Northwestern Scouting Report | Page 2 | The Boneyard

Northwestern Scouting Report

Someone who's opinion I respect sees a tough game here, I'm trying but I just don't.
 
They’re a bunch of Temu Karabans and Spencers .

The kid that looks like a young Jerry Seinfeld kinda concerns me.

Buie is obviously an issue but Hassan and Castle and maybe a little Solo should keep him from getting too many good looks. I expect he guards Newton on the other end and maybe we can get him in foul trouble.

I think we see the standard script for games vs teams of this level (SJU, Butler, Nova). Semi close within 8-12 points. We go on a run to get it to 20 then a drought to win by 9

UConn 81
NW 72
 
FfldCntyFan said:
Their drama program was like a who's who from Hollywood. Far too many to name but among others:

Charlton Heston, Jennifer Jones, Tony Randall, Cloris Leachman, Patricia Neal, McLean Stevenson and hundreds of others who were famous, somewhat famous or little known in moves, television and theater.
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Ann Margaret went there. Not sure if she graduated.
 
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Waquoit said:
Someone whose opinion I respect sees a tough game here, I'm trying but I just don't.
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It certainly could be tough. They have some players we need to minimize, but vice versa. I think they have more to deal with than we do, but the games aren’t played on paper. As usual, if Clingan avoids foul trouble, they should have trouble scoring inside and are missing their best big I believe.
 
DaMuttzNutt said:
Huskies to cover by a lot. Feeling a strong performance coming from the Champs. If we hit 3s, this could be a route
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I feel like we either:
A) blitz them from the outset, they hit some shots late, but it's played at a 20 point margin and we win like 85-65 after being up 48-30 at half, or
B) struggle with our shot and grind out a 10 point win where we're not really threatened, but not dominant either
 
Keep Langborg/Buie from living on the three point line. Wear Buie out with fresh legs on D. Control the Boards and try to get them in foul trouble.

Our depth and explosive offensive spurtability should wear them down in second half.
 
Northwestern is great at the Big Equalizer, the 3-point shot. For that alone, they should be taken very seriously.

That said, this game will give Hurley a chance to fixate on the importance of staying connected on defense and playing hard until the end of the shot clock. He lives for that stuff.
 
cohenzone said:
My son too. You never heard of him but the entertainment industry has. Lots of celebs. Julia Louis Dreyfus, Warren Beatty, Steven Colbert, Hugh Hefner among many. Not so famous for their hoops.
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Julia Louis's son, Charlie Hall, played for NW through 2018-2019
 
Buie and Langborg could give us problems, but they will get tired chasing our offense and our length will disrupt their offense.
 
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This is the Murray scout game. Should be interesting to see how the offense operates.
 
I’d love to see a 20 point win, but I’m anticipating that the game may be competitive. This team without the 2 injured starters just beat an FAU that was in last years Final Four. They can shoot the three, and they have a stud performer. If we are on our game on both ends we should be fine, but have to defend the three.
 
BFieldHusky said:
They have no depth. I think we wear them down on the offensive end with all of our motion. Rotate guys on Buie. And ATTACK him on defense. He knows he can't get in foul trouble.
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Would NW play zone for long stretches and hope we get cold from 3?

They will have to roll the dice somewhere.
 
The Yakk said:
Would NW play zone for long stretches and hope we get cold from 3?

They will have to roll the dice somewhere.
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Somebody will figure out that this is what you have to do. You're not going to slow down our cutting and screening against a man defense, but that stuff isn't as effective as a zone, and in that case you're just counting on one thing to go wrong for us (bad outside shooting). Not impossible at all to find Karaban 2-8, Spencer 2-7, Newton 1-6 in the same game. Unlikely, but possible.
 
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Tenspro2002 said:
Somebody will figure out that this is what you have to do. You're not going to slow down our cutting and screening against a man defense, but that stuff isn't as effective as a zone, and in that case you're just counting on one thing to go wrong for us (bad outside shooting). Not impossible at all to find Karaban 2-8, Spencer 2-7, Newton 1-6 in the same game. Unlikely, but possible.
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Doom-1.gif
 
Tenspro2002 said:
Somebody will figure out that this is what you have to do. You're not going to slow down our cutting and screening against a man defense, but that stuff isn't as effective as a zone, and in that case you're just counting on one thing to go wrong for us (bad outside shooting). Not impossible at all to find Karaban 2-8, Spencer 2-7, Newton 1-6 in the same game. Unlikely, but possible.
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Also they will be shooting over taller players-cant tell you how many times this year someone is shooting over Cling Kong and I say "nope" as its leaving their hands.
 
I'd like to see more Diarra defending the ball. Castle and him can lock it down and DC owning the middle on both ends.
 
Hey Adrien! said:
Northwestern (22-11)
#39 in KenPom
56th in D1 experience
80th in minutes continuity (52.9%)​

33rd in Offensive efficiency
  • 7th in turnover prevention
  • 7th w/ a 39.3 3P%; median in 3PA/FGA (36.7%)
    • However, less threes w/ Ty Berry out for year (2.4 3PM; 43.3 3P%)
    • Shot just 32% last season
  • 17th in A/FGM ratio (60%)
  • 74th w/ a 74.8 FT%; but just 267th in FT rate
  • 282nd in offensive rebounding rate
  • 328th in offensive tempo (18.9 seconds/possession)

55th in Defensive efficiency
  • 59th in FT rate
  • 129th defensive rebounding rate
  • 180th in opp. 2P% (50.5%)
  • 186th in 3PA/FGA (37.2%); 272nd in opp. 3P% (35.2%)
  • 309th in defensive tempo (18.1 seconds/possession)
  • 314th in FT rare prevention
  • 338th in A/FGM prevention (58.3%)

BIG TEN CONFERENCE STATS PER-GAME​

View attachment 98093

KEY INJURIES

Ty Berry 6’3 185 senior (Knee; out since Feb 7th)
  • 11.3p, 1.3s, 43.3 3P%

Matt Nicholson 7’0 280 senior (Foot)
  • 5.3p, 4.3r, 1.4b, 22.3 mpg
  • 2-3 record since injury on March 2nd

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP:

Boo Buie 6’2 180, fifth-year returnee

Ryan Langborg 6’4 195 grad transfer from Princeton

Nick Martinelli 6’7 200 sophomore
  • Joined starting lineup following Berry’s injury

Brooks Barnhizer 6’6 215 junior

Luke Hunger 6’10 255 sophomore
  • Joined starting lineup following Nicholson’s injury

FREQUENTLY USED BENCH PIECES - 24.6% minutes (301st in nation)

Blake Smith 6’6 175 sophomore walk-on

Blake Preston 6’9 240 grad transfer from Liberty

View attachment 98094

I’ve gotta give Northwestern head coach Chris Collins credit: the Wildcats have been a Big Ten doormat for nearly a century, but, despite the lofty academic prerequisites for recruits, Collins has recently led the Wildcats through its best stretch, earning two-straight NCAA tournament bids after reaching its first berth ever in 2017.

Throughout his eleven season tenure, Northwestern has been consistent in their style on both ends. On offense, the signature is slow-paced, mistake-limiting ball movement where all five guys are expected to pass well. On defense, Collins likes to grind down defenses and force isolation shot attempts of poor quality. Overall, Northwestern is a slow-paced team that, like what we saw against Florida Atlantic, is much more comfortable keeping the score in the 60s.

Northwestern’s success on the floor revolves around Big Ten First Team selection Boo Buie. The fifth-year returnee has always had an alpha-dynamism to his game and in his final season he made massive leaps in his three-point shooting (44.1% this season vs 32.6% across his first four seasons) to go along with his ability to create off the dribble. Whenever Northwestern needs a big shot, he’s the guy.

Big Ten Third Team and All-Defensive team selection Brooks Barnhizer is Northwestern’s best all-around performer. The 6’6 215 junior can do a little bit of everything on offense, but his bread and butter is penetrating inside and pulling up from mid-range. With length and strength, Barnhizer can defend the 1-through-4 with ease and is an excellent defensive rebounder and willing harasser on defense who possesses the team’s highest turnover rates.

Princeton grad transfer Ryan Langborg reminds me a lot of Cam Spencer on offense in the way he is constantly moving without the ball and his incredibly pretty three-point stroke. Langborg has been a one-year fill-in after Chase Audige graduated, who was one of the best perimeter defenders in the country, but Langborg’s D pales in comparison.

Speaking of defense, while Barnhizer is exceptional, the interior defense has taken a hit since starting center Matthew Nicholson got injured. The seven-footer was a physical defender and the team’s best rim protector. In his place, sophomore Luke Hunger and Liberty grad transfer Blake Preston have shared the center rotation with Hunger as the starter. Like Nicholson, don’t expect much on offense, but neither have the defensive capabilities and size of Nicholson, but both are very good rebounders. Expect a lot of scrap on each guy while Hunger isn’t afraid to let it rip from three.

Once Ty Berry was out for the year, sophomore Nick Martinelli joined the starting lineup. At 6’7, he brings more size to the startling lineup, but considering that only 19% of his shot attempts are from three, his lack of spacing provides less space for Buie and Barnhizer to create inside. An efficient, low-usage forward whose best attribute is offensive rebounding has allowed Collins to play with some small-ball rotations w/ Barnhizer at the 5, Martinelli at the 4 and walk-on sophomore Blake Smith at the 3.

Speaking of Smith, he went from a DNP to a regular bench piece in short order once Berry was on the mend. At 6’6 175, Smith is a high-energy, versatile defender and capable offensive rebounder for his size. He’s only shot the ball nine times from the field in the last eight games, so he’s as low-usage as you can get on offense.

In summary, with Northwestern’s recent injuries, they’ve hunkered down to an even slower, grittier style of play with their offensive focus orbiting around Buie, Barnhizer and Langborg. Northwestern is an unselfish, well-coached and disciplined team but does not match the talent and depth of the Huskies. Faced with injuries, Smith and Preston have stepped up, but the reality is that they play just five guys who have been in the rotation all season.
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You forgot to mention Barnhizer (at least in the first game) took a couple of cheap shots he got away with.....is that why his defense is exceptional?
 
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FfldCntyFan said:
Their drama program was like a who's who from Hollywood. Far too many to name but among others:

Charlton Heston, Jennifer Jones, Tony Randall, Cloris Leachman, Patricia Neal, McLean Stevenson and hundreds of others who were famous, somewhat famous or little known in moves, television and theater.
Expand ...
Good thing this isn't an acting contest.
 
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