Some NW fans are calling this the biggest game in the history of their program because they have the beatable Minny,IU and PSU coming to Evanston...and Iowa is a RPI-killer if you lose.
I agree that if they lose tonite to Iowa, their NCAA hopes are dead.
They are hanging by a thread as it is...Lunardi says he has a better chance of getting a date with Scarlett Johannsen than NW has of getting in...and he ain't Brad Pitt.
So, whatever, NW will be fired up tonite..they have lost 7 of their last 9 a Carver and lick has beaten them both times at Iowa.
As an Iowa fan I have faint memories of being a nervous wreck this time of year...like in 06 when we went to NW with the Big Ten title within our grasp,and we had some walkon hit a 3 bounce three pointer at the buzzer to kill our hopes to break the 27 year title drought.
So, like most Iowa fans, I feel dead inside in terms of anxiety about any games..just like the last two years at this time...now, that does suck,but it may mean with zero pressure,Iowa players will shoot lites out,while a super uptight NW will be brick-city all nite...hope so.
On defense,NW plays about 70% 1-3-1 half court zone trap..extended out to pressure the ballhandlers and try to keep the ball above the free throw line. Key will be for Cully,matt and Eric to split the traps and find some way to get it to Aaron and Jarryd down low ,where the diminutive Juice Thompson will have no shot of stopping them. Easier said than done tho,because they have the long-armed Shurna (6'8''),Nash(6'5'')and Crawford(6'5'') trapping on 6 foot Cully. Cully will be tested severely tonite...hope for the best.
On offense, NW plays a speedier version of the Princeton offense,it seems to me, now that they have a lot of skill out there.
Juice Thompson- 3 year starting pg is small but quick and strong with the ball, Cully will have his hands full.
Drew Crawford- odds on favorite for Frosh of the Year is multi-talented..can drive,shoot and finish well, also rebounds well...I put Eric May on him.
Jeremy Nash- senior is having a big senior season,improving his outside shot and very athletic...Matt Gatens ankle needs to be close to 100% to keep up.
John Shurna- Once again, Aaron Fuller draws the short straw and gets a tough cover. Shurna is a very good three point shooter and drive/dunker.
He is averaging almost 19 pts a game in conference,and is a likely surprise 1st team all league pick.
Luka Mirkovic- another in a long line of eruo-trash
,playing the frontcourt for NW...has come into his own this year,altho had good moments last year as a frosh. Has supplanted top 100 soph 7fter Rowley as center this year. Wily around the basket,good hands, decent shooter, wiry rebounder...Jarryd needs to body him up and hope they let him get physical.
NW has a deep bench with Rowley,Curletti,Cappocio,Markotullious(sp),Fruendt,Pejulusic ect....even tho losing Coble and Ryan to season-ending injury.
Gut-check time for the Hawks...they are due for a good shooting game,but in their zone it seems like they are most vulnerable inside.
Aaron Fuller and Jarryd Cole need to do some damage inside. Brennan needs to make a couple of threes and pass the ball well...in fact passing well is the only way we win vs this trapping zone...
I think the Hawks extinguish NW's hopes for the Big Dance tonite...but I am an incurable optimist....Go Hawks!!
Iowa 58 NW 57....on a shot at the buzzer....karma is a *****...eat it Fitz!
I agree that if they lose tonite to Iowa, their NCAA hopes are dead.
They are hanging by a thread as it is...Lunardi says he has a better chance of getting a date with Scarlett Johannsen than NW has of getting in...and he ain't Brad Pitt.
So, whatever, NW will be fired up tonite..they have lost 7 of their last 9 a Carver and lick has beaten them both times at Iowa.
As an Iowa fan I have faint memories of being a nervous wreck this time of year...like in 06 when we went to NW with the Big Ten title within our grasp,and we had some walkon hit a 3 bounce three pointer at the buzzer to kill our hopes to break the 27 year title drought.
So, like most Iowa fans, I feel dead inside in terms of anxiety about any games..just like the last two years at this time...now, that does suck,but it may mean with zero pressure,Iowa players will shoot lites out,while a super uptight NW will be brick-city all nite...hope so.
On defense,NW plays about 70% 1-3-1 half court zone trap..extended out to pressure the ballhandlers and try to keep the ball above the free throw line. Key will be for Cully,matt and Eric to split the traps and find some way to get it to Aaron and Jarryd down low ,where the diminutive Juice Thompson will have no shot of stopping them. Easier said than done tho,because they have the long-armed Shurna (6'8''),Nash(6'5'')and Crawford(6'5'') trapping on 6 foot Cully. Cully will be tested severely tonite...hope for the best.
On offense, NW plays a speedier version of the Princeton offense,it seems to me, now that they have a lot of skill out there.
Juice Thompson- 3 year starting pg is small but quick and strong with the ball, Cully will have his hands full.
Drew Crawford- odds on favorite for Frosh of the Year is multi-talented..can drive,shoot and finish well, also rebounds well...I put Eric May on him.
Jeremy Nash- senior is having a big senior season,improving his outside shot and very athletic...Matt Gatens ankle needs to be close to 100% to keep up.
John Shurna- Once again, Aaron Fuller draws the short straw and gets a tough cover. Shurna is a very good three point shooter and drive/dunker.
He is averaging almost 19 pts a game in conference,and is a likely surprise 1st team all league pick.
Luka Mirkovic- another in a long line of eruo-trash
,playing the frontcourt for NW...has come into his own this year,altho had good moments last year as a frosh. Has supplanted top 100 soph 7fter Rowley as center this year. Wily around the basket,good hands, decent shooter, wiry rebounder...Jarryd needs to body him up and hope they let him get physical.NW has a deep bench with Rowley,Curletti,Cappocio,Markotullious(sp),Fruendt,Pejulusic ect....even tho losing Coble and Ryan to season-ending injury.
Gut-check time for the Hawks...they are due for a good shooting game,but in their zone it seems like they are most vulnerable inside.
Aaron Fuller and Jarryd Cole need to do some damage inside. Brennan needs to make a couple of threes and pass the ball well...in fact passing well is the only way we win vs this trapping zone...
I think the Hawks extinguish NW's hopes for the Big Dance tonite...but I am an incurable optimist....Go Hawks!!
Iowa 58 NW 57....on a shot at the buzzer....karma is a *****...eat it Fitz!
