+/- for the Indictment of Indiana

[PurpleWhiteBoy]

Good win for the Wildcats to remain in the NCAA picture.

Player	Minutes	NU Pts	IU Pts	Raw +/-	Player +/-	Net +/-	Box Points
Berry	32	70	59	+11	+8.17	+10.37	18.20
Barnhizer	38	74	68	+6	+5.39	+6.59	15.10
Martinelli	36	78	62	+16	-1.62	+1.58	8.75
Windham	3	8	2	+6	-0.38	+0.82	1.25
Fitzmorris	7	16	11	+5	-1.84	-0.84	0.40
Nicholson	30	61	52	+9	-2.75	-0.95	6.40
Smith	2	0	6	-6	+0.04	-1.16	0.00
Hunger	3	2	7	-5	-0.72	-1.72	-0.70
Mullins	3	1	6	-5	-0.74	-1.74	-1.00
Leach	39	76	70	+6	-3.15	-1.95	5.60
Ciaravino	7	9	7	+2	-2.40	-2.00	-2.00

There's a lot going on with Northwestern's rotations. The Ciaravino experiment may have ended... or not. He only played 7+ minutes, but the starting 5 had taken an 8-5 lead when Ty Berry entered the game for Ciaravino at 15:19 of the first half. Berry has played great as the "6th man" and we're 2-1 since switching things up. Ciaravino missed a couple open 3's and turned the ball over once. At least the shots looked good leaving his hand.

NU's 3rd big man, Keenan Fitzmorris, might now be NU's 2nd big man. He did a decent job and seems to fit in with Martinelli/Barnhizer/Leach/Berry. That lineup put up 13-11 in 6:08 of action.
Luke Hunger returned to action, but we were outscored 7-2 in 3:20 with Luke at the 5.

KJ Windham subbed in for the struggling Jalen Leach at the 11:51 mark and played like his hair was on fire for the next 3:10, recording a steal, a block, a rebound, an assist and 2 missed layups. NU stretched the lead from 15-13 up to 23-15 with KJ on the floor. Obviously his effort projects to an 0 for 26 shooting effort, with 13 steals, 13 rebounds, 13 assists and 13 blocks. Collins took him out with 8:41 left in the half and his day was done. Indiana then pummeled NU 16-2 as the coach rotated in Smith, Mullins, Ciaravino and Hunger, searching for answers.

Coming out of halftime, trailing 31-25, Collins went back to the old starting lineup of Nicholson/Martinelli/Barnhizer/Leach/Berry. They responded with a 14-6 onslaught in the first 4:24 of the 2nd half.
Fitzmorris was sent in for Nicholson at that point and that group continued with an 8-5 win over the next 3:44. Then Collins tried Hunger with the same 4 and we regressed, getting outscored 5-2 in a quick 1:16 segment. Nicholson was sent back in with NU ahead 49-47 and 10:36 to play. NU re-asserted its dominance, pushing relentlessly to a 70-56 lead with 3:12 left. We lost focus, turned the ball over a couple times, foolishly left some shooters open for 3 pointers and missed a few free throws, but re-grouped and held on.

Ty Berry gets the game ball, with strong support from Barnhizer (21 pts, 6 steals, 6 assists, 6 rebounds), but Leach, Martinelli and Nicholson all had decent games. Of those 5, only Nicholson left the floor in the 2nd half - until Barnhizer tried to break his own face with 16 seconds left.

Against Indiana that group of 5 (the old starters) played 17 minutes and triumphed 46-35, which is a lot more offense than we usually see from them.

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

Good win for the Wildcats to remain in the NCAA picture.

Player	Minutes	NU Pts	IU Pts	Raw +/-	Player +/-	Net +/-	Box Points
Berry	32	70	59	+11	+8.17	+10.37	18.20
Barnhizer	38	74	68	+6	+5.39	+6.59	15.10
Martinelli	36	78	62	+16	-1.62	+1.58	8.75
Windham	3	8	2	+6	-0.38	+0.82	1.25
Fitzmorris	7	16	11	+5	-1.84	-0.84	0.40
Nicholson	30	61	52	+9	-2.75	-0.95	6.40
Smith	2	0	6	-6	+0.04	-1.16	0.00
Hunger	3	2	7	-5	-0.72	-1.72	-0.70
Mullins	3	1	6	-5	-0.74	-1.74	-1.00
Leach	39	76	70	+6	-3.15	-1.95	5.60
Ciaravino	7	9	7	+2	-2.40	-2.00	-2.00

There's a lot going on with Northwestern's rotations. The Ciaravino experiment may have ended... or not. He only played 7+ minutes, but the starting 5 had taken an 8-5 lead when Ty Berry entered the game for Ciaravino at 15:19 of the first half. Berry has played great as the "6th man" and we're 2-1 since switching things up. Ciaravino missed a couple open 3's and turned the ball over once. At least the shots looked good leaving his hand.

NU's 3rd big man, Keenan Fitzmorris, might now be NU's 2nd big man. He did a decent job and seems to fit in with Martinelli/Barnhizer/Leach/Berry. That lineup put up 13-11 in 6:08 of action.
Luke Hunger returned to action, but we were outscored 7-2 in 3:20 with Luke at the 5.

KJ Windham subbed in for the struggling Jalen Leach at the 11:51 mark and played like his hair was on fire for the next 3:10, recording a steal, a block, a rebound, an assist and 2 missed layups. NU stretched the lead from 15-13 up to 23-15 with KJ on the floor. Obviously his effort projects to an 0 for 26 shooting effort, with 13 steals, 13 rebounds, 13 assists and 13 blocks. Collins took him out with 8:41 left in the half and his day was done. Indiana then pummeled NU 16-2 as the coach rotated in Smith, Mullins, Ciaravino and Hunger, searching for answers.

Coming out of halftime, trailing 31-25, Collins went back to the old starting lineup of Nicholson/Martinelli/Barnhizer/Leach/Berry. They responded with a 14-6 onslaught in the first 4:24 of the 2nd half.
Fitzmorris was sent in for Nicholson at that point and that group continued with an 8-5 win over the next 3:44. Then Collins tried Hunger with the same 4 and we regressed, getting outscored 5-2 in a quick 1:16 segment. Nicholson was sent back in with NU ahead 49-47 and 10:36 to play. NU re-asserted its dominance, pushing relentlessly to a 70-56 lead with 3:12 left. We lost focus, turned the ball over a couple times, foolishly left some shooters open for 3 pointers and missed a few free throws, but re-grouped and held on.

Ty Berry gets the game ball, with strong support from Barnhizer (21 pts, 6 steals, 6 assists, 6 rebounds), but Leach, Martinelli and Nicholson all had decent games. Of those 5, only Nicholson left the floor in the 2nd half - until Barnhizer tried to break his own face with 16 seconds left.

Against Indiana that group of 5 (the old starters) played 17 minutes and triumphed 46-35, which is a lot more offense than we usually see from them.

Now that’s a quick turnaround PWB!

Berry has worked so well off the bench, I am not sure CCC changes that. However, despite that 8-5 opening lead you reference, we looked terrible to start the game. We should have had a double digit lead as Indiana couldn’t do anything right. The important thing is CCC continues to get Berry going. He is going to play the important minutes and more minutes than Gelo. At this stage of their Careers, Berry just brings a lot more to the table as he can go off for 25 on any given night. Barney and Nick appear to understand our opponents approach to defending them and have been much better at the kick outs to Leach and Berry. They have to hit open outside shots. If they do we likely win, if they don’t we likely lose. Both can take over a game with a hot streak, the Freshman just aren’t ready for that yet.

 

[ThatkidfromHolland]

Leach and Berry, when they're on, bring that something extra to the table that the freshmen and the bench just don't have on the offensive end. You can really see the difference on defense too (compared to the freshmen). Gotta give Gelo credit though, that defensive series he had against Michigan, leading to Matt's block, was the best I've seen from him all year.

Berry: We don't set as many off-ball screens for other guys, and there's a reason for that. Berry's so good at using them and coming off them. Dude's got a pure 3-point stroke that the whole league respects, even when he's not hitting them. When that first one drops, you get that feeling of oh boy, he could go off here. That threat from deep opens things up inside for Barnhizer and Martinelli. Makes it easier for them to score. Berry also rarely tries to do too much or force things. We also saw his ability on the boards against Indiana. His cuts are also really well-timed and he varies his speed, which Gato will tell you, is huge.

Leach: Leach has shown more ability than anyone else on this roster to beat a guy off the dribble. He's quick enough to get to the rim, strong enough to finish, and has the skill to pull up and hit that mid-range jumper. When his 3 is falling, it opens up his passing and driving lanes. If he can just stop forcing things a little bit against the press, he'll take that next step. Dude plays like a vet in the half court. You rarely see him over-drive. He and KJ have the best ability to break down a defender off the dribble, in my opinion.

The freshmen, they've got offensive talent, no doubt. But they still try to do too much. They hold the ball too long sometimes, messes up the flow of the offense. Sometimes it leads to turnovers, sometimes it leads to a bad shot, even if it's at the rim. That being said, in a year or two, watch out. The good news is that most of these mistakes are pretty common for freshmen and should improve a lot in the offseason. Plus, we've seen flashes. They could easily have a game where they catch fire and score in bunches. I could easily see 20+ points from either of them (easy to say that now after Gelo went off against Purdue). The future is bright with them and the incoming class on paper. The big question mark is the sophomore and junior classes (not including Martinelli). They need someone to step up and produce next to Martinelli next year.

Good win last night. Hope Brooks is okay. If Berry, Leach, Martinelli, and Barnhizer produce like they did last night, NU will continue to win games.

 

[Catreporter]

Leach: Leach has shown more ability than anyone else on this roster to beat a guy off the dribble. He's quick enough to get to the rim, strong enough to finish, and has the skill to pull up and hit that mid-range jumper.

And I want to add that the other Jalen, Blackmon, who stiffed us for Miami because of a money difference is really a BUST. Guy hasn't even played in the last several games which have been blowout losses for a 4-13 team. LOL. We got the right Jalen and he seems to be getting better as the season goes on, assuming a point guard role.

 

[Hungry Jack]

Leach and Berry, when they're on, bring that something extra to the table that the freshmen and the bench just don't have on the offensive end. You can really see the difference on defense too (compared to the freshmen). Gotta give Gelo credit though, that defensive series he had, leading to Matt's block, was the best I've seen from him all year.

Berry: We don't set as many off-ball screens for other guys, and there's a reason for that. Berry's so good at using them and coming off them. Dude's got a pure 3-point stroke that the whole league respects, even when he's not hitting them. When that first one drops, you get that feeling of oh boy, he could go off here. That threat from deep opens things up inside for Barnhizer and Martinelli. Makes it easier for them to score. Berry also rarely tries to do too much or force things. We also saw his ability on the boards against Indiana. His cuts are also really well-timed and he varies his speed, which Gato will tell you, is huge.

Leach: Leach has shown more ability than anyone else on this roster to beat a guy off the dribble. He's quick enough to get to the rim, strong enough to finish, and has the skill to pull up and hit that mid-range jumper. When his 3 is falling, it opens up his passing and driving lanes. If he can just stop forcing things a little bit against the press, he'll take that next step. Dude plays like a vet in the half court. You rarely see him over-drive. He and KJ have the best ability to break down a defender off the dribble, in my opinion.

The freshmen, they've got offensive talent, no doubt. But they still try to do too much. They hold the ball too long sometimes, messes up the flow of the offense. Sometimes it leads to turnovers, sometimes it leads to a bad shot, even if it's at the rim. That being said, in a year or two, watch out. The good news is that most of these mistakes are pretty common for freshmen and should improve a lot in the offseason. Plus, we've seen flashes. They could easily have a game where they catch fire and score in bunches. I could easily see 20+ points from either of them (easy to say that now after Gelo went off against Purdue). The future is bright with them and the incoming class on paper. The big question mark is the sophomore and junior classes (not including Martinelli). They need someone to step up and produce next to Martinelli next year.

Good win last night. Hope Brooks is okay. If Berry, Leach, Martinelli, and Barnhizer produce like they did last night, NU will continue to win games.

Next season will be rough. We have to replace Brooks, Berry, Leach and Big Matt. That’s too much to ask of the portal.

 

[Cataria]

Next season will be rough. We have to replace Brooks, Berry, Leach and Big Matt. That’s too much to ask of the portal.

Let's just enjoy this season. Next year we will be in rebuild mode but with a talented young group to get excited about.

 

[PurpleWhiteBoy]

Barney and Nick appear to understand our opponents approach to defending them and have been much better at the kick outs to Leach and Berry.

This is a tough one to analyze. It seemed to me, watching the game, that Barnhizer and Martinelli were getting deeper into the Indiana defense and Indiana was not solid in their defensive rotations, leaving us better looks on the perimeter. Still have to make the shots, but the looks were better. Is it possible that MSU and Purdue just chewed us up defensively and we can handle most of the other Big Ten teams? Thats my question going forward. If Leach is comfortable handling the ball and can get past the guy defending him, we're a much better team on offense.

I want to add that I have never seen Chris Collins play the same 4 "non-centers" for an entire half, but thats what he did last night and we were totally in synch for about the first 17 minutes.

 

[Max_Power]

This is a tough one to analyze. It seemed to me, watching the game, that Barnhizer and Martinelli were getting deeper into the Indiana defense and Indiana was not solid in their defensive rotations, leaving us better looks on the perimeter. Still have to make the shots, but the looks were better. Is it possible that MSU and Purdue just chewed us up defensively and we can handle most of the other Big Ten teams? Thats my question going forward. If Leach is comfortable handling the ball and can get past the guy defending him, we're a much better team on offense.

I want to add that I have never seen Chris Collins play the same 4 "non-centers" for an entire half, but thats what he did last night and we were totally in synch for about the first 17 minutes.

Martinelli leads the nation in minutes played. He had two quiet fouls in the first half. So did Berry. The 18-2 run was in large part to the refs taking those two off the floor. Brooks and Leach also struggled in the first half. That Leach made three threes in a row was pretty damn amazing given he looked and played flat for the first half.

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

Leach and Berry, when they're on, bring that something extra to the table that the freshmen and the bench just don't have on the offensive end. You can really see the difference on defense too (compared to the freshmen). Gotta give Gelo credit though, that defensive series he had, leading to Matt's block, was the best I've seen from him all year.

Berry: We don't set as many off-ball screens for other guys, and there's a reason for that. Berry's so good at using them and coming off them. Dude's got a pure 3-point stroke that the whole league respects, even when he's not hitting them. When that first one drops, you get that feeling of oh boy, he could go off here. That threat from deep opens things up inside for Barnhizer and Martinelli. Makes it easier for them to score. Berry also rarely tries to do too much or force things. We also saw his ability on the boards against Indiana. His cuts are also really well-timed and he varies his speed, which Gato will tell you, is huge.

Leach: Leach has shown more ability than anyone else on this roster to beat a guy off the dribble. He's quick enough to get to the rim, strong enough to finish, and has the skill to pull up and hit that mid-range jumper. When his 3 is falling, it opens up his passing and driving lanes. If he can just stop forcing things a little bit against the press, he'll take that next step. Dude plays like a vet in the half court. You rarely see him over-drive. He and KJ have the best ability to break down a defender off the dribble, in my opinion.

The freshmen, they've got offensive talent, no doubt. But they still try to do too much. They hold the ball too long sometimes, messes up the flow of the offense. Sometimes it leads to turnovers, sometimes it leads to a bad shot, even if it's at the rim. That being said, in a year or two, watch out. The good news is that most of these mistakes are pretty common for freshmen and should improve a lot in the offseason. Plus, we've seen flashes. They could easily have a game where they catch fire and score in bunches. I could easily see 20+ points from either of them (easy to say that now after Gelo went off against Purdue). The future is bright with them and the incoming class on paper. The big question mark is the sophomore and junior classes (not including Martinelli). They need someone to step up and produce next to Martinelli next year.

Good win last night. Hope Brooks is okay. If Berry, Leach, Martinelli, and Barnhizer produce like they did last night, NU will continue to win games.

Yeah, that’s what I was trying to say, just not as eloquently as you!

 

[SimpsonElmwood]

This is a tough one to analyze. It seemed to me, watching the game, that Barnhizer and Martinelli were getting deeper into the Indiana defense and Indiana was not solid in their defensive rotations, leaving us better looks on the perimeter. Still have to make the shots, but the looks were better. Is it possible that MSU and Purdue just chewed us up defensively and we can handle most of the other Big Ten teams? Thats my question going forward. If Leach is comfortable handling the ball and can get past the guy defending him, we're a much better team on offense.

I want to add that I have never seen Chris Collins play the same 4 "non-centers" for an entire half, but thats what he did last night and we were totally in synch for about the first 17 minutes.

There was a comment after the USC game - the transfer guard used to be a scorer and now he’s being asked to distribute. Now it’s clicking for him.

This is happening with Leach too. That arched pass to Berry was difficult, and Berry hit it from the LH corner. Leach’s assist/TO ratio is not good overall, but look at the last two games.

On MSU and Purdue, it was on both the offensive and defensive ends. Shredded the Cats’ defense and smothered the offense. I share your instinct that Cats will match up well with other teams, especially when they have 3-4 off days to scout and recover. Nebraska at home, @OSU, @Min in Feb.

Next 4 are HUGE. Win 2 or more and I’m feeling good about the final stretch.

 

[EagerFan]

I thought both teams looked janky and played very sloppily in the first quarter. Seemed like a lotta nerves going on, bad passing, three or four unforced traveling calls, horribly off shots. Everyone was a mess.

This is a tough one to analyze. It seemed to me, watching the game, that Barnhizer and Martinelli were getting deeper into the Indiana defense and Indiana was not solid in their defensive rotations, leaving us better looks on the perimeter. Still have to make the shots, but the looks were better. Is it possible that MSU and Purdue just chewed us up defensively and we can handle most of the other Big Ten teams? Thats my question going forward. If Leach is comfortable handling the ball and can get past the guy defending him, we're a much better team on offense.

I'm not sure IU had a bad game plan on paper at the start. They swarmed Brooks and Nick, and their center was always fast with the help defense shutting them out attacking from the sides. We have a recent history of being little threat from the perimeter so going three on one or even four on two defensively probably made a lot of sense. The big failure imho was their coach not adjusting them when Berry and Leach started going off. He didn't stem that tide and it cost them the game.

But seriously, looking at Ty from three prior to last night, 2-8, 3-8, 0-3, 0-1, 1-6 and you probably see a guy you can lay off of a little to stop the team's two big threats inside.

On our defense, it seems to come down to speed and hops. When Matt is facing another big banger, he does pretty darned well. But when he's facing a guy who's really a power forward with some speed and an outside shot, he just isn't fast enough (and neither is Luke) to play the inside/outside game for long. Fitz can do it, but is light enough that he gets pushed a round and boxed out a lot more easily. The cats seem to me to be a relatively big, strong team that's also a bit slow. When we face speedy guards that can easily beat us off the dribble, we're also in trouble defensively. When a team has a problematic guard and a problematic center, we're probably busted.

 

[PurpleWhiteBoy]

On our defense, it seems to come down to speed and hops. When Matt is facing another big banger, he does pretty darned well. But when he's facing a guy who's really a power forward with some speed and an outside shot, he just isn't fast enough (and neither is Luke) to play the inside/outside game for long. Fitz can do it, but is light enough that he gets pushed a round and boxed out a lot more easily. The cats seem to me to be a relatively big, strong team that's also a bit slow. When we face speedy guards that can easily beat us off the dribble, we're also in trouble defensively. When a team has a problematic guard and a problematic center, we're probably busted.

I think you summed it up pretty well. When Ballo had his back to Nicholson 8 feet from the hoop, I wasn't worried. They ran some pick and roll stuff to get him some points - and he grabbed some offensive rebounds and scored, but overall Nicholson was up to the task.

Indiana was 15 of 37 from inside the arc, 9 of 20 outside. At times our perimeter defense was bad - and dumb. Leaving Luke Goode open out there is not smart. But we forced 17 turnovers - and Barnhizer gets a lot of credit for that, though Nicholson and Berry were also disruptive.

Anytime I see Trey Galloway on the court against NU, I get optimistic about our chances.

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

Every time I view Indiana something just seems “off”. I don’t know if it is Woody or that the pieces don’t fit together. Izzo and Painter solved us pretty easily. Gave Indiana a blueprint but they couldn’t execute it for an entire game. Indiana had a couple of turnstiles on defense and it killed them. We get hurt by quick guards and teams with multiple inside threats.

 

[Hungry Jack]

This is a tough one to analyze. It seemed to me, watching the game, that Barnhizer and Martinelli were getting deeper into the Indiana defense and Indiana was not solid in their defensive rotations, leaving us better looks on the perimeter. Still have to make the shots, but the looks were better. Is it possible that MSU and Purdue just chewed us up defensively and we can handle most of the other Big Ten teams? Thats my question going forward. If Leach is comfortable handling the ball and can get past the guy defending him, we're a much better team on offense.

I want to add that I have never seen Chris Collins play the same 4 "non-centers" for an entire half, but thats what he did last night and we were totally in synch for about the first 17 minutes.

Any time you can break down an opposing man defense, good things tend to happen. I don't think Leach is great at finishing, as he is not a big guard and terribly explosive. He may turn a corner and get a step, but wings can catch him and bigs can block him. I love him shooting with some open space, or pulling up in the paint. He excels in that area.

Barney should be on a 3-dribble limit in the paint. He tends to hold it too long, though was better last night and vs. Maryland. Hold it long enough to attract the help, then kick.

 

[GatoLouco]

Every time I view Indiana something just seems “off”. I don’t know if it is Woody or that the pieces don’t fit together. Izzo and Painter solved us pretty easily. Gave Indiana a blueprint but they couldn’t execute it for an entire game. Indiana had a couple of turnstiles on defense and it killed them. We get hurt by quick guards and teams with multiple inside threats.

I have written here before that Woodson's Indiana just never seems to play smart. For me it can be summed up like that. Not on defense, not on offense, just not smart decisions.

 

[macarthur31]

I think you summed it up pretty well. When Ballo had his back to Nicholson 8 feet from the hoop, I wasn't worried. They ran some pick and roll stuff to get him some points - and he grabbed some offensive rebounds and scored, but overall Nicholson was up to the task.

Indiana was 15 of 37 from inside the arc, 9 of 20 outside. At times our perimeter defense was bad - and dumb. Leaving Luke Goode open out there is not smart. But we forced 17 turnovers - and Barnhizer gets a lot of credit for that, though Nicholson and Berry were also disruptive.

Anytime I see Trey Galloway on the court against NU, I get optimistic about our chances.

I'd offer this was Nicholson's best game - while he's done better w/r/t plus/minus before, he logged 30 (!) minutes and played Ballo to a draw, which in the big scheme is a win since Ballo should've been a real advantage for them. This was IU's 2nd worst performance from 2FG during conference play (Rutgers stymied them for 16/45), and that's gotta be attributed to Nicholson (and a splash of Fitzmagic).

 

[rogerkim]

Barney should be on a 3-dribble limit in the paint. He tends to hold it too long, though was better last night and vs. Maryland. Hold it long enough to attract the help, then kick.

I have noticed this as well. I think that Brooks sometimes feels that he has to shoulder the entire burden by himself. I love Brooks and the player he has become, but I agree that he dribbles the ball too much in the half court offense and things basically become just isolation play for him. When his shot is falling, it works out fine, but if his jumper is a little short (as it was in the first half), our entire offense gets bogged down because the other players stop moving and are just watching him work. The last 10 min of the game was a better demonstration of what our half-court offense should be - a lot of movement, off ball screens, Nick or Brooks attracting attention and either quickly going to the hoop, or kicking out to the open man.