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Quick Thoughts for Saturday's Game

I loved the way we played last week against Maryland, how our defense looked so much better and got four takeaways from a team that had barely turned the ball over prior to that. I also am really pleasantly surprised at how the offense has grown. It's still got a long way to go, but we've seen a lot of improvement the last two weeks, and credit to Lausch for taking care of the ball and not turning it over.

All that said, I have a bad feeling about this one on Saturday. After a year plus with Fickell, it looks like Wisconsin is finally figuring it out and playing really good ball. Rutgers isn't a great team, but they are a tough team that plays hard and doesn't make things easy for their opponents, and Wisconsin just whooped them from the jump...Locke looks like the real deal and their defense has been playing more like Wisconsin defense's of old.

I feel like a 28-7 type loss may be incoming. I, of course, would love to come back here on Saturday and celebrate how wrong I was (and I will do it if we win). But this is one of those rare games where I really just have a bad feeling about it.

Happy Kenpom (and friends) day!

Count me in that group too. I work with a Purdue guy who is also a bit perplexed how they are (almost) unanimously picked #1 in the conference and a top 25 team.

I know chances are I am wrong and the "experts" know more about how good Kaufman-Renn and others will be unleashed from the shackles of having to defer to Edey. It's still hard to see the two guards being more than just decent players without Edey.

With all the transfers and everything, it's probably not worth the effort of most prognosticators to really dig deep and see which is the best "team." Illinois might be the best team on paper, but no one knows their players yet. Michigan State and Indiana and UCLA are bluebloods that haven't been consistently great in a while, so you can't really pick them. Hey, look, Purdue made it to the final four last year and have a point guard we all think is the bee's knees! Yep, #1. That's probably the extent of how hard many of them worked to make this prediction.

Honestly, a real easy competition would be what would real college hoops fans predict the prognosticators would predict. That's a way easier task than just trying to figure it out yourself.
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We've reached the first TV timeout. Cats lead Lehigh 10-7. Now what?

I hate to say it and surely hope I am wrong, but I just don't see Clayton as a viable B1G (even if just bench depth providing) player.
In Brian James’ interview with Bardo over the summer, he indicated Clayton had improved the most of Smith, Mullins and Clayton. While I have my doubts about the extent of his contributions and think Mullins will positively impact the team more, I would think he’s at least viable.
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We've reached the first TV timeout. Cats lead Lehigh 10-7. Now what?

I hate to say it and surely hope I am wrong, but I just don't see Clayton as a viable B1G (even if just bench depth providing) player.
So far Clayton has provided justification for this opinion, but we’ve seen enough guys emerge as solid rotation players after a disappointing Freshman year that I’m not ready to give up on him yet.

Happy Kenpom (and friends) day!

Count me among this group as well. I think he's a good college point guard, but I don't feel like there is anything particularly noteworthy about his game.
Count me in that group too. I work with a Purdue guy who is also a bit perplexed how they are (almost) unanimously picked #1 in the conference and a top 25 team.

I know chances are I am wrong and the "experts" know more about how good Kaufman-Renn and others will be unleashed from the shackles of having to defer to Edey. It's still hard to see the two guards being more than just decent players without Edey.

We've reached the first TV timeout. Cats lead Lehigh 10-7. Now what?

Start Leach, Berry, Barnhizer, Martinelli, Nicholson

Bench Hunger, Windham, Clayton.

Depth Rest

I do not foresee a bunch of starting lineup changes due to matchups. I think the starting 5 sticks unless one of the following happens.

Player plays themselves into the line up.
Someone plays themselves onto the bench.
Easing a formerly injured player into live action.

I think the majority of minute shifting will come from the bench/depth category. NU’s starting cast is pretty locked in. There’s some good players when healthy there. The bench/depth is also probably pretty locked in after the offseason. I just may not be correct who belongs in the bench/depth tier.

Leach and Barnhizer will be the ones primarily handling the ball. Clayton will be an option for this off the bench as well.
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