the floor, with NU still leading 24-20, even after a 4-0 Purdue run. The combo of Baran and Peljusic is giving the Cats far more than they've gotten from that position most of the season. But Purdue is not backing down, so NU is going to have to keep up this level of play the whole game if it wants to pull the upset.
3:40: Timeout, with NU's lead shaved to 29-27. The Cats have started missing some open shots, while the Boilermakers have been knocking down some highly contested attempts. We'll see if the Cats can hold onto their lead for the rest of the half.
3:11: NU has led for most of the half, but not anymore. E'Twaun just knocked down a 3 to put Purdue ahead 30-29.
1:47: Jason Okrzesik just tried to tip in a miss, forgetting that he's generously listed as 6-foot-1. This did not turn out well for him.
0:065: NU trails 35-31, with one last chance to close the gap before halftime. We'll see what sort of magic Carmody draws up in the huddle.
0:00: The play consisted of Juice driving all the way down the court to the basket for the layup and it would have worked had he not been soundly rejected at the last second. Purdue closes the half on a 19-7 run to take the lead. Oh well......
At halftime, E'Twaun leads all players with 16 points, while Thompson and Baran lead NU with eight apiece. Thanks mostly to Nikola, the Cats lead Purdue 10-0 in bench scoring. But the Boilers are shooting 63.6 percent, while the Cats are at 42.9 percent. That's the difference so far. NU is going to have to avoid the big runs it has consistently surrendered to its opponents in the second half this season if it wants to have a shot.
18:32: NU was only 2 of 6 from the free throw line in the first half and Sterling Williams just missed one of two in the team's first trip of the second half. NU doesn't get to the line much, but when it does, it needs to capitalize. The Cats need every point they can get with Purdue shooting the way it is.
15:45: Timeout on the floor, as Purdue has started to pull away a little, leading 45-38. E'Twaun continues to torment the Cats, with 21 points. This second half is starting to look painfully familiar for NU, which has got to figure out a way to keep this game close.
14:50: Baran just tried to flop and draw an offensive foul, but the refs weren't buying his theatrics and Grant hit a 3 for Purdue on the same possession to make it a 10-point game.
11:57: Matt Painter calls a timeout for Purdue after Coble buries a beautiful baseline runner to make it a 48-43 contest, with Purdue in front. NU is playing their little hearts out and staying within striking distance, but the Boilers are a tough team. The Cats still have a shot at an upset, but it is going to be far from easy.
11:51: Another timeout, and it's LadyCat time!
11:08: NU is back within one after Nash puts in a fastbreak layup. The small lineup of Nash, Juice, JO, Baran and Coble seems to be working.
9:48: Coble buries a 3 to put NU up 50-48 and the now-mostly-full stands go crazy.
9:10: Well, that was short-lived. Purdue is right back ahead by three after a Grant trey.
8:29: Coble clanks a pair of free throws, the second time he's done that today, and Grant responds by burying another triple to make it a 56-50 game. NU calls timeout, looking a little shell-shocked.
7:46: Nash just picked up a technical foul after shoving a Purdue player after the play. That gives Purdue two free throws and the ball and puts Nash at four fouls. 58-50 Purdue, and a timeout on the floor.
6:56: Remember those big second-half runs we were talking about? Well, here we are. Purdue is son a 12-0 spurt since NU briefly took the lead and is now ahead 60-50. Moore just tried a patented Tim Doyle no-look, backwards, over-the-head pass, perhaps trying to impress his mentor, who is calling the game for the Big Ten Network. Unfortunately for him, it didn't lead to any points, as Baran missed a 3-pointer.
3:47: E'Twaun strikes again, knocking down a 3 to make it 67-52 and stick the official dagger in the Cats' hearts. It was another valiant effort by NU, but the team simply couldn't hit enough big shots or make enough big stops when it counted, and the opponent made a big run. Again. Well, there's always next year.
0:47: All the scrubs are coming in, so it's a done deal. Purdue has even put in a player with no name on the back of his jersey. This is never a good sign for the opposing team.
Final score: Purdue 71, NU 56
That's it. Until next time, be well and stay out of trouble.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
NU vs. Ohio State: Live Blogification
Here we are at Welsh-Ryan Arena, awaiting the tip-off of NU's contest with Ohio State. The visiting Buckeyes come in with a 16-8 mark, including 7-4 in the Big Ten, putting htem in fifth place. NU sits in the Big Ten basement at 0-10 and 7-14 overall. Can the Wildcats pull of a stunning upset. Perhaps. And they might even get a pony while they're at it.
Now on to the starting lineups:
Ohio State: G- Jamar Butler, G- Evan Turner, G- David Lighty, F- Othello Hunter, C- Kosta Koufos
NU: G - Craig Moore, G- Michael Thompson, G- Sterling Williams, F- Ivan Peljusic, F- Kevin Coble
Peljusic gets his first career start, as Carmody looks to mix things up and get his team on track.
The student section, as well as the stands in general, are no more than 1/3 full, so the atmosphere leaves something to be desired. And off we go!!!!
17:44- Othella Huner throws down a big dunk for Ohio State, and on the ensuing possession, Juice Thompson shows his freshman-ness by picking up a 10-second violation. It's a 5-5 game.
16:15: Coming down for a rebound, Sterling Williams just elbowed Othello Hunter in the crotch. For any potential Othello Hunter Jrs out there, I hope he's wearing a cup.
15:22: We're at the first TV timeout, with NU trailing 11-8. The offense looks pretty good so far, as it has recently. But the defense also looks poor, as it has recently. The team's saving grace could be turnovers, as the Cats have done a good job stepping into passing lanes thus far.
14:52: The Cats pick up their second 10-second violation. On the agenda for the next practice: how to effectively break the full-court press.
11:36: NU has pulled to within 16-14 after Kevin Coble got on the board with his first basket, then followed it up with a steal and an assist to Thompson.
10:12: Timeout on the floor. The men's soccer team is being honored. The announcer mentions that the team finished the season No. 9 in the RPI, which only serves to further contrast it from the basketball squad, which currently sits at No. 214 in the RPI, behind such power programs as Morehead State.
10:12: Jeremy Nash gets a breakaway off an OSU turnover.....and he DUNKS it! One of the rare times you see the Cats above the rim. Moore follows that up with a 3 to give NU a 19-18 lead.
5:55: Juice drains a 3 late in the shot clock to make it 23-22 OSU. NU's offense is anything but pretty right now, as it struggles to break OSU's pressure defense, but they're sticking with the Buckeyes.
3:34: REEEEEJECTION! Nash goes above the rim for the second time, this time on the defensive end. Jon Diebler was going up for a sure layup, and Nash swooped in and got his whole hand on the ball. The emphatic swat brought what little crowd there is to its feet.
0:00: It's the end of the first half, with NU trailing 29-25. OSU went on a little run at the end of the period, but Moore's 3 in the closing seconds sent NU into the locker room on a high note. Moore is tied with Thompson for the team lead with eight points, while Jamar Butler leads OSU with nine.
NU's coming out for the second half with the same lineup as the first half. That leaves Spark Plug Jeremy Nash on the bench for the time being. We'll see if he stays there long.
19:35: Moore hits a 3 to start the half, pulling NU to within one. Moore's reliable shooting has been the key in the offense's improved play of late.
15:52: At the first timeout of the half, it's 35-32. So far NU has managed to hold off the big second half run that has plagued them throughout the Big Ten season. Nash is back in the game and continues to do the little things to help the team. Even if he's not filling up the stat sheet, he always seems to be contributing something.
13:35: Nash responds to my kind words by forcing a turnover and converting the layup on the other end. By the way, he's on his way to leading the team in rebounds for the second straight game, with seven thus far. He had 10 against Michigan State.
7:40: This one could be quietly starting to slip away from the Cats, with OSU leading 46-38. NU's going to need a run soon to have a chance.
5:08: And slipping away this game is. It's 54-38 now. It's now almost 100 percent certain that NU will fall to 0-11 in the Big Ten.
Show's over, folks. NU loses again, 65-47. Same story as usual. Have a good night, and stay in school.
Now on to the starting lineups:
Ohio State: G- Jamar Butler, G- Evan Turner, G- David Lighty, F- Othello Hunter, C- Kosta Koufos
NU: G - Craig Moore, G- Michael Thompson, G- Sterling Williams, F- Ivan Peljusic, F- Kevin Coble
Peljusic gets his first career start, as Carmody looks to mix things up and get his team on track.
The student section, as well as the stands in general, are no more than 1/3 full, so the atmosphere leaves something to be desired. And off we go!!!!
17:44- Othella Huner throws down a big dunk for Ohio State, and on the ensuing possession, Juice Thompson shows his freshman-ness by picking up a 10-second violation. It's a 5-5 game.
16:15: Coming down for a rebound, Sterling Williams just elbowed Othello Hunter in the crotch. For any potential Othello Hunter Jrs out there, I hope he's wearing a cup.
15:22: We're at the first TV timeout, with NU trailing 11-8. The offense looks pretty good so far, as it has recently. But the defense also looks poor, as it has recently. The team's saving grace could be turnovers, as the Cats have done a good job stepping into passing lanes thus far.
14:52: The Cats pick up their second 10-second violation. On the agenda for the next practice: how to effectively break the full-court press.
11:36: NU has pulled to within 16-14 after Kevin Coble got on the board with his first basket, then followed it up with a steal and an assist to Thompson.
10:12: Timeout on the floor. The men's soccer team is being honored. The announcer mentions that the team finished the season No. 9 in the RPI, which only serves to further contrast it from the basketball squad, which currently sits at No. 214 in the RPI, behind such power programs as Morehead State.
10:12: Jeremy Nash gets a breakaway off an OSU turnover.....and he DUNKS it! One of the rare times you see the Cats above the rim. Moore follows that up with a 3 to give NU a 19-18 lead.
5:55: Juice drains a 3 late in the shot clock to make it 23-22 OSU. NU's offense is anything but pretty right now, as it struggles to break OSU's pressure defense, but they're sticking with the Buckeyes.
3:34: REEEEEJECTION! Nash goes above the rim for the second time, this time on the defensive end. Jon Diebler was going up for a sure layup, and Nash swooped in and got his whole hand on the ball. The emphatic swat brought what little crowd there is to its feet.
0:00: It's the end of the first half, with NU trailing 29-25. OSU went on a little run at the end of the period, but Moore's 3 in the closing seconds sent NU into the locker room on a high note. Moore is tied with Thompson for the team lead with eight points, while Jamar Butler leads OSU with nine.
NU's coming out for the second half with the same lineup as the first half. That leaves Spark Plug Jeremy Nash on the bench for the time being. We'll see if he stays there long.
19:35: Moore hits a 3 to start the half, pulling NU to within one. Moore's reliable shooting has been the key in the offense's improved play of late.
15:52: At the first timeout of the half, it's 35-32. So far NU has managed to hold off the big second half run that has plagued them throughout the Big Ten season. Nash is back in the game and continues to do the little things to help the team. Even if he's not filling up the stat sheet, he always seems to be contributing something.
13:35: Nash responds to my kind words by forcing a turnover and converting the layup on the other end. By the way, he's on his way to leading the team in rebounds for the second straight game, with seven thus far. He had 10 against Michigan State.
7:40: This one could be quietly starting to slip away from the Cats, with OSU leading 46-38. NU's going to need a run soon to have a chance.
5:08: And slipping away this game is. It's 54-38 now. It's now almost 100 percent certain that NU will fall to 0-11 in the Big Ten.
Show's over, folks. NU loses again, 65-47. Same story as usual. Have a good night, and stay in school.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Men's Basketball: Cats Prepare for Homestand
Northwestern has struggled to an 0-10 record in the conference this season. It is the team's first 0-10 record since 2000.
But the Wildcats have a good opportunity to try and grab a few wins. They will be playing two consecutive home games for the first time since Jan. 2--and even then they had to wait 13 days between their first home game against Howard on Dec. 20 and their Big Ten opener against Penn State on Jan. 2.
NU (7-14, 0-10 Big Ten) begins the week at home Wednesday against Ohio State (16-8, 7-4) and concludes the two-game set at home against Big Ten-leading No. 19 Purdue (19-5, 10-1) on Saturday.
"You've got to be able to win your home games, regardless of who the opponent is," junior guard Sterling Williams said. "If we can get a win on Wednesday, it would be a big lift to our team morale and overall confidence. It's a game we think we should win. If we play the way we are capable of, it's something we can do."
When playing at least two consecutive games at home, the Cats have gone winless only once since 2000 (when coach Bill Carmody became head coach). They dropped two consecutive games to Ohio State and Minnesota last season.
The home games will be a nice break for NU. The team has played a road game each week since conference season began. The travel--whether it is as close as Chicago State or as far as East Lansing, Mich.--can wear on players.
Senior guard Jason Okrzesik said the advantage of playing at home can be as simple as allowing a team or a player to keep to his routine. It is also nice not to have to get on a bus or plane to go to a game.
Carmody said this team is not playing particularly well at home recently. While the break from the road gives a much-needed rest, the Cats cannot let their guard down just because they are playing in the friendly confines of Welsh-Ryan Arena.
But the two home games will still be a nice break on some road-weary players.
"It's always good to play when you're at home," Carmody said. "The travel certainly has to wear on you eventually, especially when you get later on in the season in February when you are playing some guys a lot of minutes. ... Sometimes that can show up at the end of the year."
NU gets one more set of consecutive home games this season, closing the schedule with Iowa and Wisconsin in the first week of March.
But the Wildcats have a good opportunity to try and grab a few wins. They will be playing two consecutive home games for the first time since Jan. 2--and even then they had to wait 13 days between their first home game against Howard on Dec. 20 and their Big Ten opener against Penn State on Jan. 2.
NU (7-14, 0-10 Big Ten) begins the week at home Wednesday against Ohio State (16-8, 7-4) and concludes the two-game set at home against Big Ten-leading No. 19 Purdue (19-5, 10-1) on Saturday.
"You've got to be able to win your home games, regardless of who the opponent is," junior guard Sterling Williams said. "If we can get a win on Wednesday, it would be a big lift to our team morale and overall confidence. It's a game we think we should win. If we play the way we are capable of, it's something we can do."
When playing at least two consecutive games at home, the Cats have gone winless only once since 2000 (when coach Bill Carmody became head coach). They dropped two consecutive games to Ohio State and Minnesota last season.
The home games will be a nice break for NU. The team has played a road game each week since conference season began. The travel--whether it is as close as Chicago State or as far as East Lansing, Mich.--can wear on players.
Senior guard Jason Okrzesik said the advantage of playing at home can be as simple as allowing a team or a player to keep to his routine. It is also nice not to have to get on a bus or plane to go to a game.
Carmody said this team is not playing particularly well at home recently. While the break from the road gives a much-needed rest, the Cats cannot let their guard down just because they are playing in the friendly confines of Welsh-Ryan Arena.
But the two home games will still be a nice break on some road-weary players.
"It's always good to play when you're at home," Carmody said. "The travel certainly has to wear on you eventually, especially when you get later on in the season in February when you are playing some guys a lot of minutes. ... Sometimes that can show up at the end of the year."
NU gets one more set of consecutive home games this season, closing the schedule with Iowa and Wisconsin in the first week of March.
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Men's Basketball: NU at Michigan State
Just about tipoff time here at the Breslin Center, and the Izzone is just about deafening. Tonight, 7-13 NU is in East Lansing to take on 19-3 Michigan State. The Cats are still looking for their first Big Ten win ... might not come tonight.
Starting Lineups:
NU - G-20 Craig Moore, G-22 Michael Thompson, F-11 Nikola Baran, F-32 Sterling Williams, F-44 Kevin Coble
MSU - G-11 Drew Neitzel, G-5 Travis Walton, C-34 Drew Naymick, F-14 Goran Suton, F-2 Raymar Morgan.
So this must be what a real college basketball game feels like...
Pregame - Press row is reeeally close to the court. So we might get wiped out at some point. But I'll play through injury. Sparty is intimidating in person.
15:05 - Five minutes, four points, all from the Spartans. The first 4:55 has been a cavalcade of missed shots and turnovers on both sides, with the only points coming when Suton realized he's far broader than anyone on NU and bullying his way to the basket. Moore airballed his first shot and now the Izzone is chanting "Airball" every time he touches the ball. Spartans, like elephants, never forget. He's also drawing ire for his purple shoes, which are a different color scheme than the rest of the team's. Izzo got t'ed up and Moore is shooting the free throws, makes both. 4-2 Spartans.
11:25 - For all the heckling, Moore is holding up pretty well, along with the rest of the Cats. While the Spartans are using brute force for points, NU is getting crafty. It's had two nice backdoor cut layups, one from Moore to Jeff Ryan and one from Ryan to Thompson. And Jeremy Nash is playing really well. He's brought down two tough boards and forced a turnover. The score is tied 8-8, with Naymick going to the line for two shots. Neitzel has yet to attempt a shot.
11:06 - The Spartans have started a full-court press. And NU looks a little uneasy. 12-8 MSU.
7:56 - Moore responds really well to heckling. He found Ryan on another backdoor cut, hit a 3 to put NU ahead 13-12, then drew an offensive foul right before the media timeout. Coble's come alive too. He hit a 3 to give NU its next lead at 16-14, then got an outlet pass after a turnover and DUNKED it to make the score 18-14, where it stands right now. And here I thought nobody on NU could dunk. 18-14 Cats. As Samuel L. Jackson famously quoth in Jurassic Park, "Hold onto your butts."
3:27 - Well, Drew Neitzel finally got to the arena. After not taking a shot for the first 12:37, Neitzel has put in 13 points over the last four minutes, on 5-of-5 shooting. And all of his 3s bring the house down. But NU is still in there. MSU leads 27-26, after a particularly enervating Neitzel 3. The backdoor cuts are working to perfection. How long can this last?
12.3 - MSU leads 33-29 and has the last possession of the half. What happens in it could mean a lot as to how the rest of the game is going to go.
00.0 - The Spartans got what they wanted, the ball in Neitzel's hands with one second left. He missed the 3, but Walton was under the bucket and tipped it in at the buzzer. So the Cats go into the half trailing 35-29.
Moore and Coble have been keeping NU afloat. The two have 21 of the Cats' 29 points. Nash also had an eventful first half, but he missed two scoring opportunities close to the hoop - one on a blocked shot and one on a flat-out miss. NU is shooting 54.2 percent from the field and is only being outrebounded by one. But the Cats have committed 11 turnovers, which is the main thing keeping them back. It's going to be an interesting second half.
MSU 35, NU 29.
14:55 - It's looked like it's been just about to get away from the Cats on several occasions, but they're hanging in there. It's 45-37 Spartans at this point, and Carmody is engaging in theater major fare on the sidelines. Complete with stamping feet and brow wipings culminating in pained grimaces. MSU 45, NU 37, Cats' ball.
11:37 - The Izzone must have made Craig Moore mad. He has just hit two 3s in a row to bring the Cats within one point, at 47-46. Moore is 7 of 9 from the field, including 5 of 7 from behind the arc, and has 21 points. He also has two steals, a block and three assists. That's filling up a box score. I wasn't at the Indiana game, but this might be the best the Cats have played all year. MSU 47-46.
11:20 - Thompson just picked up his fourth foul and Moore has three.
9:35 - A Neitzel 3 moves the lead to 54-48 for the Spartans. It just seems like every time NU gets something going, MSU is there to stop it. NU ball down by six.
7:20 - Drew Neitzel is NU cyanide. He hits another jumper, then faked a jumper and found Morgan under the basket for a dunk. 58-50 MSU. It's NU ball under its hoop, after Morgan committed his third foul on Moore.
4:43 - This one could be slip sliding away. The Spartans have built their lead up to 10 at 62-52. But the NU press forced a turnover on the first possession it was in place. So who knows?
3:08 - Michigan State is taking its time when it gets the ball, which means NU will have to force the issue a little bit on the offensive end to get more possessions. Something it isn't very good at. MSU 64, NU 52.
1:14 - Well, it was fun while it lasted. A Neitzel free throw makes it 69-55 Spartans, and 0-10 for the Cats in conference.
57.7 - Like the Indiana game, the final score is not going to do this one justice. The Spartans have gone on a 16-5 run in the last nine minutes to put this one in the icebox. Poor, poor Cats.
Final - MSU 70, NU 55.
Starting Lineups:
NU - G-20 Craig Moore, G-22 Michael Thompson, F-11 Nikola Baran, F-32 Sterling Williams, F-44 Kevin Coble
MSU - G-11 Drew Neitzel, G-5 Travis Walton, C-34 Drew Naymick, F-14 Goran Suton, F-2 Raymar Morgan.
So this must be what a real college basketball game feels like...
Pregame - Press row is reeeally close to the court. So we might get wiped out at some point. But I'll play through injury. Sparty is intimidating in person.
15:05 - Five minutes, four points, all from the Spartans. The first 4:55 has been a cavalcade of missed shots and turnovers on both sides, with the only points coming when Suton realized he's far broader than anyone on NU and bullying his way to the basket. Moore airballed his first shot and now the Izzone is chanting "Airball" every time he touches the ball. Spartans, like elephants, never forget. He's also drawing ire for his purple shoes, which are a different color scheme than the rest of the team's. Izzo got t'ed up and Moore is shooting the free throws, makes both. 4-2 Spartans.
11:25 - For all the heckling, Moore is holding up pretty well, along with the rest of the Cats. While the Spartans are using brute force for points, NU is getting crafty. It's had two nice backdoor cut layups, one from Moore to Jeff Ryan and one from Ryan to Thompson. And Jeremy Nash is playing really well. He's brought down two tough boards and forced a turnover. The score is tied 8-8, with Naymick going to the line for two shots. Neitzel has yet to attempt a shot.
11:06 - The Spartans have started a full-court press. And NU looks a little uneasy. 12-8 MSU.
7:56 - Moore responds really well to heckling. He found Ryan on another backdoor cut, hit a 3 to put NU ahead 13-12, then drew an offensive foul right before the media timeout. Coble's come alive too. He hit a 3 to give NU its next lead at 16-14, then got an outlet pass after a turnover and DUNKED it to make the score 18-14, where it stands right now. And here I thought nobody on NU could dunk. 18-14 Cats. As Samuel L. Jackson famously quoth in Jurassic Park, "Hold onto your butts."
3:27 - Well, Drew Neitzel finally got to the arena. After not taking a shot for the first 12:37, Neitzel has put in 13 points over the last four minutes, on 5-of-5 shooting. And all of his 3s bring the house down. But NU is still in there. MSU leads 27-26, after a particularly enervating Neitzel 3. The backdoor cuts are working to perfection. How long can this last?
12.3 - MSU leads 33-29 and has the last possession of the half. What happens in it could mean a lot as to how the rest of the game is going to go.
00.0 - The Spartans got what they wanted, the ball in Neitzel's hands with one second left. He missed the 3, but Walton was under the bucket and tipped it in at the buzzer. So the Cats go into the half trailing 35-29.
Moore and Coble have been keeping NU afloat. The two have 21 of the Cats' 29 points. Nash also had an eventful first half, but he missed two scoring opportunities close to the hoop - one on a blocked shot and one on a flat-out miss. NU is shooting 54.2 percent from the field and is only being outrebounded by one. But the Cats have committed 11 turnovers, which is the main thing keeping them back. It's going to be an interesting second half.
MSU 35, NU 29.
14:55 - It's looked like it's been just about to get away from the Cats on several occasions, but they're hanging in there. It's 45-37 Spartans at this point, and Carmody is engaging in theater major fare on the sidelines. Complete with stamping feet and brow wipings culminating in pained grimaces. MSU 45, NU 37, Cats' ball.
11:37 - The Izzone must have made Craig Moore mad. He has just hit two 3s in a row to bring the Cats within one point, at 47-46. Moore is 7 of 9 from the field, including 5 of 7 from behind the arc, and has 21 points. He also has two steals, a block and three assists. That's filling up a box score. I wasn't at the Indiana game, but this might be the best the Cats have played all year. MSU 47-46.
11:20 - Thompson just picked up his fourth foul and Moore has three.
9:35 - A Neitzel 3 moves the lead to 54-48 for the Spartans. It just seems like every time NU gets something going, MSU is there to stop it. NU ball down by six.
7:20 - Drew Neitzel is NU cyanide. He hits another jumper, then faked a jumper and found Morgan under the basket for a dunk. 58-50 MSU. It's NU ball under its hoop, after Morgan committed his third foul on Moore.
4:43 - This one could be slip sliding away. The Spartans have built their lead up to 10 at 62-52. But the NU press forced a turnover on the first possession it was in place. So who knows?
3:08 - Michigan State is taking its time when it gets the ball, which means NU will have to force the issue a little bit on the offensive end to get more possessions. Something it isn't very good at. MSU 64, NU 52.
1:14 - Well, it was fun while it lasted. A Neitzel free throw makes it 69-55 Spartans, and 0-10 for the Cats in conference.
57.7 - Like the Indiana game, the final score is not going to do this one justice. The Spartans have gone on a 16-5 run in the last nine minutes to put this one in the icebox. Poor, poor Cats.
Final - MSU 70, NU 55.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
NU-Indiana
11:59, first half: NU heads into the under-12 timeout down only five at 19-14. Offensively, the Cats' Princeton offense is working almost to perfection; the team is fooling the Hoosiers with off-the-ball movement, especially backdoor cuts, which have led to a couple easy laypus. On defense, though, it's double jeopardy for NU. If they play zone, Gordon gets wide-open looks from deep, but if they play man, White will kill them inside. Oh, and NU doesn't have a single rebound yet.
11:28, first half: Jeff Ryan hits the deck after being fouled hard on his way to the hoop, but he walks off ok (holding his right wrist...)
9:57, first half: Indiana calls timeout up 25-22. NU has decided to shoot unconsciously well from the field (8-11, 4-4 from three).
9:14, first half: NU gets its first rebound of the game!!!!! (defensive board by Michael Thompson).
2:38, first half: IU, 35-30. With White out of the game, the Hoosiers have lost their edge inside, and the Cats have kept the game close with a mix of threes and backdoor cuts for layups. An interesting note: Both head coaches, NU's Bill Carmody and IU's Kelvin Sampson, are wearing sneakers with their suits as part of Coaches vs. Cancer weekend. I never thought Carmody could look more like a clown, but he can. Oh he can.
1:12, first half: IU, 38-32. Gordon is killing NU right now. He's got five threes in the half, continually finding the soft spots in the Cats' zone.
Halftime: IU 40-37. That's got to be the best half of basketball the team has played all season. They shot 14-21 from the field, including 7-8 on 3-pointers. Of course, they only have six rebounds, but that's due more to the dramatic size disadvantage than a lack of hustle on the part of the Cats. Who'd have thought the Hoosier faithful at Assembly Hall would boo IU on their way to the locker room? Whatever happens in the second half, this is a big step forward for NU.
15:58, second half: IU, 46-42. This is incredible. NU just won't go away. Moore's cutting for layups, the defense is shutting down Gordon, and Baran is causing the mighty White to get frustrated inside. Moore actually had an open three for the lead, but it bricked out.
11:52, second half: IU, 52-48. THEY WON'T GO AWAY. White is killing them inside, and IU has stepped up its defense, and still the Cats are hanging around.
9:02, second half: IU, 56-50. You can a sense a momentum shift in the offing. At 52-50, Coble missed a three that would've given NU the lead. Since then, the Hoosiers have scored twice quickly and the crowd is getting into it.
7:47, second half: IU, 58-52. Coble's lack of execution is the main reason the Cats aren't winning right now. He's shooting only 2-7 and 0-2 from three in the second half, along with 1-3 from the line. After committing an offensive foul on the last possession, you could see him hanging his head in frustration. That doesn't bode well.
4:39, second half: IU, 65-52. Well, the Hoosiers finally asserted themselves and blew this game open. A Gordon three sent the crowd into hysterics and pushed the lead up to 13.
Endgame: IU, 75-63. That's all there is. I can only hope those who only see the final score don't mistake this for another NU debacle. They hung with the No. 11 team in the country for 32 minutes. They play like this against Iowa or Michigan, they'll will. Guaranteed.
-Jake Simpson
11:28, first half: Jeff Ryan hits the deck after being fouled hard on his way to the hoop, but he walks off ok (holding his right wrist...)
9:57, first half: Indiana calls timeout up 25-22. NU has decided to shoot unconsciously well from the field (8-11, 4-4 from three).
9:14, first half: NU gets its first rebound of the game!!!!! (defensive board by Michael Thompson).
2:38, first half: IU, 35-30. With White out of the game, the Hoosiers have lost their edge inside, and the Cats have kept the game close with a mix of threes and backdoor cuts for layups. An interesting note: Both head coaches, NU's Bill Carmody and IU's Kelvin Sampson, are wearing sneakers with their suits as part of Coaches vs. Cancer weekend. I never thought Carmody could look more like a clown, but he can. Oh he can.
1:12, first half: IU, 38-32. Gordon is killing NU right now. He's got five threes in the half, continually finding the soft spots in the Cats' zone.
Halftime: IU 40-37. That's got to be the best half of basketball the team has played all season. They shot 14-21 from the field, including 7-8 on 3-pointers. Of course, they only have six rebounds, but that's due more to the dramatic size disadvantage than a lack of hustle on the part of the Cats. Who'd have thought the Hoosier faithful at Assembly Hall would boo IU on their way to the locker room? Whatever happens in the second half, this is a big step forward for NU.
15:58, second half: IU, 46-42. This is incredible. NU just won't go away. Moore's cutting for layups, the defense is shutting down Gordon, and Baran is causing the mighty White to get frustrated inside. Moore actually had an open three for the lead, but it bricked out.
11:52, second half: IU, 52-48. THEY WON'T GO AWAY. White is killing them inside, and IU has stepped up its defense, and still the Cats are hanging around.
9:02, second half: IU, 56-50. You can a sense a momentum shift in the offing. At 52-50, Coble missed a three that would've given NU the lead. Since then, the Hoosiers have scored twice quickly and the crowd is getting into it.
7:47, second half: IU, 58-52. Coble's lack of execution is the main reason the Cats aren't winning right now. He's shooting only 2-7 and 0-2 from three in the second half, along with 1-3 from the line. After committing an offensive foul on the last possession, you could see him hanging his head in frustration. That doesn't bode well.
4:39, second half: IU, 65-52. Well, the Hoosiers finally asserted themselves and blew this game open. A Gordon three sent the crowd into hysterics and pushed the lead up to 13.
Endgame: IU, 75-63. That's all there is. I can only hope those who only see the final score don't mistake this for another NU debacle. They hung with the No. 11 team in the country for 32 minutes. They play like this against Iowa or Michigan, they'll will. Guaranteed.
-Jake Simpson
NU-Indiana: Gordon on fire early
The superfreshman has outscored the Cats by himself so far, 9-5, as IU takes an 11-5 lead into the under-16 timeout (for those of you who don't know, there are mandatory TV timeouts at the first stoppage of play under 16, 12, 8, and 4 minutes in each half). NU may have to abandon its zone defense if Gordon keeps draining threes; he's 3-3 from deep thus far. On offense, the Cats have been stagnant, just picking up a shot-clock violation.
Live Blogging NU-Indiana: Before the Storm
Hey, this is Jake Simpson, assistant sports editor, kicking off live updates from Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Ind. Today, Northwestern takes on No. 11 Indiana looking to score the upset. The Wildcats will have to deal with IU's dynamic duo of superfreshman Eric Gordon and dominant big man D.J. White. Gordon leads the team and is second among freshman nationwide in scoring with 21.4 ppg. White is averaging a double-double per game (17.1 ppg and 10.6 ppg) and is considered one of the best big men in the conference.
Honestly, folks, it will take a Herculean effort from NU to knock off the Hoosiers today. We will see.
Honestly, folks, it will take a Herculean effort from NU to knock off the Hoosiers today. We will see.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Men's Basketball: NU Picks Up Pieces from Loss
Coach Bill Carmody said after Northwestern's 70-37 loss to Illinois on Sunday that nothing went right. The Wildcats scored the first three points of the game and never saw the lead again, shooting 31 percent on the night. The Wildcats fell to 0-7 in the Big Ten for the first time since 2003 (the team won its eighth conference game, against Indiana).
Northwestern struggled to get much going offensively and were beaten defensively by an athletic Illinois team, which was also struggling at the bottom of the Big Ten standings.
The loss left the Cats searching for answers heading into their final non-conference game Wednesday night against Texas-Pan American and the rest of the Big Ten schedule ahead.
Sophomore forward Kevin Coble called Sunday's game a "fluke." He said the game was a step backward and the team needs to continue to progress and find positives in each game.
Players were in early Tuesday working on individual workouts and individual games. Carmody hopes the hard work comes together starting Wednesday.
"We need a win and you have to play well," Carmody said. "It’s real basic. I think the guys are playing hard. The guys are coming in for extra shooting and extra individual stuff and it’s got to pay off."
Northwestern struggled to get much going offensively and were beaten defensively by an athletic Illinois team, which was also struggling at the bottom of the Big Ten standings.
The loss left the Cats searching for answers heading into their final non-conference game Wednesday night against Texas-Pan American and the rest of the Big Ten schedule ahead.
"We really need to just focus on what we do and not worry about the other team so much," sophomore forward Jeff Ryan said. "We’re making a lot of mistakes ourselves. We’re beating ourselves with turnovers and mistakes on defense. It’s just getting back to doing what we do best and trying to work hard in practice every day."
Carmody said what the other team does is not important. He is concerned more with how the team is playing together and how it plays offensively and defensively more than with NU's opponents. He said the Cats need to play well to get a win.Sophomore forward Kevin Coble called Sunday's game a "fluke." He said the game was a step backward and the team needs to continue to progress and find positives in each game.
Players were in early Tuesday working on individual workouts and individual games. Carmody hopes the hard work comes together starting Wednesday.
"We need a win and you have to play well," Carmody said. "It’s real basic. I think the guys are playing hard. The guys are coming in for extra shooting and extra individual stuff and it’s got to pay off."
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Men's Basketball Live Blog: Michigan St. at NU
Well, it's another thrilling night of exciting Wildcats basketball here at jam-packed Welsh-Ryan Arena (that was sarcasm, in case you didn't pick that up).
We're counting down to tip-off, with the teams' differences already showing themselves during warm-ups. Spartans: tall, athletic. Cats: short, scrawny. We'll see how things play out, but if recent history is any indication, it won't go well for NU. Bill Carmody is 1-12 in his career against the Spartans, and NU hasn't beaten the boys in green since 2002.
If the purple is going to have any chance, they'll need a great defensive performance from Juice Thompson on Drew Neitzel, a lights-out shooting performance from Craig Moore and a lot of turnovers (Michigan State does turn the ball over almost 15 times per game, so maybe there's some hope there). Well, tip-off is approaching. I'll update throughout the game.
Starters
NU: Craig Moore, Michael Thompson, Kevin Coble, Sterling Williams, Nikola Baran (unexpectedly starting over Jeff Ryan)
MSU: Drew Naymick, Goran Suton, Raymar Morgan, Travis Walton, Drew Neitzel
14:41 -- Things aren't looking good for NU, as MSU is out to a 15-5 lead, thanks to four 3-pointers and some anemic Cats offense. This could get really ugly, really fast, as NU looks completely over-matched against the No. 10 team in the nation. At least Moore made his first shot attempt from downtown.
13:25 -- First timeout of the contest, with MSU leading 17-9. The good news is that Baran managed to score for the Cats off his own miss, showing he perhaps deserves the start. The bad news is that if MSU continues to shoot the 3 like it has been so far, NU has absolutely no chance to win this game. It's hard enough to play interior defense on a team with an enormous size advantage as it is, but if that team can also kick the ball out and bury shots from the perimeter, it's all over.
Well, Baran is on the bench out of the break, so I guess Carmody didn't think much of that last bucket.
9:10 -- Carmody just called a 30-second timeout, and for good reason. Neitzel just buried another shot from beyond the arc to push MSU's lead to 25-11, as the Spartans threaten to pull away before the half. Physically, Neitzel looks like he'd fit right in with the Cats, but he is showing why he is considered one of the best point guards in college basketball.
7:46 -- Someone in the Wild Side was just held up a sign saying "300 Spartans, 1 diploma," which looks to be a lot more clever than Carmody's gameplan so far, with MSU leading 28-11.
The Spartans are 6 of 7 shooting the 3-ball, which is clearly the story of the game so far. NU better find a way to stop it soon, or this is going to get embarrassing.
3:42 -- NU is making a valient attempt to not go into the locker room already out of the game. After a 19-4 MSU run, Baran and Moore knocked down consecutive 3-pointers and the Spartans turned the ball over on the ensuing possession, giving NU the ball back, trailing 36-21. If the Cats can keep this momentum up for a few more minutes, it can salvage some scrap of hope for the second half.
2:00 -- CAN YOU FEEL THE EXCITEMENT?! The Wild Side, which has filled up throughout the course of the half, definitely is. Tom Izzo just called timeout, because his team is reeling from a 13-0 NU run, causing the crowd to roar as loudly as it has all season. Does NU......dare to dream?
HALFTIME -- Well, give the Cats credit -- they look a massive punch, but managed to crawl to their feet and get themselves back into the game, by closing the half on a 16-2 run. That stretch included a play in which Jason Okrzesik fell down with the ball but managed to flip it to Kevin Coble while still on his butt, leading to a 3 by Coble that briefly pulled NU to within seven. But MSU answered with a 3 of its own to push the lead back to 10. 41-31. Hopefully the second half will at least be interesting.
Fun note: Former Spartan and current Charlotte Bobcat Jason Richardson is in attendance (he plays the Bulls tomorrow). Hey, why don't former Cats playing in the NBA come back to watch........oh, wait.....Sorry, that was a cheap shot. But hey, at least Tim Doyle is here! I guess that will have to do.
Not-so-fun note: At the half, MSU's bench is outscoring NU's 16-0, mostly thanks to 12 points from freshman Chris Allen, who is 4 of 4 from downtown.
Second Half
18:37 -- So far, we have a Neitzel 3, an NU shot clock violation, a Raymar Morgan dunk, and a Drew Naymick block of Nikola Baran. Uh-oh! 46-31 MSU.
16:35 -- Well, that pretty much summarizes NU's effort in the second half so far: an NU cheerleader just fell on her backside as the squad ran out on the court during a timeout. So far in the second half, MSU has shut out the Cats 9-0 and once again is threatening to pull away.
13:35 -- Steve Kerr is in the house! Oh, actually that's Craig Moore, but it's easy to explain the confusion. The streaky junior guard is currently on a hot streak, knocking down treys on three consecutive possessions. He also showed some stingy defense, drawing a charging foul and also forcing an MSU foul on a loose ball. It's games like these that keep Moore in the lineup despite his more frequent 2 of 10 shooting performances. Well, let's enjoy it while it lasts.
11:27 -- I haven't seen Cloverfield yet, but I suspect the monster sort of resembles MSU's Raymar Morgan, who just shook the rim with a frightening dunk. NU looked scared, and rightfully so.
7:28 -- 64-45 MSU. Whatever momentum Moore generated seems to have dissipated and the game is headed to its inevitable destination -- with NU on the short end. Well, at least they gave the fans who braved the cold a few moments of excitement.
The game also gave some shirtless students with their chests painted a chance to get on ESPN2, so there's that.
2:24 -- Things are winding down, with MSU ahead 69-56. The final score isn't likely to be too embarrassing for the Cats, but this game has never really been in much doubt. Still, things could have been a lot worse.
FINAL SCORE: MSU 78, NU 62.
Good night from Welsh-Ryan Arena. Until next time....
We're counting down to tip-off, with the teams' differences already showing themselves during warm-ups. Spartans: tall, athletic. Cats: short, scrawny. We'll see how things play out, but if recent history is any indication, it won't go well for NU. Bill Carmody is 1-12 in his career against the Spartans, and NU hasn't beaten the boys in green since 2002.
If the purple is going to have any chance, they'll need a great defensive performance from Juice Thompson on Drew Neitzel, a lights-out shooting performance from Craig Moore and a lot of turnovers (Michigan State does turn the ball over almost 15 times per game, so maybe there's some hope there). Well, tip-off is approaching. I'll update throughout the game.
Starters
NU: Craig Moore, Michael Thompson, Kevin Coble, Sterling Williams, Nikola Baran (unexpectedly starting over Jeff Ryan)
MSU: Drew Naymick, Goran Suton, Raymar Morgan, Travis Walton, Drew Neitzel
14:41 -- Things aren't looking good for NU, as MSU is out to a 15-5 lead, thanks to four 3-pointers and some anemic Cats offense. This could get really ugly, really fast, as NU looks completely over-matched against the No. 10 team in the nation. At least Moore made his first shot attempt from downtown.
13:25 -- First timeout of the contest, with MSU leading 17-9. The good news is that Baran managed to score for the Cats off his own miss, showing he perhaps deserves the start. The bad news is that if MSU continues to shoot the 3 like it has been so far, NU has absolutely no chance to win this game. It's hard enough to play interior defense on a team with an enormous size advantage as it is, but if that team can also kick the ball out and bury shots from the perimeter, it's all over.
Well, Baran is on the bench out of the break, so I guess Carmody didn't think much of that last bucket.
9:10 -- Carmody just called a 30-second timeout, and for good reason. Neitzel just buried another shot from beyond the arc to push MSU's lead to 25-11, as the Spartans threaten to pull away before the half. Physically, Neitzel looks like he'd fit right in with the Cats, but he is showing why he is considered one of the best point guards in college basketball.
7:46 -- Someone in the Wild Side was just held up a sign saying "300 Spartans, 1 diploma," which looks to be a lot more clever than Carmody's gameplan so far, with MSU leading 28-11.
The Spartans are 6 of 7 shooting the 3-ball, which is clearly the story of the game so far. NU better find a way to stop it soon, or this is going to get embarrassing.
3:42 -- NU is making a valient attempt to not go into the locker room already out of the game. After a 19-4 MSU run, Baran and Moore knocked down consecutive 3-pointers and the Spartans turned the ball over on the ensuing possession, giving NU the ball back, trailing 36-21. If the Cats can keep this momentum up for a few more minutes, it can salvage some scrap of hope for the second half.
2:00 -- CAN YOU FEEL THE EXCITEMENT?! The Wild Side, which has filled up throughout the course of the half, definitely is. Tom Izzo just called timeout, because his team is reeling from a 13-0 NU run, causing the crowd to roar as loudly as it has all season. Does NU......dare to dream?
HALFTIME -- Well, give the Cats credit -- they look a massive punch, but managed to crawl to their feet and get themselves back into the game, by closing the half on a 16-2 run. That stretch included a play in which Jason Okrzesik fell down with the ball but managed to flip it to Kevin Coble while still on his butt, leading to a 3 by Coble that briefly pulled NU to within seven. But MSU answered with a 3 of its own to push the lead back to 10. 41-31. Hopefully the second half will at least be interesting.
Fun note: Former Spartan and current Charlotte Bobcat Jason Richardson is in attendance (he plays the Bulls tomorrow). Hey, why don't former Cats playing in the NBA come back to watch........oh, wait.....Sorry, that was a cheap shot. But hey, at least Tim Doyle is here! I guess that will have to do.
Not-so-fun note: At the half, MSU's bench is outscoring NU's 16-0, mostly thanks to 12 points from freshman Chris Allen, who is 4 of 4 from downtown.
Second Half
18:37 -- So far, we have a Neitzel 3, an NU shot clock violation, a Raymar Morgan dunk, and a Drew Naymick block of Nikola Baran. Uh-oh! 46-31 MSU.
16:35 -- Well, that pretty much summarizes NU's effort in the second half so far: an NU cheerleader just fell on her backside as the squad ran out on the court during a timeout. So far in the second half, MSU has shut out the Cats 9-0 and once again is threatening to pull away.
13:35 -- Steve Kerr is in the house! Oh, actually that's Craig Moore, but it's easy to explain the confusion. The streaky junior guard is currently on a hot streak, knocking down treys on three consecutive possessions. He also showed some stingy defense, drawing a charging foul and also forcing an MSU foul on a loose ball. It's games like these that keep Moore in the lineup despite his more frequent 2 of 10 shooting performances. Well, let's enjoy it while it lasts.
11:27 -- I haven't seen Cloverfield yet, but I suspect the monster sort of resembles MSU's Raymar Morgan, who just shook the rim with a frightening dunk. NU looked scared, and rightfully so.
7:28 -- 64-45 MSU. Whatever momentum Moore generated seems to have dissipated and the game is headed to its inevitable destination -- with NU on the short end. Well, at least they gave the fans who braved the cold a few moments of excitement.
The game also gave some shirtless students with their chests painted a chance to get on ESPN2, so there's that.
2:24 -- Things are winding down, with MSU ahead 69-56. The final score isn't likely to be too embarrassing for the Cats, but this game has never really been in much doubt. Still, things could have been a lot worse.
FINAL SCORE: MSU 78, NU 62.
Good night from Welsh-Ryan Arena. Until next time....
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Men's Basketball: NU at Wisconsin
We're here at the Kohl Center with 5 minutes until game time. The 14-2 Badgers are running out onto the floor behind red flags each bearing a letter of the word "Wisconsin." The 6-8 Wildcats meekly trotted out onto the court just before them, possibly hoping no one would realize they're here. After finding his range in a big way against Chicago State on Wednesday, junior guard Craig Moore is clanking his warmup 3s. Don't know what that means, but it could be something.
Food for thought: Wisconsin is 101-6 at home in coach Bo Ryan's seven years at the helm.
Food for uneasy digestion: NU is being outrebounded by 12 boards oer game, and Badgers' center Brian Butch is averaging 8 per game. Yikes.
Keep with the Cats' Corner blog for some live looks into what should (could...might...very well has the possibility of being at some point in time) a closely contested game.
15:17 - First TV timeout and this is possibly the ugliest 4:43 of basketball ever...at least in this century. It's 6-5 Badgers, and with the 11 points have come 3 turnovers, a whole lot of waiting before shooting and 2 fouls from Sterling Williams. Moore hit his first 3, from about downtown Monona. Jason Okrzesik is coming in. Super sub? We'll see.
11:57 - The seeds of disaster are sown. Wisconsin finally figured out it can throw the ball from the arc, over the heads of the woefully undersized Wildcats, and into the hands of their big guys down low. Marcus Landry was just one of the beneficiaries of one of those lobs, tying the score at 8. NU isn't being run off the court, largely as a result of a verrrrrry lethargic start from the Badgers.
7:55 - More minutes pass, more potential scoring opportunities pass these teams by. Wisconsin just found Butch over top (like Landry earlier) to put the Badgers up 13-12. He also drew the second foul on Kevin Coble, who seems to have made a precipitous fall since his 34 against Michigan. He is 1 of 3 shooting (and that was a layup) and has a turnover. But he is holding his own on the boards. Butch's free throw makes it 14-12.
4:09 - NU has taken its first real punch and is still hanging in there. After falling down 18-14, Croatian sensation (sorry ... had to) Nikola Baran has made two shots in a row to tie it up again.
1:44 - Ryan commits his 3rd foul, which can mean only one thing ... Jean-Marc Melchior time. The little-used Luxembourger runs around confusedly as a teammate tries to pass it to him, leading to a turnover and a Joe Krabbenhoft jumper. Wisconsin 22, NU 18.
Halftime - ...wow. The refs are being boisterously booed by the Badger faithful because they just might have missed a foul on a desperation 3 by Flowers at the end of the half. But methinks they should be booing the team in red and white, rather than black and white. Their team, consequently ranked 17th in the nation, has matched the Cats, missed shot for missed shot and turnover for turnover. As Wisconsin senator Herb Kohl, athletic director Barry Alvarez and others congratulate the Badgers for their 10 years in the Kohl Center, Bo Ryan is probably tearing his team a new one ... in the parlance of our times.
Some numbers: Thompson leads the Cats with 7 points and 3 assists. Coble has 2 points on 1-4 shooting and looks a little off. Coach Carmody wants Jeff Ryan to get both hands on the ball on rebounds, or at least that's what he shouted at him after he picked up his third foul going over the back of Brian Butch.
Wisconsin 22, NU 20. Ugly, ugly half. 17 turnovers, 16 made shots. Eep.
15:44 - The Badgers are getting some daylight on the Cats. Wisconsin has started out the half on an 8-0 run and leads 30-20. The Cats have made two baskets in the last 8:27, spanning back to half one. And the most distressing thing is that they just seem to be running weave drills outside the 3-point line for most of their possessions. They are using allllllll of their 35 seconds and then heaving up a bad shot at the end. Every time.
11:40 - And it's almost nail-in-coffin time. After Moore and Okrzesik let a sure turnover get away (may have been a foul on Wisconsin uncalled in there somewhere), Flowers made an athletic scoop layup around Coble, frozen stiff in fear of picking up his fourth foul.
Wisconsin 37, NU 24. Someone on NU just got T'ed up. I think it's Carmody.
10:27 - Ryan fouls out after Landry gets another offensive rebound. Landry hits both free throws and the Badgers lead 40-27.
7:21 - The Cats keep trying to come back, but the Badgers always have an answer. And his name is Marcus Landry. The 6-7 forward, averaging 10.3 points per game on the year, has 17 against NU, as he just put in an easy layup down low. The score is Wisconsin 44, NU 34.
4:40 - And Moore fouls out trying to take a charge. Could a Tonjua Jones sighting be in the cards? Wisconsin 49, NU 39.
3:27 - So ends the ugliest 48 seconds of basketball in the great annals of the game. Here is a recap: Jeremy Nash barely draws iron on a 3, Thompson rebounds, misses a layup, Flowers gets his hands on it, but lands out of bounds. Coble makes a shot for himself, which rims out, and the Badgers push it up the floor. Butch misses down low, misses the follow, and the Cats recover. Thompson gets a shot from beyond the arc ... and barely draws iron. Then Trevon Hughes travels.
Wisconsin 49, NU 39.
1:10 - The Cats are showing some life again. But it's probably much too little, much too late. A Thompson layup cuts the deficit to 58-47.
53.0 - We've reached the fouling stage. That means this one is over. Wisconsin 60-47.
Food for thought: Wisconsin is 101-6 at home in coach Bo Ryan's seven years at the helm.
Food for uneasy digestion: NU is being outrebounded by 12 boards oer game, and Badgers' center Brian Butch is averaging 8 per game. Yikes.
Keep with the Cats' Corner blog for some live looks into what should (could...might...very well has the possibility of being at some point in time) a closely contested game.
15:17 - First TV timeout and this is possibly the ugliest 4:43 of basketball ever...at least in this century. It's 6-5 Badgers, and with the 11 points have come 3 turnovers, a whole lot of waiting before shooting and 2 fouls from Sterling Williams. Moore hit his first 3, from about downtown Monona. Jason Okrzesik is coming in. Super sub? We'll see.
11:57 - The seeds of disaster are sown. Wisconsin finally figured out it can throw the ball from the arc, over the heads of the woefully undersized Wildcats, and into the hands of their big guys down low. Marcus Landry was just one of the beneficiaries of one of those lobs, tying the score at 8. NU isn't being run off the court, largely as a result of a verrrrrry lethargic start from the Badgers.
7:55 - More minutes pass, more potential scoring opportunities pass these teams by. Wisconsin just found Butch over top (like Landry earlier) to put the Badgers up 13-12. He also drew the second foul on Kevin Coble, who seems to have made a precipitous fall since his 34 against Michigan. He is 1 of 3 shooting (and that was a layup) and has a turnover. But he is holding his own on the boards. Butch's free throw makes it 14-12.
4:09 - NU has taken its first real punch and is still hanging in there. After falling down 18-14, Croatian sensation (sorry ... had to) Nikola Baran has made two shots in a row to tie it up again.
1:44 - Ryan commits his 3rd foul, which can mean only one thing ... Jean-Marc Melchior time. The little-used Luxembourger runs around confusedly as a teammate tries to pass it to him, leading to a turnover and a Joe Krabbenhoft jumper. Wisconsin 22, NU 18.
Halftime - ...wow. The refs are being boisterously booed by the Badger faithful because they just might have missed a foul on a desperation 3 by Flowers at the end of the half. But methinks they should be booing the team in red and white, rather than black and white. Their team, consequently ranked 17th in the nation, has matched the Cats, missed shot for missed shot and turnover for turnover. As Wisconsin senator Herb Kohl, athletic director Barry Alvarez and others congratulate the Badgers for their 10 years in the Kohl Center, Bo Ryan is probably tearing his team a new one ... in the parlance of our times.
Some numbers: Thompson leads the Cats with 7 points and 3 assists. Coble has 2 points on 1-4 shooting and looks a little off. Coach Carmody wants Jeff Ryan to get both hands on the ball on rebounds, or at least that's what he shouted at him after he picked up his third foul going over the back of Brian Butch.
Wisconsin 22, NU 20. Ugly, ugly half. 17 turnovers, 16 made shots. Eep.
15:44 - The Badgers are getting some daylight on the Cats. Wisconsin has started out the half on an 8-0 run and leads 30-20. The Cats have made two baskets in the last 8:27, spanning back to half one. And the most distressing thing is that they just seem to be running weave drills outside the 3-point line for most of their possessions. They are using allllllll of their 35 seconds and then heaving up a bad shot at the end. Every time.
11:40 - And it's almost nail-in-coffin time. After Moore and Okrzesik let a sure turnover get away (may have been a foul on Wisconsin uncalled in there somewhere), Flowers made an athletic scoop layup around Coble, frozen stiff in fear of picking up his fourth foul.
Wisconsin 37, NU 24. Someone on NU just got T'ed up. I think it's Carmody.
10:27 - Ryan fouls out after Landry gets another offensive rebound. Landry hits both free throws and the Badgers lead 40-27.
7:21 - The Cats keep trying to come back, but the Badgers always have an answer. And his name is Marcus Landry. The 6-7 forward, averaging 10.3 points per game on the year, has 17 against NU, as he just put in an easy layup down low. The score is Wisconsin 44, NU 34.
4:40 - And Moore fouls out trying to take a charge. Could a Tonjua Jones sighting be in the cards? Wisconsin 49, NU 39.
3:27 - So ends the ugliest 48 seconds of basketball in the great annals of the game. Here is a recap: Jeremy Nash barely draws iron on a 3, Thompson rebounds, misses a layup, Flowers gets his hands on it, but lands out of bounds. Coble makes a shot for himself, which rims out, and the Badgers push it up the floor. Butch misses down low, misses the follow, and the Cats recover. Thompson gets a shot from beyond the arc ... and barely draws iron. Then Trevon Hughes travels.
Wisconsin 49, NU 39.
1:10 - The Cats are showing some life again. But it's probably much too little, much too late. A Thompson layup cuts the deficit to 58-47.
53.0 - We've reached the fouling stage. That means this one is over. Wisconsin 60-47.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
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
“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 (
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
He returned to the team Jan. 2 against
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