Second-half thread for Michigan-NU

[Catreporter]

Gaines is a good defender but can't score. Not a great ballhandler either.

 

[mikewebb68]

Gaines is a good defender but can't score. Not a great ballhandler either.

Gaines has been a huge reason why we have improved so dramatically in the last two weeks, imo.

 

[Alan Smithee]

Collins really needs to use his bench a little, These guys are going to run out of gas.

What he did worked pretty well.

 

[Medill90]

Gaines is a good defender but can't score. Not a great ballhandler either.

When your play is central to swinging a 15 pt deficit to an even game a blemish or two can be tolerated.

"Good defender" grossly understates his defensive play the last two games. It's been exceptional...at the top of the conference for guards....among the top guard defenders in the country. Gaines is doing this against future NBA players.

 

[TheC]

What he did worked pretty well.

I agree. I'm pretty amazed they could keep up that intensity for so long without a break. Impressive.

 

[CappyNU]

Gaines made Brazdeikis work exceptionally hard in the 2nd half to get his points, he is definitely Lumpkin-esque and has played a big role in the past few games.

 

[macarthur31]

When your play is central to swinging a 15 pt deficit to an even game a blemish or two can be tolerated.

"Good defender" grossly understates his defensive play the last two games. It's been exceptional...at the top of the conference for guards....among the top guard defenders in the country. Gaines is doing this against future NBA players.

Per kenpom he's 3rd on the team in Defensive Rebound Rate behind Law and Pardon. (Technically Benson leads the team, but he plays a 1/3rd minutes compared to Gaines), he's second on the team on Block rate (258th overall nationally), and is 2nd nationally with regards to FTA/FGA. He's also doing this while drawing the toughest assignment defensively. We got guys who can score - but no one on the team outside of Vic Law, can do defensively what Gaines is doing right now (which is defend 3 positions). Agreed that his emergence is a key reason why the 'Cats have a shot at winning 10 B1G games.

 

[Medill90]

Gaines is a good defender but can't score. Not a great ballhandler either.

Catreporter, my over the top response is not directed at you but at others who posted recently that Gaines is not a a Big Ten player