NU named one of three teams in nation overachieving in recruiting

[lou v]

Here's how Corey Evans answered the question "Which program is overachieving right now in recruiting?" in this week's Rivals Rountable:

COREY EVANS: Northwestern hired Chris Collins from his assistant coaching spot at Duke and it has paid off in many ways. He guided the Wildcats to their first NCAA Tournament, where they beat Vanderbilt in the opening round. Building off of that momentum, Northwestern has hit it big this summer with its 2018 class. In a matter of five days, Collins secured the commitment of Rivals150 guard Jordan Lathon and then beat out Michigan for one of the top upside prospects in the 2018 class, Pete Nance. Two Rivals150 commits prior to the July evaluation periods is another step forward for the program.

Link: Rivals Roundtable: Which program is overachieving in recruiting?

 

[EvanstonCat]

Here's how Corey Evans answered the question "Which program is overachieving right now in recruiting?" in this week's Rivals Rountable:

COREY EVANS: Northwestern hired Chris Collins from his assistant coaching spot at Duke and it has paid off in many ways. He guided the Wildcats to their first NCAA Tournament, where they beat Vanderbilt in the opening round. Building off of that momentum, Northwestern has hit it big this summer with its 2018 class. In a matter of five days, Collins secured the commitment of Rivals150 guard Jordan Lathon and then beat out Michigan for one of the top upside prospects in the 2018 class, Pete Nance. Two Rivals150 commits prior to the July evaluation periods is another step forward for the program.

Link: Rivals Roundtable: Which program is overachieving in recruiting?

That's ridiculous. Overachieving against what? The flawed paradigm? Our putrid tradition? The low bar set by our predecessor?

For a team that came to the brink of beating the #2 team in the country in the 2nd round of the NCAAs (and would have if not for a terrible goal tend non-call and a technical) and the trajectory that CCC has, I'd say we are at most on track and if anything somewhat under expectations, especially as measured against the Coach K plan that CCC has us tracking to or even exceeding in all other measures.

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

That's ridiculous. Overachieving against what? The flawed paradigm? Our putrid tradition? The low bar set by our predecessor?

For a team that came to the brink of beating the #2 team in the country in the 2nd round of the NCAAs (and would have if not for a terrible goal tend non-call and a technical) and the trajectory that CCC has, I'd say we are at most on track and if anything somewhat under expectations, especially as measured against the Coach K plan that CCC has us tracking to or even exceeding in all other measures.

Rome wasn't built in a day.

 

[Max_Power]

I agree with EvanstonCat. NU not overachieving. Just a sad history of underachieving.

 

[backdoorpass]

For a team that came to the brink of beating the #2 team in the country in the 2nd round of the NCAAs (and would have if not for a terrible goal tend non-call and a technical)

Speaking of over-reaching... I am about the biggest NU Hoops homer you'll find, but the certainty of your assertion is silly. The non-call and, especially, the following technical wound up killing the momentum of our comeback. But we lost the game because we weren't ready to play from the opening tip and let Gonzaga build a 22-point lead in in the first half. Scottie Lindsey said exactly this on the recent BTN podcast (link posted in another thread).

Don't get me wrong: Had the basket interference been correctly called, I'm definitely not saying that a win was not possible! Anything could have happened in the final 5 minutes only trailing by 3. We certainly had the momentum, but Gonzaga was also a #1 seed for a reason. Plus, Pardon, Lindsey and Benson all already had 4 fouls each at that point. We were running on fumes with little margin of error.

For what it's worth, if you are an advanced stats guy and kenpom subscriber, kenpom still had the Gonzaga win percentage odds at 91.2% after Law cut the lead to 5 with that put back dunk.

http://kenpom.com/winprob.php?g=5948

 

[backdoorpass]

NU not overachieving. Just a sad history of underachieving.

Agreed here. Everything is relative. Re-set that bar!

 

[Kelly_32]

Speaking of over-reaching... I am about the biggest NU Hoops homer you'll find, but the certainty of your assertion is silly. The non-call and, especially, the following technical wound up killing the momentum of our comeback. But we lost the game because we weren't ready to play from the opening tip and let Gonzaga build a 22-point lead in in the first half. Scottie Lindsey said exactly this on the recent BTN podcast (link posted in another thread).

Don't get me wrong: Had the basket interference been correctly called, I'm definitely not saying that a win was not possible! Anything could have happened in the final 5 minutes only trailing by 3. We certainly had the momentum, but Gonzaga was also a #1 seed for a reason. Plus, Pardon, Lindsey and Benson all already had 4 fouls each at that point. We were running on fumes with little margin of error.

For what it's worth, if you are an advanced stats guy and kenpom subscriber, kenpom still had the Gonzaga win percentage odds at 91.2% after Law cut the lead to 5 with that put back dunk.

http://kenpom.com/winprob.php?g=5948

I don't think we were running on fumes. Gonzaga was playing not to lose and was tightening up. The arena was going crazy and Northwestern had all the momentum. I will go to my grave believing that call changed the outcome of that game.

 

[backdoorpass]

I don't think we were running on fumes. Gonzaga was playing not to lose and was tightening up. The arena was going crazy and Northwestern had all the momentum. I will go to my grave believing that call changed the outcome of that game.

You're right about the "running on fumes." That was a poor choice of words, and I stand corrected there. We were in serious foul trouble, but we definitely did have the wind at our backs until the technical. And I completely respect your belief that we would have won the game. But believing/wishing in your heart that things would have gone differently under different circumstances is one thing; trying to throw it down as a fact is something else.

I'm probably being too sensitive, but I cringe when I see our fans starting to act like the Illinois and Purdue fans we have all rolled our eyes about over the years with all of their whining about referees and "woulda/shoulda" stuff.

It was a legitimately egregious no-call that took 2 points off the board. But there were still 5 minutes to play. (And Collins didn't have to get the technical.)

I am incredibly proud of the team, the season and their second half comeback in that game. My expectations are that things will only continue to get better. If the tables turn and darkness returns, perhaps I will feel more bitter about that moment and what it could have spoiled. But I believe that I'll look back and think that that's just how things went in our first of many, many consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances--just like "The Play" against Michigan and the lucky intentional foul by the Vanderbilt kid after we fell behind were part of how things went that March. What a ride!

 

[Fitz51]

I will go to my grave believing that call changed the outcome of that game.

That's fine, but it's really more of a sports fan fallacy than anything.

 

[gocatsgo2003]

That's ridiculous. Overachieving against what? The flawed paradigm? Our putrid tradition? The low bar set by our predecessor?

For a team that came to the brink of beating the #2 team in the country in the 2nd round of the NCAAs (and would have if not for a terrible goal tend non-call and a technical) and the trajectory that CCC has, I'd say we are at most on track and if anything somewhat under expectations, especially as measured against the Coach K plan that CCC has us tracking to or even exceeding in all other measures.

REAL FANS WANT IT MOAR!!!

 

[Deeringfish]

You're right about the "running on fumes." That was a poor choice of words, and I stand corrected there. We were in serious foul trouble, but we definitely did have the wind at our backs until the technical. And I completely respect your belief that we would have won the game. But believing/wishing in your heart that things would have gone differently under different circumstances is one thing; trying to throw it down as a fact is something else.

I'm probably being too sensitive, but I cringe when I see our fans starting to act like the Illinois and Purdue fans we have all rolled our eyes about over the years with all of their whining about referees and "woulda/shoulda" stuff.

It was a legitimately egregious no-call that took 2 points off the board. But there were still 5 minutes to play. (And Collins didn't have to get the technical.)

I am incredibly proud of the team, the season and their second half comeback in that game. My expectations are that things will only continue to get better. If the tables turn and darkness returns, perhaps I will feel more bitter about that moment and what it could have spoiled. But I believe that I'll look back and think that that's just how things went in our first of many, many consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances--just like "The Play" against Michigan and the lucky intentional foul by the Vanderbilt kid after we fell behind were part of how things went that March. What a ride!

The odd thing is it was probably the best possible way to lose. We were playing great ball but probably a little over our heads. Realistically, our chances of winning, even if we get goal tending call were probably 50/50 but our chances of doing as well as Gonzaga did were way less. Losing this way got NU about 1,000% more publicity than "just losing". I will bet you anything the goal tending no call with T call follow up will be shown nationally many times next year and at least twice during the tournament.

It was a great season and the guys were giving it all the last 6 games or so. I feel like they really came into their own.

 

[FeliSilvestris]

I don't think we were running on fumes. Gonzaga was playing not to lose and was tightening up. The arena was going crazy and Northwestern had all the momentum. I will go to my grave believing that call changed the outcome of that game.

Not only that...THROUGH THE GAME the officiating was consistently bad against NU...it wasn't just one call... that interference non-call was so outrageous that it was officially acknowledged as an officiating error and made everyone focus on that error...But if they had called the interference correctly it would STILL have been a horribly unfair officiating against NU (just slightly less outrageous).

 

[VirginiaWildcat]

Not only that...THROUGH THE GAME the officiating was consistently bad against NU...it wasn't just one call... that interference non-call was so outrageous that it was officially acknowledged as an officiating error and made everyone focus on that error...But if they had called the interference correctly it would STILL have been a horribly unfair officiating against NU (just slightly less outrageous).

I will most definitely agree the officiating in that game was the most one-sided as I'd ever seen in an NU game. It was brutal, and that was well before the notorious goaltending call destroyed our momentum.

 

[NJCat]

I will most definitely agree the officiating in that game was the most one-sided as I'd ever seen in an NU game. It was brutal, and that was well before the notorious goaltending call destroyed our momentum.

Agree about the officiating. But that wasn't the reason NU lost. Cats were mauled in the first half and dug too deep a hole for themselves. Hopefully they learned the intensity a top team plays with in the NCAA Tournament. It's a different ballgame than the regular season. Remember, NU was also mauled in the Big 10 Tournament game they lost.......

 

[VirginiaWildcat]

Remember, NU was also mauled in the Big 10 Tournament game they lost.......

But that was also coming off two B10 Tourney wins, which is pretty much unprecedented at NU. Difficult to take the whole pie all at once...but we're building towards it.

 

[backdoorpass]

Agree about the officiating. But that wasn't the reason NU lost. Cats were mauled in the first half and dug too deep a hole for themselves. Hopefully they learned the intensity a top team plays with in the NCAA Tournament. It's a different ballgame than the regular season. Remember, NU was also mauled in the Big 10 Tournament game they lost.......

The last 8 games or so were intense. We played good halves and bad halves--but way more good than bad. We came out strong against IU, but blew the big lead and lost in the closing seconds. We were great most of the Michigan game, in the biggest game in NU history. We played tough--especially in the first half against Purdue. We played two great halves against Rutgers in the first round of the BTT. We played pretty well and then simply beat Maryland in the second half in the BTT. We got crushed against Wisconsin. We played great against Vanderbilt--and came out surprisingly strong in the first half in our first ever NCAA Tournament appearance. We were awful in the first half against Gonzaga--and got so low as to not even chase a breakaway on defense. Then, we made one of our strongest runs of the season in the second half, which ultimately fell short...

This is intensity and a stretch of big game experience that this program has never known. It should definitely pay dividends in 20017-18. We will remember why we won and why we lost--and get better because of it.

 

[FeliSilvestris]

Agree about the officiating. But that wasn't the reason NU lost. Cats were mauled in the first half and dug too deep a hole for themselves.

Yes, but still only six points separated both teams in the final score...at least 2 of those were definitely the result of an officially acknowledged officiating error...that leaves 4...if ALL the other bad calls through the game combined (as a net total) as 5 points (two baskets) against NU, then for sure officiating cost them the game (notwithstanding the hole they dug for themselves in 1H)...Another way to think about it is that they beat GU in H2 almost as badly as GU beat NU in H1...the officiating made the final difference.

 

[TerraCat]

The last 8 games or so were intense. We played good halves and bad halves--but way more good than bad. We came out strong against IU, but blew the big lead and lost in the closing seconds. We were great most of the Michigan game, in the biggest game in NU history. We played tough--especially in the first half against Purdue. We played two great halves against Rutgers in the first round of the BTT. We played pretty well and then simply beat Maryland in the second half in the BTT....

This is intensity and a stretch of big game experience that this program has never known. It should definitely pay dividends in 20017-18. We will remember why we won and why we lost--and get better because of it.

That Maryland game was essentially a home game for Maryland at the Verizon Center. It was a great win! looking forward to the future!