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bga1

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One whole week after a victory to prepare the squad for the unorthodox Northwestern game plan. This is a big positive, much better than having to focus on another team all week and then getting two days to work on the Cats.
 

I agree. We always seem to have troubles against Northwestern's defense, and I like the extra time we have to prepare. The only problem I foresee is that they may be looking ahead to MSU and a rematch with Illinois, and underestimate a constantly-scrappy NW team.
 

Haven't watched a ton of NU this year, but are they using the 1-3-1 as much? It seemed like they were playing mainly man-to-man when I was watching em last. The 1-3-1 has just killed us in the past.
 

I watched a small part of the NU / MSU game. Looked like the same NU defense, extended zone almost to half court and constantly trying to trap. I am nervous about the young Gopher guards turning the ball over. I long for the days of Al Nolen.
 

Bga1, I think your take is spot on about the week of preparation. I think we'll need all of it to ready this team for that 1-3-1. I don't care what NW's been doing defensively up until this point in the season, there is a major track record of effectiveness with the 1-3-1 against our Gophers. I too am concerned about our lack of true ball handling ability with our guards. I think Julian and Maverick must be in control on Sunday. I believe it best to leave Dre on the bench this game the way he's been playing (bull in a china store). We're also going to need Coleman, Armelin, and Austin to really be hitting the gaps to retrieve passes and with the drive and dish in order to have any success against Northwestern. I believe we'll handle them on the inside with Elliot and to a lesser degree Ralph. I can assure you that Curletti is not going to dominate us like he did against Mich. St. That was a fluke. Any ideas of how to handle Shurna? I think you put Austin in his jock.
 


Madman said:
Bga1, I think your take is spot on about the week of preparation. I think we'll need all of it to ready this team for that 1-3-1. I don't care what NW's been doing defensively up until this point in the season, there is a major track record of effectiveness with the 1-3-1 against our Gophers. I too am concerned about our lack of true ball handling ability with our guards. I think Julian and Maverick must be in control on Sunday. I believe it best to leave Dre on the bench this game the way he's been playing (bull in a china store). We're also going to need Coleman, Armelin, and Austin to really be hitting the gaps to retrieve passes and with the drive and dish in order to have any success against Northwestern. I believe we'll handle them on the inside with Elliot and to a lesser degree Ralph. I can assure you that Curletti is not going to dominate us like he did against Mich. St. That was a fluke. Any ideas of how to handle Shurna? I think you put Austin in his jock.
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Definitely put Rodney on Shurna. Doesn't he play the 4 for NW?
 

I'd be good with Rodney or Austin. Length is crucial against Shurna as he's taller and longer than one would think. Every time I watch him I'm shocked at how effective he can be for looking like such a dufus.
 


920/414 Gopher said:
Relatively speaking, you could pretty much plug any Northwestern player into this sentence.
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While I agree for the most part, I always thought Juice Thompson seemed pretty poised on the court. He had a habit of tearing us apart, too.
 



MinneStoa said:
I agree. We always seem to have troubles against Northwestern's defense, and I like the extra time we have to prepare. The only problem I foresee is that they may be looking ahead to MSU and a rematch with Illinois, and underestimate a constantly-scrappy NW team.
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I would agree that in the past there has been some overlooking of teams such as NW where we subsequently have been tripped up by a lesser team. This year is an exception for the following reasons....
1. We're 2-4.... no reason on earth to be getting haughty and counting chickens before they've hatched.
2. NW is coming off one of there most significant wins in the existence of their program by knocking off Michigan State. If we were to beat Mich. St. this year... it would be close to the significance of our shocking win at Indiana. If that didn't get the attention of our team and the rest of the B1G I don't know what will.
3. We have a history of struggling against NW's unorthodox style and their 1-3-1 defense.
4. If the B1G has proved anything this year is that no game on the schedule can be taken for granted.
5. We're 0-2 at home this year. Can't afford another major missed opportunity.

If there is any silver lining about starting the conference season at 0-4 it is exactly the point I'm trying to make.... we're behind the eight ball here and there's no room for screw-ups. This squad's gotta be comin' out every game with this in their heads. Cue the music....

"If you had one shot or one opportunity to seize everything you ever wanted in one moment would you capture it or just let it slip.... YO."

The week of preparation will get this team ready and no one will come out taking this game lightly.
 

1-3-1 zone trap. Do you bring Ralph up to the free throw line to help against the trap, or do you go small and replace him with Mav at the point and Welsh at the off guard? I think we need the board help with Ralph, throw over the top for the corner 3 and get cuts to the basket with Hollins, Coleman, and Williams.
Put Rodney on the geek. I think we blow the Cats off the floor.
 

NU

Yes, they have to be the most unattractive B1G team.

And Shurna, he releases the ball in a strange way. It is more of a flick, out from his chest, like a pass. Someone should figure out how to take advantage of that and block some of his shots.
 




NU playing man-to-man against Wisconsin. No zone for most of the first half.
 

It is amazing how this NW squad somehow manages to equalize the athletic gap between themselves and their opponents. I'm not necessarily talking about Wisconsin, as they are not very athletic. Maybe it has something to do with their superior intellects.
 

Madman said:
It is amazing how this NW squad somehow manages to equalize the athletic gap between themselves and their opponents. I'm not necessarily talking about Wisconsin, as they are not very athletic. Maybe it has something to do with their superior intellects.
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Or they are "deceptively athletic"
 

NU in zone and Wisconsin makes a run. Announcers commenting NU only has 7 players so they will not play the trapping zone long as it takes too much energy.
 

Gopher in Texas said:
NU in zone and Wisconsin makes a run. Announcers commenting NU only has 7 players so they will not play the trapping zone long as it takes too much energy.
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I did hear that. So NW is playing with only 7 scholarship players. Who's injured for them... and will he be available on Sunday?
 

Can't wait to see Coleman take advantage of the 1-3-1. He should be the leading scorer again. It a dream come true for a baseline runner.
 


RS up high with Coleman and Williams down low in a 2-1-2 set should work to their strength's. Assuming our guards can handle the pressure.

I look for NU to use the 1-3-1 right away and see how we handle it. TO's have been a problem and could be against NU.
 

Ralph will post up at the top of the key and NU will get picked apart by cutters. It happened last year at the barn and the Gophers were awful.
 

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