[NU Sports] NU BB

[Sportsbiz]

Michael,
Welcome to active participation.  Your comments are spot on for the most
part.  What we seeing is a 1-3-1 designed with Luka and Coble in mind and
being used with the best available personnel.  The switch to man to man for
much of the Purdue was effective but that was in great part due to the
match-ups being favorable.  With Surna being a small forward albeit 6'8''
and Crawford a guard in a forward's body there is no real second low post
defender, although Surna has done a decent job on most of the opposition's
second best big man.  It is that weakness that BC is trying to cover up with
the 1-3-1 and to a great extent it works.  It didn't cost us the Wisconsin
or Illinois games, - those were late game breakdowns on the perimeter,
together with failure to convert free throws when needed at the end.  MSU is
just better than we are, period, but that's true of probably every other Big
Ten school too.

I remain very optimistic about our chances of making the tournament this
season.  Purdue showed what can happen when we follow the game plan and
maintain our composure at the end of a game when the other team makes its
inevitable run.  Making your free throws is a wonderful thing.

Mark



On Sun, Jan 17, 2010 at 5:15 PM, Michael Jackson <bondscoop at gmail.com>wrote:

> I am mostly a lurker on this list.  I have been an NU sports fan since I
> went there in the early 1970's.  My wife and I had season tickets for years
> to both football and basketball.  We lived through some horrible years and
> have enjoyed the good years.  Fortunately, the good years are here now in
> not just football and basketball but also many other sports.
>
>
>
> A few years ago, we moved away from Evanston.  The list has been a good
> source of information about NU sports.  Recently, the list has taken a turn
> for the worse.  It seems that too much time is spent cutting down other
> people's opinions rather than adding something of substance. I would hope
> that we keep the topic on the sports teams and away from opinions about
> politics or the mental abilities of other members of the list.
>
>
>
> FWIW, I would like to add my own opinion about our basketball team.  I have
> watched most of the games on the Big Ten Network.  It is not the same as
> seeing the team in person, but it is the best I  can do now.
>
>
>
> A center on a team employing the Princeton offense needs to be a good
> high-post passer and screener.  It helps if he has a solid outside shot to
> keep defenders from sagging to stop the cutters.  Luka Mirkovic is that
> type
> of player.  His passing is excellent and his screening is very good.  His
> outside shot is decent but not strong enough.  Considering that the center
> is a high post player, Luka's offensive rebounding is very good.  What Luka
> really does best is passing the ball.  Many of the good shots NU gets are
> due to a good pass by Luka.  He runs the offense well.  Rowley is not the
> perfect Princeton center.  He is slow and has no outside shot.  His
> rebounding and screening have improved but he is still a liability.
>
>
>
> My biggest complaint on defense is the 1-3-1 zone that NU employs.  It
> requires the center to be very versatile while being a good low post
> defender.  When Rowley is in and NU is in the 1-3-1, we see his weaknesses
> magnified.  He can't move quickly and is often out of position defensively.
> Luka is really a power forward not a center.  He moves well and does an
> adequate job defending even though he is not the best low post defender.
> His defensive rebounding has improved greatly over last year.  He is
> excelling in blocking shots as well.  If a team has two big men, the 1-3-1
> is not a good defense.  Then often the second big man is guarded by the 1
> of
> the 1-3-1.  That is usually a quick guard who has to move from side to side
> to cover the outside corner shot.  He is outmatched if a low post man gets
> the ball when he is the nearest defender.  Many of the problems NU has with
> big men occur in that situation.
>
>
>
> The team has done more man-to-man lately.  That has improved their defense
> greatly.  It has also put men in position to get the rebound.  You can see
> that from the stats. The real weakness in the 1-3-1 is that one of the
> rebounders is the small guard who must cover both corners.  The 1-3-1 also
> doubles the shooter, leaving fewer NU rebounders.
>
>
>
> This team has potential to get us to the next step.  There are a number of
> shooters who can take over a game.  We have a slasher to break down
> defenses.  The key to our success is defensive rebounding.  We need to
> limit
> other teams to only one shot.  Luka, Shurna and Crawford have stepped up
> their rebounding game.  It is making a difference.
>
>
>
> I enjoy watching the games much more that previous years.  We have had the
> chance to win most of our games.  The team is also improving as it goes on.
> I would enjoy the season more if I learned more about the team from those
> posting.  I care not to hear what one poster thinks about another.  Leave
> that to the next face-to-face.  Save the rest of us from having to listen
> in
> to your petty grievances.
>
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
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> nwu-sports at tssi.com
> http://romaine.tssi.com/mailman/listinfo/nwu-sports
>



Mark S. Ament
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