60 Days Till Tip Off
- Thread starter NJCat
- Start date
2017-18 They'll be like the Evanston Globetrotters...playing all over. Too bad they won't get a couple games against the Washington Generals.
It's hard to be optimistic about anything related to Northwestern athletics right now, much less the most cursed program in major college basketball. But ... I think we could be good this year. I think Law and Falzon are going to be awesome, and Isiah Brown will be exactly what we need off the bench.
Heard that it's going to be the Horizon, if available. I'd rather it be DePaul's new, tax payer funded arena. No to Loyola, it's to much like a high school gym.
Not many have mentioned Falzon this summer, but your mention has me thinking.
I'm not in love with his game. There's some potential to it, but it was a bit too one-missing-dimensional last year.
But it's not out of the question for that three-point shooting to become more consistent. If that happens, that's one huge hole filled that could really help.
We really could use some positive mojo about now. CCC has the chance to sweep in and steal some real spotlight from the FB program. Down year over there with an NCAA appearance over here could really open some doors for this program. With recruiting not looking good, it would be great to have two of the three:
1. Noticeable improvement from one of last year's starters;
2. Major merit based contribution from a freshman;
3. Law improving from where he left it as a freshman.
Two of those with no big injuries and anything could happen this year. I really would love to see Mac, Law, RI, Falzon and Pardon enter B1G play as starters because they earned it. I think that would be the best case scenario.
1. Noticeable improvement from one of last year's starters;
2. Major merit based contribution from a freshman;
3. Law improving from where he left it as a freshman.
Two of those with no big injuries and anything could happen this year. I really would love to see Mac, Law, RI, Falzon and Pardon enter B1G play as starters because they earned it. I think that would be the best case scenario.
That time a Northwestern fan called someone's home arena a high school gym ...
Inside NU posted Falzon's shot chart here. Aaron shot 50 percent on the weak side corner 3 and 42 percent on the strong side. I believe it's reasonable to expect he gets the rest of the arc into the mid- to high-30s, and that he'll mature and become less prone to going MIA in games he doesn't start well. He shot 35 percent from 3 overall, and I think he can get that number close to 40. If that happens, and if a year of experience helps him tamp down miscues on D, he'll have a big impact for us.
Falzon's skillset is remarkably like Coble's. There was one game in particular - maybe v. Maryland, but I'm not sure - where he took and made a few awkward jumpers and odd-angled attempts. He looks to have great potential as a distance shooter, just needs to get stronger so that he makes better than half of his two-pointers.
I expect him to be the #2 scorer this season. I hope it's because he makes a Shurna leap (and not because, well, points gotta come from somewhere).
DePaul will be out of Rosemont, so there should be plenty of dates available. The new McCormick Place arena would be nice, but probably less convenient than playing in Rosemont. Loyola's Gentile Center was very much like a high school gym, but they did a gut renovation- much like what's going to happen to WRA- a few years ago and now it's a nice small arena.
I expect NU to be in Rosemont though. At least it's only for one year. In the meantime we should enjoy the last season at the current iteration of WRA. So many memories...
[QUOTE="pschatz25, post: 358527, member: 562"So many memories...[/QUOTE]
Jared Sullinger rebounding the missed FT....
Gus Johnson's epic call "Chicago's Big....Ten.....Team!"
Jared Sullinger rebounding the missed FT....
Gus Johnson's epic call "Chicago's Big....Ten.....Team!"
...wishing physical pain on Maurice Ager
...wishing physical pain on Cory Bradford
...wishing physical pain on Quincy Lewis
...LaSalle bank shots
Ahh, memories.
The key to the basketball season is as listed as follows in the order of priority:
1. The continued development of McIntosh as team leader;
2. Reemergence of Vic Law;
3. Big jump in production of Falzon now that the ball dominant G Demps has graduated;
4. Development of Pardon down low so that he does not foul out;
5. How Lindsey plays as starting SG
6. Which frosh steps up as a leader off the bench - Brown, Bensen or RI
Anyone who thinks RI will be a starter by Big 10 season without seeing him play is premature. But that poster is premature on everything he posts.
The recruiting season is still going strong and if Collins gets two hits, the recruiting season becomes a success.
As for NU football, did anyone notice CMU beating Okla. St. in Stillwater? Maybe the MAC is a solid conference and if Thorson does not fumble at the 1 yard line, we win that game.
Does anyone know that Illinois State plays in the MVC with N. Dakota State who plays the invincible Iowa Hawkies? Or not. ND State could pull an upset like they have done to a number of FCS schools in the past 5 years and then some might give some credit to schools like ISU who slapped NU around.
1. The continued development of McIntosh as team leader;
2. Reemergence of Vic Law;
3. Big jump in production of Falzon now that the ball dominant G Demps has graduated;
4. Development of Pardon down low so that he does not foul out;
5. How Lindsey plays as starting SG
6. Which frosh steps up as a leader off the bench - Brown, Bensen or RI
Anyone who thinks RI will be a starter by Big 10 season without seeing him play is premature. But that poster is premature on everything he posts.
The recruiting season is still going strong and if Collins gets two hits, the recruiting season becomes a success.
As for NU football, did anyone notice CMU beating Okla. St. in Stillwater? Maybe the MAC is a solid conference and if Thorson does not fumble at the 1 yard line, we win that game.
Does anyone know that Illinois State plays in the MVC with N. Dakota State who plays the invincible Iowa Hawkies? Or not. ND State could pull an upset like they have done to a number of FCS schools in the past 5 years and then some might give some credit to schools like ISU who slapped NU around.
Most people think that he has one guy in the bag, maybe as soon as this weekend. But what he does with the other scholarship is a big question mark.
He did show glimpses of a nice mid-range game at Maryland and I want to say Minnesota. He needs to shoot well enough from 3 to pull in defenders and then go around them, the way he did a few times last year. I don't think he's as fast or as good a ball-handler as Coble, but he might end up a better shooter.
Gotta disagree with your recollection of Coble's game. Coble was a crafty, unconventional player who scored all over the floor. So far, Falzon is a catch-and-shoot 3-point shooter.
78.4% of all Falzon's field goal attempts last season were 3-pointers.
33.6% of all Coble's career filed goal attempts were 3-pointers.
Not even close. Here are a couple choice game highlights for those that are interested in taking a stroll down memory lane and reliving some of the Coble flips, floaters, fade-aways, posts, pump-fakes and runners:
NU upsets #7 Michigan State in East Lansing (Coble 31 points)
NU win over OSU in Evanston with Shurna game winner (Coble 26 points)
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Don't get me wrong. I really like Falzon and am super excited about his future. I just wouldn't liken his game to Coble's.
My point is that I think his skills are similar, if not what he shown in most games. I think he has the opportunity, as the second option rather than the fourth or fifth option, to unlock that skill said in game action more this season.
Falzon is a tall, white fella, but how else is he like Coble? Like BDP said, Coble could take over an entire game. He could hit from any distance, not just from 3 like Falzon.
Coble, could, you know, actually dribble, could actually drive to the hole without looking hamhanded and awkward.
Oh, I've heard many a visiting fan refer to W-R as a H.S. gym, still Loyola's gym is even smaller the W-R. and where do you find parking. The new drawings of a refurbished W-R look promising but lack a few thousand extra seats. Kind of embarrassing when a Big Ten program next to one of Americas largest cities can't draw 10,000 people to a game.
Falzon has pointy elbows and showed - just once - a proclivity for making a few shots from odd angles. Coble was a better ballplayer, more complete, but the Shurna leap has happened before. If Falzon comes back a) stronger, and b) emboldened by being the #2 returning scorer, he could become a significantly better player.
I'm just trying to be optimistic, friend. Go Cats.
Coble was the leading scorer on a terrible team his Freshman year. He was almost the only scoring threat, Popeye Doyle was the second leading scorer and then a basket of deplorable players. We can very safely conclude Coble was the better Freshman player.
They do? Any more info on that?
I know there's been some chatter on Gaines, but "in the bag" seems like a pretty strong characterization. Unless you're referring to someone else - in which case, do tell.
About as embarrassing as UCLA (which averaged 8,000 last year), Stanford (4,600) or USC (4,300).
Again, I'm high on Falzon and how valuable he can be for the team. But I certainly see a big difference in the skill sets between Falzon and Coble. You wanted to put the ball in Coble's hands with the shot clock running down and have him make a play. I don't think this is Falzon's strength. I think that BMac and Law are probably the guys for this, but I would like to see Falzon drive more when there is an opening, shoot around 40% beyond the arc, hit the boards, make harder cuts, be more disruptive on defense and so on. I believe Falzon is very capable of having a great impact in these areas.
I understand your point. I just don't think that Coble is a great comp. Falzon has more potential than our "3-and-no-D" guys like Wink, but for me, it depends on him having the "want" and "desire." If Falzon can be aggressive in rebounding and defense, he can shoot 37% and I'd be fine with it. A "3-and-D" guy has a lot of value.
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