[NU Sports] Wildcats 70, Stanford 62

[Dennis W. Brandt]

Last night was just the second game I've watched this season, and I must 
admit that this was a different team than the one that Butler embarrassed. 
Shurna looked positively reinvented, the frosh are contributing from the 
bench (something I frankly cannot recall seeing in a Northwestern basketball 
team), Nash has improved offensively while retaining his defensive prowess, 
and Thompson is still Thompson.  It would be nice to have someone the 
caliber of Landry Fields, though.  We still can't rebound because we don't 
have a center.  We rebounded unusually well last night, but I think 
reflected Stanford's weakness in that area and doubt we'll have that kind of 
board success in the Big Ten schedule.  We still don't have a center. 
Mirkovic is passable at best, and even the lighter-than-air version of 
Rawley is still the worst center in Division 1A.  I fear that if we live and 
die by the three and foul shooting, we will die more often than live.  And 
for lord's sake, let's beat Penn State twice (three including the 
tournament?) this season.  We haven't swept them since they entered the Big 
Ten.