Northwestern Post Game Thread

[James]

This is the best team in the country

this is one of the greatest offensive teams in the last decade. everyone is healthy, we just need DC and he is peaking . Reminds me so much of that florida team that was stacked and locked in for their b2b

 

[TheChamps990411]

Start Andre Johnson at SG. LOL! He was the only person that it seemed could make a 3 for us in second half. We have to shoot better from 3 than 14% as the tournament gets harder. Karaban is just off. Love to see Clingagn healthy and dominating. Also, Castle holding their PG to under 10 pts and 2-15 was magnificent d. He is such a great defensive player.

If he continues to play like that defensively it will be very disruptive for other teams to run their offense. You add Diarras defense and that combo can push this team to a repeat. If you can disrupt the other teams backcourt and your odds of winning go way, way up.
Edit: and of course Clingan

 

[Scoe]

Back to back sweet 16 appearances it’s ok to celebrate that for tonight of course we had to do that before the ultimate goal.

Getting Clingan through half with 1 foul is huge should also be a goal to Castle through the half with 1 foul.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

So strange how fired up people get bc we let our lead get down to 16.

It’s like people think you get extra points to take to the next round if the margin is huge.

 

[jorge34]

Second half was outscored by Northwestern ... shooting, especially from 3, we will call it an off-night. Shoot like that deeper into the tourny and might as well packup for the trip home.

The only one that is a concern is Karaban. His shooting slump has been prolonged.

 

[Kemba15]

https://x.com/john_fanta/status/1772081072089551153?s=46&t=VWuMaNmmB4bp8kRw4hCnsg

 

[Palatine]

Nothing about this game matters. Nice to make the Sweet Sixteen.

 

[NickDanger]

3/22 on 3s…that’s why I was rooting for sdsu over auburn and am rooting for isu over Illinois. We can and will loose a shootout if we go cold like that against an elite offensive team.

If that shootout gets loose, watch out!

 

[nomar]

It’s like people think you get extra points to take to the next round if the margin is huge.

Like rollover minutes on Cingular Wireless

 

[uconngb]

I kind of like that we had that second half so Hurley and staff can rip them a bit and focus them up.

I didn’t. I had Uconn over 77.5 and -4.5 for the 2nd half

 

[EnochRoot]

UConn was up 57-27 with 13:28 remaining.

They were outscored 31-18 from there on out.

That should be what Hurley uses to motivate this team to finish off games.

 

[IndyLives]

No team is as complete as UConn. Even when something isnt working (has to be their worst 3-point shooting all year!), they can turn to DC and penetration for easy buckets and a blowout win. The defense is always elite. They will be tough to beat!

 

[James]

Back to back sweet 16 appearances it’s ok to celebrate that for tonight of course we had to do that before the ultimate goal.

Getting Clingan through half with 1 foul is huge should also be a goal to Castle through the half with 1 foul.

he's extremely locked in on defense. excited to see him the next game, but he is peaking with his awareness on pnr defense and looks in prime physical shape. I havent seen one of those typical clingan overextend's on a help possession; he's just where he needs to be all the time using length.

Jay wright said it best in that segment, big men can develop at a rapid rate due their influence on the game with their size.

 

[controlfade]

Clingan trying to be the number 1 pick with how he’s playing.
Castle just nasty defense

 

[NJHusky]

I hope so too
Unfortunately I the last good outside shooting game Karaban had was the game I saw live.... .

.. at the AMP in Providence. He came up with clutch rebounds there at the end but he is simply missing his open shots.

U better start making travel plans

 

[BugsyCT]

Give me 4 more great 1st halves and meh 2nd halves - as long as we win.

Survive and advance.

 

[navery12]

I kind of like that we had that second half so Hurley and staff can rip them a bit and focus them up.

I do not envy the players dealing with Hurley for the next 93 hours

 

[IndyLives]

three big east teams in the sweet sixteen!!

Committee should be embarrassed!

 

[warbler1055]

Karaban needs to work on his offense and his 3 pts shots.

 

[James]

Clingan trying to be the number 1 pick with how he’s playing.
Castle just nasty defense

only thing holding him back is his physicals. Who knows what a doctor will say about his body, but he is an absurd talent. Camby esque

 

[WhereistheDove?]

Clingan trying to be the number 1 pick with how he’s playing.
Castle just nasty defense

If anyone is still unclear on why these two are going in the lottery this year after watching that, they are beyond help.

 

[Kolumbo]

Nothing that happens in the 2nd half matters when the game is over at the half.

 

[brihman]

Like rollover minutes on Cingular Wireless

Turn on Houston v Texas A&M for a normal 1 game vs a 9 seed

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

UConn was up 57-27 with 13:28 remaining.

They were outscored 31-18 from there on out.

That should be what Hurley uses to motivate this team to finish off games.

They didn’t shoot the ball well today, I get it. But this stuff seems weird to me. When they have a 30 point lead with less than 15 minutes left a 15 point win accomplishes the same thing as a 50 point win.

For the people who want every game to be a 40 point mopping the goal is to be ahead when the clock hits 0:00 no matter how you get there. They had a ton of open shots down the stretch. They just missed them. And still were never in danger of losing that game.

 

[HailUConn]

Cling Kong is in an elite company!

 

[WhereistheDove?]

They didn’t shoot the ball well today, I get it. But this stuff seems weird to me. When they have a 30 point lead with less than 15 minutes left a 15 point win accomplishes the same thing as a 50 point win.

For the people who want every game to be a 40 point mopping the goal is to be ahead when the clock hits 0:00 no matter how you get there. They had a ton of open shots down the stretch. They just missed them. And still were never in danger of losing that game.

Especially in the tournament. There are at least “style points” in some of the regular season metrics. It’s all meaningless now. Win or lose. Those are the two outcomes.

 

[bendm]

So strange how fired up people get bc we let our lead get down to 16.

cbs forced Purdues 40 point win on us like we were all Malcolm McDowell in a clockwork orange. It’s conditioning

 

[storrsroars]

They didn’t shoot the ball well today, I get it. But this stuff seems weird to me. When they have a 30 point lead with less than 15 minutes left a 15 point win accomplishes the same thing as a 50 point win.

For the people who want every game to be a 40 point mopping the goal is to be ahead when the clock hits 0:00 no matter how you get there. They had a ton of open shots down the stretch. They just missed them. And still were never in danger of losing that game.

I suppose to me the difference is that Purdue increased their lead in 2nd half and started subbing with 7 minutes left. Would've been nice to get the bench more minutes. Just sayin'

 

[temery]

Cling Kong is in an elite company!

he was robbed of the triple double

 

[nelsonmuntz]

They didn’t shoot the ball well today, I get it. But this stuff seems weird to me. When they have a 30 point lead with less than 15 minutes left a 15 point win accomplishes the same thing as a 50 point win.

For the people who want every game to be a 40 point mopping the goal is to be ahead when the clock hits 0:00 no matter how you get there. They had a ton of open shots down the stretch. They just missed them. And still were never in danger of losing that game.

A decent coach can burn the clock up 20+ points in the second half, and that is exactly what most decent coaches do. Hurley ran the game right in the second half.