+/- 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.

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

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).

Big Matt really made a difference. Forced Ballo off the block several times. He usually missed when he did. I just wish he would make himself available for the lob a few times every game. It would help on the triple teams Barney and Nick get!

 

[Southport Cat]

Big Matt really made a difference. Forced Ballo off the block several times. He usually missed when he did. I just wish he would make himself available for the lob a few times every game. It would help on the triple teams Barney and Nick get!

Another awesome bit of Hummel analysis was when he called out this exact point after a missed Ballo jump hook. Hummel noted Matty had “done his work early” or something to that effect by moving Ballo outside bunny range for that hook before the pass even got to him. Matt does it every game and it is why we will miss him a ton next year. Hunger lacks the strength and his man always catches it four feet from the rim, leaving the refs no choice but to call something every time. Then Hunger reacts like he couldn’t possibly have committed a foul and annoys the bejeezus out of all of us.

Hunger has to spend the offseason getting his legs twice as strong as they are now. Forget even shooting, just live on the squat rack.

 

[Southport Cat]

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.

The whole for them has been less than the sum of the parts for several seasons. Not sure why.

 

[NUCat320]

Big Matt really made a difference. Forced Ballo off the block several times. He usually missed when he did. I just wish he would make himself available for the lob a few times every game. It would help on the triple teams Barney and Nick get!

Nicholson was awesome, and Fitzmorris is skinny Matt, and Hunger is shooty Matt, and I don’t need to see Hunger again unless there’s foul trouble.

Fitzmorris is in the right position, moves the ball when he gets it, and gets all big and gangly on defense. An octopus.

Hunger looks for his shot, and he just doesn’t need to, and it’s actively detrimental when he does. Definitely a backslide for him, and I’m shocked by how good-enough Fitzmorris has been. He was a 10-point scorer at Stony Brook each of the last two seasons, but has literally not taken a shot since November. (He was 9 for 27 from 3 last year…something to consider…)

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

The whole for them has been less than the sum of the parts for several seasons. Not sure why.

I am not complaining. The Indiana fanbase is whining delusional babies. They are like Nebraska football with the delusion that this will be the year. The difference is most Nebraska fans aren’t jerks. RMK isn’t coming back and just because they think they are entitled to whip the Northwestern’s, Nebraska’s and Rutgers every year doesn’t mean it’s going to happen. This team is like teams they had even before Woody got there. All world talent and no cohesion. They can look like the Globetrotters one night and the Washington Generals the next. Face it Hoosiers, with that God like Cig, you are now a football school. Natty or bust.

 

[PurpleFaze]

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).

I also thought it was one of MN’s best games. He was fired up and played great defense. Having said that it still amazes me that he’s 7’, been in the program for 5 years, and took one shot in 30 mins. It seems like by this point he could have developed some type of basic down low move where he could give us 8-10 pts consistently.

I don’t expect that version of Berry on offense every game, but we are a much much better team when he can contribute some supplemental scoring.

 

[NUCat320]

I also thought it was one of MN’s best games. He was fired up and played great defense. Having said that it still amazes me that he’s 7’, been in the program for 5 years, and took one shot in 30 mins. It seems like by this point he could have developed some type of basic down low move where he could give us 8-10 pts consistently.

I wonder what percentage of his baskets over the past two seasons were assisted by Boo, and what percentage of those were Nicholbombs. I’d imagine something like 80%/90%.

The ballhandlers just don’t have that connection with him and, all things considered, I’d rather have possessions where he doesn’t touch the ball at all than possessions that end in a field goal attempt for him.

But the point stands that he probably should have a go-to by now.

 

[rwhitney014]

Look, guys, Nicholson is really, really good. He’s a role player but has played that role extraordinarily well for a long time. He couldn’t play 5 minutes without fouling out as a freshman and for 3 years now he’s been policing the rim like NUPD at The Keg. He’s extremely mobile for someone of his size, capable of hedging out towards midcourt and recovering down low before the ball can get there. Part of Barnhizer’s double-double prowess is that Nicholson clears dudes out down low.

Cade Bennerman would do well to watch a ton of film and hit Matt up over the summer. We will miss him. I’ll enjoy his swats and his pump-ups for now.

 

[macarthur31]

Look, guys, Nicholson is really, really good. He’s a role player but has played that role extraordinarily well for a long time. He couldn’t play 5 minutes without fouling out as a freshman and for 3 years now he’s been policing the rim like NUPD at The Keg. He’s extremely mobile for someone of his size, capable of hedging out towards midcourt and recovering down low before the ball can get there. Part of Barnhizer’s double-double prowess is that Nicholson clears dudes out down low.

Cade Bennerman would do well to watch a ton of film and hit Matt up over the summer. We will miss him. I’ll enjoy his swats and his pump-ups for now.

Agreed. For a dude who was only offered by Ball State, Creighton, Toledo and Western Michigan he's turned into perhaps the best defensive 5 of the Collins era, save Dererk Pardon. He's improved his OReb% / DReb %, as well as reduced his Fouls Committed/40 which has enabled him to stay on the court longer. And, from watching the times he does press conferences, he's thoughtful and a supportive teammate. Collins may have had only 2 guys in that class, but in Ty Berry and Matt Nicholson - he hit on 2 gems there.

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

Look, guys, Nicholson is really, really good. He’s a role player but has played that role extraordinarily well for a long time. He couldn’t play 5 minutes without fouling out as a freshman and for 3 years now he’s been policing the rim like NUPD at The Keg. He’s extremely mobile for someone of his size, capable of hedging out towards midcourt and recovering down low before the ball can get there. Part of Barnhizer’s double-double prowess is that Nicholson clears dudes out down low.

Cade Bennerman would do well to watch a ton of film and hit Matt up over the summer. We will miss him. I’ll enjoy his swats and his pump-ups for now.

Easy. Big Matt gets bouquets thrown his way by the fans in this board and he deserves it. It’s ok to “wish” he offered up more on the offensive end. He is what he is, an excellent defensive presence and we don’t have anyone in the current roster to replicate his skills. Also, Barney gets the most rebounds on this team because he gets the best position and he is by far the most aggressive player we have.

 

[Davidgolds5]

Love Big Matt. What a defender. Let’s never forget that huge block versus Illinois to keep us alive in that game. And his great efforts versus the the bigs of the big ten including Edey. Also had a huge game versus UCLA in the tourney. And yes seems like a great guy.

 

[JournCat]

He couldn’t play 5 minutes without fouling out as a freshman and for 3 years now he’s been policing the rim like NUPD at The Keg.

One, that’s a grave insult to Nicholson, and two, RIP.

 

[PurpleWhiteBoy]

The ballhandlers just don’t have that connection with him and, all things considered, I’d rather have possessions where he doesn’t touch the ball at all than possessions that end in a field goal attempt for him.

I agree that the ballhandlers just don't seem to have any connection with him.
Its one thing that is holding NU back (offensively)

Its probably heresy, but when Barnhizer and Martinelli get into the paint they are completely focused on putting a shot up or kicking out to the 3 point line. They're both good scorers and Collins has green-lighted that approach. But they seem clueless about lobbing it to Matt for easy dunks... especially Barnhizer... and Matt is either uninspired to get position (because they never pass him the ball) or he just doesn't know how to make himself available.

To me, its a combination of coaching and player capabilities - but it does frustrate me as a fan.

Contrary to what people think, Nicholson at the rim (60%) is as effective as a wide open three (40%), so we should do it more if we can.

 

[CappyNU]

For a dude who was only offered by Ball State, Creighton, Toledo and Western Michigan he's turned into perhaps the best defensive 5 of the Collins era, save Dererk Pardon.

If you believe Torvik's data, Big Matt's junior year (2022-23) is the most dominant defensive season by an NU big man during Collins' tenure, though Pardon's 2016-17 season is 2nd-best, followed by Nance 2020-21, Pardon 2018-19 and Skelly 2016-17.

The worst one? That would go to Luke Hunger last year, immediately followed by Luke Hunger this year, and no one else is remotely close.

 

[ThatkidfromHolland]

I agree that the ballhandlers just don't seem to have any connection with him.
Its one thing that is holding NU back (offensively)

Its probably heresy, but when Barnhizer and Martinelli get into the paint they are completely focused on putting a shot up or kicking out to the 3 point line. They're both good scorers and Collins has green-lighted that approach. But they seem clueless about lobbing it to Matt for easy dunks... especially Barnhizer... and Matt is either uninspired to get position (because they never pass him the ball) or he just doesn't know how to make himself available.

To me, its a combination of coaching and player capabilities - but it does frustrate me as a fan.

Contrary to what people think, Nicholson at the rim (60%) is as effective as a wide open three (40%), so we should do it more if we can.

The lack of the lob to Matt isn't that significant of a loss to the offense. The lob primarily opens things up on drives, not so much when Martinelli or Barnhizer are backing someone down. Frankly, outside of Leach driving to the basket, we don't have many guys who can consistently create that lob opportunity. Buie was a skilled passer, and that lob, thrown while navigating a help defender, is a tough pass to consistently place. And let's be honest, while Matt's a big target, he doesn't always have the touch or hands to consistently catch and finish imperfect lobs.

The biggest thing holding back the offense is a consistent outside threat. We need that to pull defenders away from Barnhizer and Martinelli. It prevents the defense from collapsing on them down low. The lob doesn't really decongest the paint much if no one's hitting threes. Matt needs his offense created for him, and even then, he shouldn't be a focal point. I'd much rather design plays to get Leach, Berry, or one of the freshmen going. His high effective field goal percentage is because he takes very few shots that are created for him and are easy to make. Those shots aren't always available, and they're easily countered by good defense. It’s easy to call for guys who shoot less to shoot more because they make shots at a higher percentage, but when you look deeper into the context of the numbers you see that those type of shots aren’t always available and need multiple other factors to even be created. Those shots are byproduct of production from the less efficient players who have to create for themselves and others and take the tough shots.

 

[Davidgolds5]

If you believe Torvik's data, Big Matt's junior year (2022-23) is the most dominant defensive season by an NU big man during Collins' tenure, though Pardon's 2016-17 season is 2nd-best, followed by Nance 2020-21, Pardon 2018-19 and Skelly 2016-17.

The worst one? That would go to Luke Hunger last year, immediately followed by Luke Hunger this year, and no one else is remotely close.

The hunger injury has made it pretty clear that we aren’t missing the obligatory 0-3 or 1-3 game and a few and ones every game.

 

[ThatkidfromHolland]

If you believe Torvik's data, Big Matt's junior year (2022-23) is the most dominant defensive season by an NU big man during Collins' tenure, though Pardon's 2016-17 season is 2nd-best, followed by Nance 2020-21, Pardon 2018-19 and Skelly 2016-17.

The worst one? That would go to Luke Hunger last year, immediately followed by Luke Hunger this year, and no one else is remotely close.

I think Matt is a better defender than Pardon, but not by a wide margin. Matt has the edge on length and they both anchored and helped well. Pardon was a very quick jumper, that along with his arms helped mitigate his height. Pardon is just much better at the other end of the court.

Interesting that Nance scored well here. Almost like me saying he was an excellent help defender has some merit.

 

[EagerFan]

I dunno about lobs, but Nick has passed at least two or three times to Matt down low and Matt has lost every one of them. He does the head fake and as the defenders rise, bounces or throws it right at Matt and its been a turnover each time. Mostly because Matt isn't looking for it and partially because Nick puts some mustard on the pass.

 

[PurpleWhiteBoy]

I dunno about lobs, but Nick has passed at least two or three times to Matt down low and Matt has lost every one of them. He does the head fake and as the defenders rise, bounces or throws it right at Matt and its been a turnover each time. Mostly because Matt isn't looking for it and partially because Nick puts some mustard on the pass.

Martinelli "passes" to Nicholson when he is airborne and realizes that his shot will be blocked. Thats about it.
I don't have a real problem with Martinelli trying to finish - he makes a high percentage - but if he can't pass, the doubles will come more often.

 

[GatoLouco]

Interesting that Nance scored well here. Almost like me saying he was an excellent help defender has some merit.

Nance gets a much worse rep than he deserves on this board. That's what happens when you do not win. He was a fine player on both ends.

 

[CappyNU]

Nance gets a much worse rep that he deserves on this board. That's what happens when you do not win. He was a fine player on both ends.

I think the gap was that everyone expected him to be the alpha dog, but he was better as a secondary piece behind a Boo or Brooks-type player. Since we didn't have that player, the expectations ratcheted up for Nance and he didn't meet them.

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

I think the gap was that everyone expected him to be the alpha dog, but he was better as a secondary piece behind a Boo or Brooks-type player. Since we didn't have that player, the expectations ratcheted up for Nance and he didn't meet them.

Oh, we had the player, it’s just the team didn’t realize it. We deferred to Pete in crunch time because the coaches and players seemed programmed to go to their highest rated player instead of the guy that relished the moment. Boo probably didn’t have the confidence in himself at that time to demand the ball, but it was clear Nance was not overflowing with the clutch gene.

 

[Davidgolds5]

Oh, we had the player, it’s just the team didn’t realize it. We deferred to Pete in crunch time because the coaches and players seemed programmed to go to their highest rated player instead of the guy that relished the moment. Boo probably didn’t have the confidence in himself at that time to demand the ball, but it was clear Nance was not overflowing with the clutch gene.

I’m sorry but Nance leaving for greener pastures at UNC when they didn’t make the tournament, while the Cats made it to the field of 32 just felt good.