What we've learned so far about the Cats

[lou v]

Here's Matt Shelton's story:

WildcatReport - What we've learned so far about the Wildcats

Here's a look at a Northwestern team that has been somewhat of a surprise through the first eight games of the season.

northwestern.rivals.com

 

[phatcat]

This team will exceed (low) expectations. To me, their only hope is to develop more of an inside game. Because, wow, they cannot shoot. Good defensive intensity.

 

[PurpleWhiteBoy]

This team will exceed (low) expectations. To me, their only hope is to develop more of an inside game. Because, wow, they cannot shoot. Good defensive intensity.

My expectations about NU were higher than others...
However, the Big Ten is better than I / we thought.
Purdue and Illinois are very good. Not that that is a surprise... but they appear to be very good.
Maryland is good. Wisconsin (somehow) is looking really strong, when I assumed we would thrash them this year.
I think we can and maybe should beat Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Penn State.
Not impossible that we can beat Ohio State, Rutgers, Indiana, Maryland or Wisconsin, just not so likely.
Iowa isn't unbeatable but they crush us, so not gonna be fooled again.

The guys who have upside are the keys... Roper, Nicholson, Barnhizer, Berry, Hunger and Martinelli.
We need one of the latter two to be able to sub in for Beran.

 

[CoralSpringsCat]

My expectations about NU were higher than others...
However, the Big Ten is better than I / we thought.
Purdue and Illinois are very good. Not that that is a surprise... but they appear to be very good.
Maryland is good. Wisconsin (somehow) is looking really strong, when I assumed we would thrash them this year.
I think we can and maybe should beat Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Penn State.
Not impossible that we can beat Ohio State, Rutgers, Indiana, Maryland or Wisconsin, just not so likely.
Iowa isn't unbeatable but they crush us, so not gonna be fooled again.

The guys who have upside are the keys... Roper, Nicholson, Barnhizer, Berry, Hunger and Martinelli.
We need one of the latter two to be able to sub in for Beran.

So Roper, Berry and Barnhizer are the keys for this season. Got it.

 

[Hungry Jack]

After watching Penn State win at Champaign today I think they might be a very tough out. Pickett was a beast. IIRC, he consumed us like a street taco last year.

 

[Catreporter]

There are NO easy wins in the Big Ten this year. Penn State just lost at home to MSU and then crushed Illini in Champaign where they rarely lose (and three days after they beat 2nd ranked Texas). Nebraska won at Creighton and they nearly beat Purdue today. Lots of crazy results already in this season. Right now, I'm just worried about Prairie View who beat Washington State (who is giving unbeaten UNLV quite a tussle today). I'm going to just try and ride the roller coaster and try to enjoy it. If we can stay injury free (fingers crossed), I think we can be competitive. I'm not hoping for much more than that.

 

[PurpleWhiteBoy]

So Roper, Berry and Barnhizer are the keys for this season. Got it.

This is the part you are missing....

Beran, Audige and Buie are known commodities. If nobody else steps up this year, its gonna be a long season.
In fact, thats why most of you guys were so pessimistic coming into this season.

However, young players like Roper, Nicholoson and Barnhizer have every right to step up and take the Cats to a higher level. It is not going to happen for the Wildcats if all we do is bring in Verhoeven and nobody else improves.

So the key to our success is improvement from Roper, then Nicholson and Barnhizer, then Berry, with contributions from either Hunger or Martinelli. We don't need all of them, but we do need some of them to play at a Big Ten level. Those other guys (Buie, Audige, Verhoeven and Beran) have shown us what they can (and can't) do.

As Joe Strummer sang in the Clash's "Death or Glory..."

"if you've been tryin' for years, we've already heard your song."

Now do you get it?

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

There are NO easy wins in the Big Ten this year. Penn State just lost at home to MSU and then crushed Illini in Champaign where they rarely lose (and three days after they beat 2nd ranked Texas). Nebraska won at Creighton and they nearly beat Purdue today. Lots of crazy results already in this season. Right now, I'm just worried about Prairie View who beat Washington State (who is giving unbeaten UNLV quite a tussle today). I'm going to just try and ride the roller coaster and try to enjoy it. If we can stay injury free (fingers crossed), I think we can be competitive. I'm not hoping for much more than that.

I was very surprised watching PSU and Nebby today. I didn’t think much of them when I saw them earlier this year, but I was wrong. Rutgers looked terrible with a few guys out too and now look much better.

Going to have to win ugly low scoring games. NU still has talent in the bottom third of the league. Team will go as Chase and Boo go. Bench is limited and can’t afford ANY injuries. Hope I am wrong about us too, but I think it will be a long year unless one of the young guys comes out of nowhere.

 

[ubercat]

Purdue beat Nebby with the help of a ref’s phantom foul call at the end of overtime. Whatever happened to “swallow your whistle”

 

[PurpleWhiteBoy]

Purdue beat Nebby with the help of a ref’s phantom foul call at the end of overtime. Whatever happened to “swallow your whistle”

Yeah, Nebraska made some noise.
They beat Creighton, who "media experts" had been raving about, then took Purdue to OT.
Either of those results should create enthusiasm from the fanbase.

So I took a look at the roster...

Emmanuel Bandoumel - 6'4" transfer from SMU where he started for 2 seasons, averaging 10+ pts per game.
Juwan Gary - 6'6" transfer from Alabama, where he started 16 games last year.
Sam Griesel - 6'6" transfer from N. Dakota State where he was first team Summit League last season.
Derrick Walker - 6'8" 232 lbs. 5th year senior. Returning starter. Transfer from Tennessee a few years back.
CJ Wilcher - 6'5" was in the Nebraska rotation last year, 25 mpg after transfer in from Xavier.
Keisei Tominaga - 6'2" Japanese national team player who started 11 games for Nebraska last year.

Blaise Keita - 6'11" 240 lbs JUCO transfer giving Nebraska about 12 minutes per game off bench.
Wilhelm Breidenbach - 6'10" 227 lbs. playing about 12 mpg off the bench. Goofy looking glasses.

Interesting jumble of players with 4 of their top 5 scorers in the 6'4 - 6'6" height range.

An attempt to answer the question - "What would happen if you played 4 small forwards and a power forward" as your starting lineup?

 

[Catreporter]

Prairie View had a bunch of transfers from division one teams. They started three grad students and a senior. It's a new world out there and NU will have to adjust although they've never taken many transfers before (especially from junior colleges). Penn State has a lot of transfers too. So does Illinois.

 

[CatJones]

"What would happen if you played 4 small forwards and a power forward" as your starting lineup?

The last couple of games I have seen us play four guards and a forward (Baran) against a small opponent lineup. I'm sure the data posters have some data on how that lineup has performed.