A lot of experienced talent next year

[Medill90]

Law: 4* wing, third year in program
Falzon: 4* stretch 4, second year in program
Skelly: Stretch 4, 3rd year in program, improved every year
Rap: 4* power forward, one year in NCAA farm league
B Mac: Honorable mention Big Ten
Benson: 4* center from competitive Chicago league
Ash: Shooting guard got sick when he was turning the corner, top defender
Lindsey: Bit of a sophomore slump but all the physical tools for Big Ten play
Dererk: Shame to burn the shirt but it will help with '16-'17 season
Brown: No one's had more advance press than Doug Flutie filling in for Jim McMahon
Tap & Lumpkin: Senior leadership.

This is the best roster since....this year.

We will see confounding moments of youth, but there will be moments of excellence that will eclipse anything to date under Collins.

This will be a longer and much more athletic team than this year's. More capable of playing man. More capable of putting the ball into the hole.

I believe this team will be more capable of avoiding a pro longed losing streak than recent teams.

My big questions.....will the center spot be adequate....is there a fifth year player coming in. Will Law, Lindsey and Rap be able to create shots at the end of the shot clock to fill the void left by Demps. Will Johnnie Vasser find another program that wants his skill set. Will Coach Collins reel in a bigger fish?

 

[ToledoCat]

Two years out - this could easily be a NCAA Tourney Team - next year maybe - just need some development at each spot.. Pardon, Falzon,Law all get up and down the court well and as a group give NU adequate size as they all rebound. B MAC actually picks up some defensive boards - big improvement. Pardon looks physically strong - like Sullinger at Ohio State - now Celtics -an inch short for the 5 spot - but a fierce offensive rebounder. He does pick up fouls Key will be Lindsey who has the advantage of size over Tre. They need to score from all 5 positions. Two years out - this could easily be a NCAA Tourney Team - next year - just need some growth.

 

[Sec.112]

... They need to score from all 5 positions ...

I'm not even sure they need to score from five positions. But, to begin, the Cats need consistent - key word - scoring from at least three positions. It's too easy to defend a four-person offense when two of the four are having a bad game.

Too often, consistency and options were not available this year, especially in the last minutes of close games.

 

[DaCat]

We need to improve in the mental toughness phase of the game. When we have a big lead, be able to break the press, hit clutch shots, and nail the free throws. I want to see this team go from dead last in free throw percentage to at least middle of the pack, especially late in the second half with a lead.

 

[T_Levine]

Vic Law is probably the key. I dont see lindsey or falzon putting it on the floor and taking it to the rim. We really need at least two on the floor 6'5 or taller at all times that can do that.

Absent that, you need to 40%+ 3pt shooters game in and game out.
Right now we dont have either.

 

[catcrazy]

Recruiting wise for 2017 Eastern or Smith is a must get

 

[Turk]

i hope you are right medill but we have alot of players that i dont see making a difference to get in the tourney. Lumpkin and taphorn are typical NU players who lack serious talent when assuming we need to win 11 Bigten games. Falzon is interesting but clearly one dimensional. Pardon is a couple years away. Ash needs serious work. Lindsey shows alot of weakness. None of our guys are quick and athletic except law. Pardon only uses one hand on one side of court. Who knows about Rap but i suspect he will be in learning mode as law and falzon were as freshmen.

Depending on Law's recovery, we should be a strong NIT team. Skelly, BMC, Law all look impressive at this point. the others are more potential.
Im thinking NCAA in two years.

 

[olshin]

All true but all why I would have wished they'd have had a taste of some postseason action this year.

Give me another 24 hours, I'll be over it.

 

[NJCat]

i hope you are right medill but we have alot of players that i dont see making a difference to get in the tourney. Lumpkin and taphorn are typical NU players who lack serious talent when assuming we need to win 11 Bigten games. Falzon is interesting but clearly one dimensional. Pardon is a couple years away. Ash needs serious work. Lindsey shows alot of weakness. None of our guys are quick and athletic except law. Pardon only uses one hand on one side of court. Who knows about Rap but i suspect he will be in learning mode as law and falzon were as freshmen.

Depending on Law's recovery, we should be a strong NIT team. Skelly, BMC, Law all look impressive at this point. the others are more potential.
Im thinking NCAA in two years.

You nailed it. Losing 2 of the 3 guys who could make shots will hurt next year. Notwithstanding the guarantees from one poster, I think the best shot for the NCAA is the year after next.

 

[DaCat]

Seriously, how many players do you need in the rotation? As long as you have 8-9 healthy guys who are playing well, you should be okay.

As the original post indicated, the top 10 players next season doesn't necessarily have to include Lumpkin or Taphorn, although I'm not counting them out either.

Law: 4* wing, third year in program
Falzon: 4* stretch 4, second year in program
Skelly: Stretch 4, 3rd year in program, improved every year
Rap: 4* power forward, one year in NCAA farm league
B Mac: Honorable mention Big Ten
Benson: 4* center from competitive Chicago league
Ash: Shooting guard got sick when he was turning the corner, top defender
Lindsey: Bit of a sophomore slump but all the physical tools for Big Ten play
Dererk: Shame to burn the shirt but it will help with '16-'17 season
Brown: No one's had more advance press than Doug Flutie filling in for Jim McMahon

The team this year was maddeningly inconsistent, especially Tre early in the B1G season until he found his stroke the last few games. Falzon showed flashes of what he could do. I think Rap makes a big difference next year, and if Skelly continues his trajectory he could be the starting 4. Clearly the leaders on the floor will be McIntosh and Law. Lumpkin and Tap will provide spark at times as seniors but hopefully the others will make it easier for Collins to reduce them to specific roles.

 

[FightNorthwestern]

Seriously, how many players do you need in the rotation? As long as you have 8-9 healthy guys who are playing well, you should be okay.

As the original post indicated, the top 10 players next season doesn't necessarily have to include Lumpkin or Taphorn, although I'm not counting them out either.

You are never going to survive the entire season though with the same 8-9 healthy guys because well, they are not going to be healthy.

We think we are snake-bit, but injuries are something every single team goes through.

 

[docrugby1]

You are never going to survive the entire season though with the same 8-9 healthy guys because well, they are not going to be healthy.

We think we are snake-bit, but injuries are something every single team goes through.

I think Lindsay is the key. He can create his own shot and will be needed near the end of a shot clock

 

[Wrestlerneverdiesasacatfan]

We will be a sweet sixteen next year!

 

[EvanstonCat]

I think Lindsay is the key. He can create his own shot and will be needed near the end of a shot clock

I think Isiah Brown will be the key.

Hoops is a sport where Freshmen can come in and take over. The kid can SCORE.

 

[EvanstonCat]

Vic Law is probably the key. I dont see lindsey or falzon putting it on the floor and taking it to the rim. We really need at least two on the floor 6'5 or taller at all times that can do that.

Absent that, you need to 40%+ 3pt shooters game in and game out.
Right now we dont have either.

Watch the Brown tape. That is all he does. Penetrate, pull up mid range. Or more often, penetrate, take it to the rack, put it in and/or get fouled.

Averaged less than 2 assists though, so not sure if that will work at NU, but I guess if Collins wants a guard who can create his own shot, Brown is your guy. To be fair, his team didn't seem to have much else, so maybe he can pass the ball if he has quality players playing with him. Lakeside appeared to need him to carry them on his back for 30 or 40 a game every night (or 50 against #3 in the nation Garfield).

 

[DaCat]

Isaiah Brown's highlights are almost as good as Johnny Vasser's. I'm looking forward to Isaiah lighting it up for the Cats, but need to see it to believe it.

 

[NJCat]

Isaiah Brown's highlights are almost as good as Johnny Vasser's. I'm looking forward to Isaiah lighting it up for the Cats, but need to see it to believe it.

Be serious. Brown played against the best in-state competition and was POTY. Forget the highlight tape and just look at his stats. They are unreal. Comparisons to Vassar are not appropriate.

 

[willycat]

Isaiah Brown's highlights are almost as good as Johnny Vasser's. I'm looking forward to Isaiah lighting it up for the Cats, but need to see it to believe it.

Heard that Vasser is transferring to Holy cross.

 

[Medill90]

Heard that Vasser is transferring to Holy cross.

you're devious

 

[hdhntr1]

i hope you are right medill but we have alot of players that i dont see making a difference to get in the tourney. Lumpkin and taphorn are typical NU players who lack serious talent when assuming we need to win 11 Bigten games. Falzon is interesting but clearly one dimensional. Pardon is a couple years away. Ash needs serious work. Lindsey shows alot of weakness. None of our guys are quick and athletic except law. Pardon only uses one hand on one side of court. Who knows about Rap but i suspect he will be in learning mode as law and falzon were as freshmen.

Depending on Law's recovery, we should be a strong NIT team. Skelly, BMC, Law all look impressive at this point. the others are more potential.
Im thinking NCAA in two years.

Falzon should add dimensions as he gets stronger. I think a lot depends on Benson as he will be needed with the loss of Olah. It seems that unless Pardon improves a lot in cutting down fouls, we would need Benson for at least 15-20 minutes per game. As we have seen, 5th year transfers generally have warts that led to their transfer and generally means that their contributions, while valuable, are not huge.

 

[NJCat]

Falzon should add dimensions as he gets stronger.

I hope Aaron makes the same leap Duncan Robinson made at Michigan. Both can shoot it but Robinson is one year more experienced.

 

[thewildcat2011]

I hope Aaron makes the same leap Duncan Robinson made at Michigan. Both can shoot it but Robinson is one year more experienced.

2 years actually.

 

[NJCat]

2 years actually.

He's completing his sophomore year eligibility-wise this season.....He played his first season at Williams College. I don't count his red-shirt season at Michigan as "experience".

 

[thewildcat2011]

He's completing his sophomore year eligibility-wise this season.....He played his first season at Williams College. I don't count his red-shirt season at Michigan as "experience".

I mean a full season of conditioning and weight programs along with participating in practice at a B1G school is pretty darn good experience to me. I'm willing to say that his redshirt year had more to do with his success this year than his year at Williams.