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.
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.