OFFICIAL GameWeek Thread

[freewillie07]

It's November 6 (not January!). We're five days from the season opener. And the team is RANKED. Let's get the party started on this board.

What are you looking to see against Loyola (Md.)? Some things to watch, in my opinion:

• Who starts at the "4" as Lumpkin's replacement?
• Is everyone healthy, after reports of some minor injuries around the scrimmage?
• How's the turnout at Allstate and what's the vibe like vs. Welsh Ryan?
• How does Gaines fit into the rotation, and does he live up to the scrimmage hype in live action?
• Who is out of the main rotation? (Hopefully the Cats will have a big lead and Rap and Ash play a lot, so we can see what they've got.)

 

[NJCat]

It's November 6 (not January!). We're five days from the season opener. And the team is RANKED. Let's get the party started on this board.

What are you looking to see against Loyola (Md.)? Some things to watch, in my opinion:

• Who starts at the "4" as Lumpkin's replacement?
• Is everyone healthy, after reports of some minor injuries around the scrimmage?
• How's the turnout at Allstate and what's the vibe like vs. Welsh Ryan?
• How does Gaines fit into the rotation, and does he live up to the scrimmage hype in live action?
• Who is out of the main rotation? (Hopefully the Cats will have a big lead and Rap and Ash play a lot, so we can see what they've got.)

Good questions.

I wonder who will score first, Tino or Charlie?

​

 

[Walker Fan]

Loyola (Md.) is ranked by ESPN as no. 243 out of 351 so it will be a good warmup game since we did not do any exhibition games. I think Falzon starts at the "4" with Skelly as the first guy off the bench. I am looking forward to I. Brown as the first PG off the bench and see how much his game has developed which I think it will. Of course, I am very interested in Gaines' minutes because I think he and Brown will make a dynamic duo off the bench. I think NU's main players off the bench will be Skelly, Brown, Benson and Gaines. But hopefully, the game is a blowout and we see Rap and Ash get some minutes.

 

[DaCat]

I would love to see this starting lineup, in modern terminology:

Lead - McIntosh
Wing - Lindsey
Wing - Law
Wing - Skelly
Big - Pardon

First off the bench: Falzon for Skelly; Gaines not far behind - I think he will be a huge contributor this season.

 

[Medill90]

If Falzon is healthy he'll start. Need Skelly's energy and leadership off the bench.

Interested to see how much Benson plays and with whom. Bigger role for him this year.

Interested to see Brown and Ash, how their overall games have progressed.

I'll wait on the defense for a better opponent. The new coach transformed Michigan's perimeter defense. NU's was good, but it's going to be better. A lot have asked, how do we replace Sanjay's defense. The answer is, with coaching.

 

[freewillie07]

If Falzon is healthy he'll start. Need Skelly's energy and leadership off the bench.

Interested to see how much Benson plays and with whom. Bigger role for him this year.

Interested to see Brown and Ash, how their overall games have progressed.

I'll wait on the defense for a better opponent. The new coach transformed Michigan's perimeter defense. NU's was good, but it's going to be better. A lot have asked, how do we replace Sanjay's defense. The answer is, with coaching.

Was Falzon healthy for the scrimmage? Because by most accounts he was the biggest disappointment. I was hoping for a bigger, stronger version of his freshman year self.

 

[Walker Fan]

He got a couple of ticky tack fouls called against him and I believe he was on the purple team where Ash was the PG. As a result, the offense was a lot more disjointed than the white team led by McIntosh and the only thing that worked on offense was Gaines' dribble drives and Pardon with put backs around the basket. He did not get his offensive game going. He seems to need his shot to go down early on to get in the flow on offense. He is coming off knee surgery so his game might be not in peak form early in the season. That is why it is so important to have Skelly ready to go as a 6th man off the bench.

 

[Fitz51]

Man, a ranked NU team and a basketball season I am so excited for. Who would have ever thought? It's like early Christmas!

 

[Mr Wickerpark]

Loyola could upset us if we take them for granted.

 

[freewillie07]

Loyola could upset us if we take them for granted.

Posting this on multiple threads. Dumb.

This NU team is good enough that even if Loyola catches fire like Chicago State last year, the Cats still win by double digits.

 

[IGNORE2]

It's November 6 (not January!). We're five days from the season opener. And the team is RANKED. Let's get the party started on this board.

What are you looking to see against Loyola (Md.)? Some things to watch, in my opinion:

• Who starts at the "4" as Lumpkin's replacement?
• Is everyone healthy, after reports of some minor injuries around the scrimmage?
• How's the turnout at Allstate and what's the vibe like vs. Welsh Ryan?
• How does Gaines fit into the rotation, and does he live up to the scrimmage hype in live action?
• Who is out of the main rotation? (Hopefully the Cats will have a big lead and Rap and Ash play a lot, so we can see what they've got.)

I think the starters will be: Mac, Lindsey, Law, Skelly and Pardon. Absent quick fouls on Pardon, first off the bench: Falzon with an unnatural heavy rotation of Skelly, Falzon, Rap, Pardon and Benson and CCC experiments with different lineups.

I think Gaines plays more than I would hope meaning that he has passed Brown and Ash. My hope is that we see a bunch of Ash, meaning he has improved and that we see a bunch of Brown, to see how he has developed.

Quite frankly, I hope it is a blow out and yet Charlie and Tino stay firmly planted on the bench so that CCC can really experiment play the unknown qunantities. I do hope we see less than 20 minutes of Mac, Lindsey, Law and even Pardon in a lopsided victory.

We have not had our annual injury bugbite yet this year - and with fingers crossed, I feel we are really deep 2 to 4. A major injury to Mac, Pardon and even Benson to a lessor extent would be really hard to overcome.

 

[Wrestlerneverdiesasacatfan]

It's November 6 (not January!). We're five days from the season opener. And the team is RANKED. Let's get the party started on this board.

What are you looking to see against Loyola (Md.)? Some things to watch, in my opinion:

• Who starts at the "4" as Lumpkin's replacement?
• Is everyone healthy, after reports of some minor injuries around the scrimmage?
• How's the turnout at Allstate and what's the vibe like vs. Welsh Ryan?
• How does Gaines fit into the rotation, and does he live up to the scrimmage hype in live action?
• Who is out of the main rotation? (Hopefully the Cats will have a big lead and Rap and Ash play a lot, so we can see what they've got.)

How will the team respond to a revitalized Jordan Ash?

 

[ThatkidfromHolland]

It's November 6 (not January!). We're five days from the season opener. And the team is RANKED. Let's get the party started on this board.

What are you looking to see against Loyola (Md.)? Some things to watch, in my opinion:

• Who starts at the "4" as Lumpkin's replacement?
• Is everyone healthy, after reports of some minor injuries around the scrimmage?
• How's the turnout at Allstate and what's the vibe like vs. Welsh Ryan?
• How does Gaines fit into the rotation, and does he live up to the scrimmage hype in live action?
• Who is out of the main rotation? (Hopefully the Cats will have a big lead and Rap and Ash play a lot, so we can see what they've got.)

A better question might be who gets the most min at the four. I feel like it totally depends on who improved the most defensively. Both Skelly and Falzon left a lot room for improvement at defending the 4 spot. Even though I am excited for Falzons shot and Skelly passing ability and hustle. I bet min will vary greatly depending on 1. If Falzon is hitting his jumper. 2. Match ups 3. Skelly in foul trouble. (I leave Rap out because I have never seen him play so can't accurately guess what would happen)

 

[Cat Fan in Buckeye Land]

I hope that everybody is healthy and available for the opener. I don’t think I’ve ever been so excited for the start of a Northwestern basketball season!

 

[Figrating]

I hope that everybody is healthy and available for the opener. I don’t think I’ve ever been so excited for the start of a Northwestern basketball season!

You speak for many. Early TV coverage sucks for this exciting team, but I won't miss them when they're on.

 

[freewillie07]

A better question might be who gets the most min at the four. I feel like it totally depends on who improved the most defensively. Both Skelly and Falzon left a lot room for improvement at defending the 4 spot. Even though I am excited for Falzons shot and Skelly passing ability and hustle. I bet min will vary greatly depending on 1. If Falzon is hitting his jumper. 2. Match ups 3. Skelly in foul trouble. (I leave Rap out because I have never seen him play so can't accurately guess what would happen)

Good point. When it comes to the 4, could be a case of Collins playing the hot hand, or whoever matches up better with a given opponent. Could even go small and put Gaines in there. I still think whoever starts at the 4 tomorrow will say something about where Falzon is at.

Not a bad situation to have when you have four starters who all have a legitimate claim to be All Big Ten this season.