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JournCat · 2025-02-21T12:37:05-0600

After all the adversity this year … if we could have flipped just a couple of the close losses, say at Penn State and at Michigan, we’d probably be in the last four in. Still very proud of our team for not giving up when many others would have.

Rebel II · 2025-02-21T12:32:29-0600

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gocatsgo2003 · 2025-02-21T12:23:46-0600

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CoralSpringsCat · 2025-02-21T12:22:37-0600

PurpleWhiteBoy said:
I know you are all-in for NU, you've proven that, but you asked above why it will be difficult to get good players from the portal...

Its because the Covid year is gone - there just aren't going to be too many grad transfers out there. If they got redshirted and graduated on time then they'll have another year of eligibility. Otherwise, they'd need to graduate in 3 years. If they're smart enough to do that, then we have a great shot at them, but how many are there? And how good are they? Not many talented Ivy League guys get redshirted as freshmen, for example.

The underclassmen we can pursue are most likely freshmen and sophomores looking to step up in competition, a la Mullins. Or sitting on the bench at good basketball schools... but we don't get many/any of those. We can't go after most upperclassmen, because of admissions policy on transfers. (Unless that rule was recently changed - but I'd be surprised).

Football just brought in multiple grad transfers. I think Collins will have plenty of options. CCC just put together arguably the best freshman class of all-time; I’m expecting that success to transfer into our portal recruiting as well. Collins has established himself as a terrific coach who has players that love to play for him. The future is bright.

MC_Cat · 2025-02-21T12:12:03-0600

CappyNU said:
OSU has been our unicorn game a couple times. They were also our only win in our last 13 games in the 2018-19 season. Fun fact, the 'Cats are 6-6 against OSU dating back to the 2016-17 season, including 3-3 on the road, and we've now beaten them in 3 straight years, which hasn't happened since we beat them 5 out of 7 times over the 1950-51 through 1953-54 seasons.

Among the many reasons I appreciate CCC is how he's overcome (leaped) over the OSU hurdle that Carmody maddeningly could never shake other than Shurna's late heroics at home many moons ago.

Overly_Invested_Cat · 2025-02-21T11:39:55-0600

I'm curious whether NU could be doing more recruiting in Europe. Seems like many B1G teams have at least on import who is getting a decent amount of playing time.

Hungry Jack · 2025-02-21T11:38:14-0600

PurpleWhiteBoy said:
Ty Berry is looking to do more and has a point guard who does traditional Point Guard stuff, in KJ Windham - and to a lesser extent - Clayton.
Nicholson and Berry are both stepping up - and the young guys are looking for them.

We were soooooo static on offense. Now we're trying all kinds of stuff.
In my opinion, some of that has to do with Windham handling the ball.

I looked at a few highlights and saw Windham create a bit off the dribble. He's not as explosive and fast as Boo (not many were), but I think he has enough tools, especially once he gets some miles on him.

Catreporter · 2025-02-21T11:15:57-0600

I wonder if Chris felt some obligation to start Clayton for a few games after he agreed to take off the redshirt so late in the year. And as for KJ, he made a couple of bad decisions in the Nebraska game (especially in the final minute where he drove in and tried to pass to a covered Nicholson instead of go up for the shot himself). Part of the learning curve but I like where he is leading.

CoralSpringsCat · 2025-02-21T11:15:32-0600

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CoralSpringsCat · 2025-02-21T11:15:01-0600

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TheC · 2025-02-21T11:13:22-0600

MC_Cat said:
We handled their press with confidence and even aggression. I was very impressed. Everyone looked composed and prepared.

I was amazed at how easily we beat their press. And it was the same action almost every time. They would let Berry catch the ball wide open on the baseline. They would go to double, but not very hard, and left the cross court pass wide open. I kept waiting for OSU to adjust.

AdamOnFirst · 2025-02-21T11:09:04-0600

GatoLouco said:
Our transfers for the last few years

A.J. Turner - 1 year experience coming in? Needed time to develop, never reached great heights

Spencer - Graduate student, but zero experience, was green, very green. Was OK in a young bad team

Audige - Pre-covid, had to sit! Came in with 1 year of experience. Turned out really well, but it needed time, significant time

Elyjah Williams - Was experienced, was OK for the role

Verhoeven - Was experienced, was OK for the role

Preston - Was experienced, was OK for the role

Langborg - Experienced, turned out great

Mullins - 1 year experience coming in. Needed time, impact TBD

Fitzmorris - experienced, OK for the role

Leach - Experienced, great addition, got injured

Might have missed somoene The transfers that worked out well immediately for us were all experienced players. Audige is a program great, but needed significant time.

NU’s admissions process, resources available to draw transfers, and general attractiveness/credibility as a program have evolved drastically over the timeline this describes and are continuing to do so, including major developments in the last few months and another massive development over the next 2-3 months. It’s a new world today, changed from the new world 6 months ago, and 6 months from now will be another new world

Catreporter · 2025-02-21T11:01:51-0600

It's important to point out that the Buckeyes have two of the Big Ten's best nonconference wins, by 18 over Texas and 20 over Kentucky. This was an amazing win. Suddenly, the last four games become meaningful again. College hoops are pretty crazy.

MC_Cat · 2025-02-21T10:58:17-0600

PurpleWhiteBoy said:
When they started pressing us, I thought we were in trouble, but, as you say, OSU was not really getting after it.
Windham looked as composed as one could hope. We saw a lot worse from Clayton and yes, even Leach.

We handled their press with confidence and even aggression. I was very impressed. Everyone looked composed and prepared.

PurpleWhiteBoy · 2025-02-21T10:51:03-0600

GatoLouco said:
He switched to full court with like 10 minutes to go. But it felt their hearts were not even remotely in it.

When they started pressing us, I thought we were in trouble, but, as you say, OSU was not really getting after it.
Windham looked as composed as one could hope. We saw a lot worse from Clayton and yes, even Leach.

PurpleWhiteBoy · 2025-02-21T10:46:39-0600

Ty Berry is looking to do more and has a point guard who does traditional Point Guard stuff, in KJ Windham - and to a lesser extent - Clayton.
Nicholson and Berry are both stepping up - and the young guys are looking for them.

We were soooooo static on offense. Now we're trying all kinds of stuff.
In my opinion, some of that has to do with Windham handling the ball.

CappyNU · 2025-02-21T10:27:58-0600

Purple Pile Driver said:
The annual unicorn game!

OSU has been our unicorn game a couple times. They were also our only win in our last 13 games in the 2018-19 season. Fun fact, the 'Cats are 6-6 against OSU dating back to the 2016-17 season, including 3-3 on the road, and we've now beaten them in 3 straight years, which hasn't happened since we beat them 5 out of 7 times over the 1950-51 through 1953-54 seasons.

Hungry Jack · 2025-02-21T10:18:08-0600

I have always been a Brice Williams fan. Great player, IMO. Nebby is going to miss him greatly.

MC_Cat · 2025-02-21T10:13:01-0600

I also found this headline rather hilarious:

Ohio State fails to show up for their own basketball game, get destroyed by Northwestern, 70-49

The Buckeyes were either unprepared, unbothered, or both on Thursday night.

www.landgrantholyland.com

Jonny2TheP · 2025-02-21T10:01:04-0600

Funny how things work. Last year it was the injuries to Berry and Nicholson that really hurt and limited how far we could go (granted, we weren't beating UConn with both of them either way, but if they are there at the end of the season, I'd argue we would have had a better seeding and wouldn't have had to face UConn). This year, it's injuries to other key players and those two and Martinelli are the guys that are on the opposite side of it - trying to keep things afloat while others are dealing with season-ending injuries.

CappyNU · 2025-02-21T09:59:47-0600

Hungry Jack said:
We shot well (except from 3), got to the line, did not turn the ball over--and still bagged only 70 points. It must have been a slow tempo game (I was at my son's practice last night and missed the game).

63 possessions last night, tied for 5th-slowest game of the year. It was our 11th-best offensive efficiency of the year, and the 7th-best against OSU this season, while it was our 3rd-best defensive efficiency of the year and the best against OSU.

Davidgolds5 · 2025-02-21T09:56:21-0600

GatoLouco said:
If we win the next two, away at MN, and home against IA, there is a good chance we make the BTT.

If we win the next two, do we start to have chatter about what happens if we beat ucla and Maryland? I realize this is quite unlikely.

GatoLouco · 2025-02-21T09:55:30-0600

Purple Pile Driver said:
I think this is pretty positive. Of course, some didn’t contribute as much as we hoped, but overall nearly all of them had their moments. I would say Audige, Spencer, Leach and Langborg were better than most of us expected.

I agree. The problem for us is that the likes of Langborg and Leach are very few now. Are they even 10% of the amount they were without the covid year?

Right now, unless we changed our admisssion policy, they need to have been red-shirted and graduated or graduated in 3 years.

hdhntr1 · 2025-02-21T09:53:02-0600

PurpleWhiteBoy said:
During the game tonight, the play-by-play guy was talking about Windham and Ciaravino and how good they look and he said "Those two give Northwestern fans something to look forward to next year, right?"
And Robbie Hummel didn't respond. Didn't say a word.
I'm sure he was thinking "Yeah, but they're losing Nicholson, Berry, Leach, Fitzmorris and Barnhizer"

So Nick's Revenge Tour is going to require quite a few people to step up.
I've liked Windham and Ciaravino all year. I'm not at all worried about them.
But some of the incoming freshmen will have to be pretty good.
If we could get two major contributors out of the portal, that would be awesome, but it isn't very likely.

We have gotten at least one for a couple years. The guys that can make an impact come because of the opportunity they see to play and make a difference. We have gotten a BIG each year but they were not difference makers but more pieces. We had a starting Center. But going into next year we do not so a lot more likely to be able to get a first line guy. With Berry and Leach gone, good chance that they would see an opportunity there as well so getting two is not beyond the realm of possibility

GatoLouco · 2025-02-21T09:50:33-0600

SmellyCat said:
I think it's possible TKR will declare too, though he's not a slam dunk draft pick.

I don't see TKR as a good pro prospect. But I am terrible at evaluating that.

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