Here's the surprising breakdown for the Wildcats disappointing loss to the Butler Bulldogs...
Player | Minutes | NU Pts | Butler Pts | Raw +/- | Player+/- | Net +/- |
Nicholson | 30 | 55 | 45 | +10 | +6.64 | +8.64 |
Barnhizer | 38 | 67 | 69 | -2 | +4.91 | +4.51 |
Hunger | 9 | 14 | 25 | -11 | +3.2 | +1.00 |
Ciaravino | 2 | 2 | 2 | +0 | -0.05 | -0.05 |
Berry | 29 | 59 | 50 | +9 | -2.84 | -1.04 |
Windham | 17 | 30 | 29 | +1 | -1.33 | -1.13 |
Mullins | 8 | 4 | 18 | -14 | -0.05 | -2.85 |
Leach | 32 | 56 | 57 | -1 | -3.65 | -3.85 |
Martinelli | 35 | 58 | 60 | -2 | -6.84 | -7.24 |
Matt Nicholson edges out Brooks Barnhizer for "Player of the Game" honors, based on the team's +10 when he was on the floor for a career high 30 minutes, coupled with Matt's 14 points on 4 field goal attempts and 8 of 9 free throw shooting.
In a major reversal, the Cats struggled terribly when Justin Mullins was in the game, getting outscored 18-4 in almost 8.5 minutes. That includes an 11-2 deficit over 3 segments paired with Nicholson for almost 5 minutes.
However, when the lately-maligned Ty Berry and the underrated Nicholson were on the court together, NU smoked the Bulldogs
47-30 in 21 minutes.
The starters (Nicholson/Martinelli/Barnhizer/Leach/Berry) went a combined 34-23 over 5 segments totaling 15 minutes.
In fact, the starters won each of those segments... 3-2, 7-5, 2-0, 8-5, 14-11.
When Berry and Nicholson weren't both on the court, the Wildcats got buried 41-22 in 19 minutes...
The 11-2 run that got NU back in the game (late in the first half) was accomplished with Nicholson/Barnhizer/Berry/Windham.
Angelo Ciaravino only played 2 minutes - when Barnhizer got a brief rest. If thats the only way Ciaravino sees the court, thats not so good.