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View from Courtside, player by player

torque-cat

Well-Known Member
Dec 11, 2018
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Fun to watch live, definitely get a different view of guys than TV

1. Overall: The vegas line was BC -3.5, these are both .500 teams coming in and we looked very evenly matched for the first ten minutes. In truth, we shot lights out including 3s and FTs and they went ice cold. I think if these two teams play 10 times, it's pretty even though we may have better rebounders.

2. I had a direct view from courtside at Spencer's tomahawk jam that went off the back rim...that would have been on sportscenter if he hit it, the whole arena gasped. They call Spencer the Lebron of lacrosse and he looked like Lebron in the air--I had no idea he had that in him.

3. Buie showed he can play well at this level. He's got quicks, handle and off-dribble scoring ability that we rarely see at NU. He needs to get stronger and more consistent of course but he could be the answer at PG. Not a lock by any means, but this was a special performance. The best thing may have been his confidence attacking some very physical defenders late in the game--I think he only turned it over once.

4. Kopp. I've been waiting for him to light it up from 3 and he finally did. If he can be a consistent 40% type 3 pt threat, his size and release make him a major problem. Plus he's a good rebounder and physical defender--and I think his whole game will improve if he's hitting his shots.

5. Nance and Beran are carbon copies to me--Nance just has an off-season of muscle. Both are extremely tall, long, have a nice shooting touch, good hands and good passing instincts for big men. Incredible ceilings for these guys--imagine them as twin towers who can also hit stretch 3s in a year or two.

6. Spencer had a nightmare game. He's a linebacker playing PG which means he can muscle guys and plays aggressive, but he doesn't seem to have the quickness in hands or feet and got exposed a bit there. Buie's quickness was needed after Spence had a few TOs. Hopefully he learns from this 'cause we'll need both PGs in big ten play and they are sort of like thunder and lightning back there.

7. Ryan Young has some nice moves and plays hard but so limited athletically, I worry about him in big ten play.

8. Gaines. Tough, strong, hit a 3! Does what he does, solid and steady veteran on a very young team.

9. Turner: He looked good in limited action. I'm guessing CC is not playing him as much because he's not vastly better than the young guys and they need to develop.

10. Jones is a physical monster--already looks like an upperclassmen physically. Hope his skills will follow.

Great, fun win. We got hot shooting and they went cold, but we also showed some great glimpses of what's possible. Buie, Nance, Beran, Young, Kopp, Jones has as high a ceiling as any group of young players I've seen at NU--including the guys who took us to the tourney.
 
Great post and just a couple thoughts.

First few games, it was all just a bit too fast for Boo and he looked like a guy running 4 miles per hour after a train going 5. That's changed the last few. He's right there, one of the quickest guys on the court. Seems pretty fearless, converts drives at a high rate and the three pointer looks legit.

The thing about the Spencer missed dunk....after a crap game he went for it....guy has some major league stones. Like Boo, fearless.

I thought Gaines looked excellent on D.

I think Collins is counting minutes for AJ...creeping him back after the injurt so he'll be ready for conference.

Young. Someone earlier mentioned Boerwinkle (kids, Google it) and I'd agree in this regard. Young expends only that energy that is required. He's about winning, not show boating. I happen to think he moves well and has decent athleticism. I've been please with his D against athletic bigs. Doesn't foul repeatedly. Doesn't fall over on every play. He's played nine college games. The kid is pretty good at basketball.

Bradley, Providence, BC....gotta say it....when NU is on, it's a nice team. Super fun to watch.
 
My theory on Spencer is that he doesn't quite have the hand size or strength to palm the ball on those dunks. Even the break-away dunks, he seems to have to get his hand under the ball and then grab it with two hands to dunk it. It explains why that last dunk probably got away from him. Oh well.... can't have everything in life.

The thing that struck me after watching NU play and then watching Michigan play this week as well... while Michigan is a superior team right now, Michigan plays the same 5 or 6 guys all the time. NU is running out 9 guys and rotating them constantly. I'd like to think that will become an advantage for us at some point. Our guys won't wear down, and, being young, they will all gain meaningful experience. I am amazed how much Collins rotates his guys in and out this year. He must really trust his depth - or potential for depth.
 
Young. Someone earlier mentioned Boerwinkle (kids, Google it) and I'd agree in this regard. Young expends only that energy that is required. He's about winning, not show boating. I happen to think he moves well and has decent athleticism. I've been please with his D against athletic bigs. Doesn't foul repeatedly. Doesn't fall over on every play. He's played nine college games. The kid is pretty good at basketball.
Agree on Young. He came back from a nightmare game against Pitt to play solidly against BC. And he was playing against an experienced Senior center who the color guy said was under appreciated in the ACC last season. He'll have his rough games in the B1G this season but is no Mirk.
 
Non XO's observations - Boo had a great support crew, not too long a drive from Albany. After Spencer missed dunk, ball went right back to him the few left in the arena (OK, not too many to start) were yelling for him to do it again. Guessing there will be a few more there for Duke game in Feb.
 
My theory on Spencer is that he doesn't quite have the hand size or strength to palm the ball on those dunks. Even the break-away dunks, he seems to have to get his hand under the ball and then grab it with two hands to dunk it. It explains why that last dunk probably got away from him. Oh well.... can't have everything in life.

The thing that struck me after watching NU play and then watching Michigan play this week as well... while Michigan is a superior team right now, Michigan plays the same 5 or 6 guys all the time. NU is running out 9 guys and rotating them constantly. I'd like to think that will become an advantage for us at some point. Our guys won't wear down, and, being young, they will all gain meaningful experience. I am amazed how much Collins rotates his guys in and out this year. He must really trust his depth - or potential for depth.

Pretty amazing that we'd play deeper than a top 5 team, given our history of lack of bench. Agree that Spencer may not be able to palm the ball, but boy is he an athlete. Can imagine how dominant he is on a Lax field where he is actually bigger and more skilled than almost anyone on the field. Add that to his athleticism, swagger and vision I can see why he's called the Lebron/MJ of Lax.
 
Non XO's observations - Boo had a great support crew, not too long a drive from Albany. After Spencer missed dunk, ball went right back to him the few left in the arena (OK, not too many to start) were yelling for him to do it again. Guessing there will be a few more there for Duke game in Feb.

Duke game in February?
 
My theory on Spencer is that he doesn't quite have the hand size or strength to palm the ball on those dunks. Even the break-away dunks, he seems to have to get his hand under the ball and then grab it with two hands to dunk it. It explains why that last dunk probably got away from him. Oh well.... can't have everything in life.

I solved the above problem with Lester Hayes' approved "Stickum"-shooting was a problem but dunking was dynamite
 
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