Devastation in Evanston

I sat there on one of the old wooden benches at Welsh-Ryan Area long after the final buzzer sounded. The scoreboard, per usual, said at all. Ohio State 75, Northwestern 73. Another close game, another frenetic finish and another loss for the Wildcats. Home court advantage is supposed to give a team a solid boost in exactly this kind of game, but I’m not sure you can even count the number of close Northwestern losses at home on one hand: Illinois, Purdue, Michigan, and now, Ohio State. Well, I guess one hand will work, but barely. I wish I could say I was the last one out of the stadium, and come across as deeply stoic in the face of defeat, but in this case, many devastated Northwestern fans stuck around. It was an eerie site, once upon a time you could barely convince fans to come into the building. Last night, you couldn’t get them to leave. That’s what a close game does to you, that’s the aftermath of heartbreak. All I saw around me was fellow Wildcats fans refusing to leave those uncomfortable benches, staying to serenade John Shurna with one last chant, sticking around to mull over the loss for one more second.

It’s funny because this was a game that Northwestern had no business winning anyway. Ohio State was in control nearly the entire way through. The Buckyes completely dominated the paint, as well as the glass. When it wasn’t Jared Sullinger scoring at will, it was Deshaun Thomas. Sullinger finished with an astounding 11 offensive rebounds, a number that is unfathomable in its enormity. He ended up notching 22 points and 18 rebounds. Thomas had 19 points and 10 rebounds. Overall, the Wildcats were out-rebounded 42-16. It’s awfully hard to win a game when you are absolutely helpless down low as Northwestern was on Wednesday. It goes beyond the numbers. Heck, Sullinger was scoring at will. He was hitting mid-range jumpers, with no one in his face. He was finishing off alley-oop plays. And then, on that final play, it was quite fitting as Sullinger received a down-court heave, and effortlessly banked the game-winner home.

For Northwestern, it was simply the latest chapter in a severely disappointing season down low. When the season started, we felt like between Luka Mirkovic and Davide Curletti, the Wildcats had to have one of the better front courts in the Big Ten. Sure, neither had ever been great, but their experience would win out, particularly with Jon Leuer, Trevor Mbakwe and JaJuan Johnson all departing. That has been anything but the case. Ralph Sampson III of Minnesota has been better. As have Meyers Leonard of Illinois, Cody Zeller of Indiana and Ryan Evans of Wisconsin. Really, the only teams Northwestern is capable of contending with in the paint are Penn State, Iowa and Nebraska, which is embarrassing to say the least. Luka Mirkovic has been out for the past month, and his boundless energy is sorely missed, if not his questionable skill. As for Davide Curletti, he has been nearly invisible since his monstrous performance against Michigan State. You always talk about being a triple threat in basketball, with the ability to drive, shoot and pass, or for post players, the ability to post up, shoot and pass, but Curletti isn’t even a double threat. He is quite literally a single threat, which is no threat at all to opposing big men. He rarely posts up and has shown little inclination to take the shot; instead, he usually just stands on the elbow, and doesn’t even act as if he wants the ball, immediately looking to pass it off.

That makes life incredibly easy on a defense, as any defender can predict his next move. It’s little wonder Sullinger had so much energy on offense when he was so untested on the other end. Curletti isn’t all that good a rebounding threat either; indeed, the one minute span of time in which he grabbed a defensive board and scooped up a loose ball came across as practically miraculous. While Curletti may lack the size and talent of some of the conference’s best big men, I think he can be better, but it starts with playing with more aggression, driving to the hoop, and actually presenting yourself as a threat. Northwestern needs more out of him. The one thing that was nice about Mirkovic is he was aggressive if nothing else.

In general, Northwestern makes life fairly easy on a defense. With the exception of the backdoor pass, it’s fairly obvious where the Wildcats are going to pass the ball. Whenever Drew Crawford drives into the lane, and finds a man in his way, he’ll pass it to the closest player on the arc. Same goes for all of the Northwestern players. That combined with their inability to catch the ball limits what the Wildcats can do on offense. There was one particularly embarrassing play on Wednesday when John Shurna received the ball in the paint on an inbounds play, in perfect position to score, but the ball slipped right through his hands. While the Wildcats struggled to hang onto the simple passes, the Buckeyes were flinging the ball all across the court, not without error, they did finish with 16 turnovers, but their rapid ball movement also led to a very high number of points.

Part of the glory of the Buckeyes’ rapid ball movement, and the reason why it works, is that any one of their players are capable of putting the ball in the basket, something that cannot be said for the Wildcats. Four Ohio State players finished in double-digits Wednesday, while Northwestern relied on 45 points from John Shurna and Drew Crawford combined. The rest of the Wildcats combined to score just 28 points. Give Crawford credit. I thought he was fantastic. His three-pointer was as on as it has been all season, as he drained four-of-six from behind the arc. He drove to the hoop beautifully, and finished with some really impressive layups. Other than Shurna and Crawford, who have multiple ways of hurting you, the Wildcats have few pure scorers. Alex Marcotullio can shoot but is capable of little else, Dave Sobloewski can create his own shot but is prone to quiet nights as a freshman and JerShon Cobb has the talent to create his own shot but it’s not there yet. That leaves it up to Crawford and Shurna on far too many occasions.

It’s rare that you’ll hear me complain about officiating on this blog. I think that referees have an unbelievably difficult job. A thankless job, really. No one notices the 90 percent of calls that they get right, and everyone moans and groans on the rare occasion when they miss a call. Heck, everyone moans and groans whether the referees made the right call or not. So, I understand it’s hard on the referees, but I will say that I thought the officiating on Wednesday was atrocious. The way the referees called this game, I’m not sure how one is supposed to defend an elite big man like Jared Sullinger. If you can’t put your hands up, poke check the ball and occasionally give a little push, then how are you supposed to stop anyone in this conference? This is the Big Ten. It’s a physical conference. Let them play. On the other side of the ball, I saw mistakes as well. I still am not sure how Alex Marcotullio ended up with only three personal fouls. He was clawing at ball-handlers the entire game, frequently hacking them 80 feet from the basket. I know it’s frustrating when your team can’t grab a rebound, but when Ohio State has come down with the ball, you can’t just hit the guy. You need to run back and play defense. Marcotullio was far too wild with his hands on Wednesday night. Similarly, I thought the referees missed a foul when Reggie Hearn was nearly pushed out-of-bounds as he was crossing the timeline. Listen, I’m not one of those fans who moans over every call. All of Welsh-Ryan Arena went berserk when Shurna fell to the ground late in the game on a layup attempt. The whole crowd wanted a foul on Sullinger. In my opinion, Shurna was the one who tried to push-off, he gave Sullinger a stiffarm, and besides if Shurna is not fast enough to get around Sullinger, I’m not sure he deserves the bucket anyway. But there’s no doubt the referees let the Buckeyes get away with a lot of physical play Wednesday, and didn’t help the Wildcats out when it came to the already difficult task of stopping Sullinger in the paint.

So let’s talk about the end of Wednesday’s game. I was highly impressed with the fight Northwestern showed in coming back. The Wildcats were down 70-58 with 5:39 to go and somehow came back, mainly with terrific defense, holding the Buckeyes to just five points over the final five and a half minutes. I thought JerShon Cobb was fantastic on the defensive end, particularly on that one play with 17 seconds remaining in which he ripped the ball away from Deshaun Thomas. Already up three, if Thomas is able to hang onto that ball, Ohio State could seal the game with a free throw or two. Instead, Cobb’s steal gave the Wildcats a chance to tie it up, and sure enough, Marcotullio evened the score on a three-pointer that I’m still not sure he should have taken. With more time on the shot clock, and standing so far from the hoop, Marcotullio perplexed me with his shot selection, but it went in, so God bless him. I guess that’s a shooter’s instinct. He can’t resist the chance to tie it right there. Unfortunately, by taking the shot before he had to, Ohio State had time to respond, and with seven seconds, the Buckeyes were easily able to get the ball into Sullinger, who had good position on Cobb. The Wildcats sophomore went for the steal, which turned out to be a fatal choice, because once Sullinger had it, he was able to spin around and hit the layup, practically uncontested. It’s hard to fault Cobb for going for the steal, particularly when it’s dubious that he could have defended Sullinger, even for three seconds, one on one, but I would have liked to have seen him remain behind Sullinger, so at least, he could maybe draw a charge, or get a hand in Sullinger’s face. Instead, by coming up short on the steal, he took himself out of the play.

But you can’t blame Cobb. He was actually a pleasant surprise on Wednesday. Instead, you can blame all the little things the Wildcats did wrong earlier in the game, errors that seemed to be trifles at the time, but appear much more glaring in the wake of a two-point loss. Crawford missed four out of five free-throws at the line. Shurna missed all of his early three-point attempts, allowing Ohio State to grab the early lead. And then there was all the timeouts the Wildcats had to burn early, particularly when they couldn’t inbound the ball with approximately five minutes remaining. Those timeouts really could have come in handy towards the end. With a timeout in store, Carmody could have called for a break immediately after Sullinger made his game-winner, and crafted the Wildcats’ response. Instead, with three seconds remaining, a live clock whirring and no timeouts, Northwestern had to speed down the court, and pray that a desperation heavy by Shurna would go in. It didn’t. And so heartbreak ensued. And so a +9 advantage in turnovers and seven extra points from behind the arc (Ohio State actually scored six more points off of field goals, but Northwestern had the edge when you factor in its extra seven three-pointers) went to waste.

You have to give Bill Carmody and Tavaras Hardy credit for what they have created in Evanston. It took a decade but they have created a real excitement about basketball at Northwestern. The student section has been absolutely packed the last three or four home games, which at any other school would mark nothing new, but at Welsh-Ryan Arena, represents a refreshing change from the half-filled bleachers of yore. Traffic now snakes miles down Central Street before tipoff; in fact, for the second straight game, I had to abandon my car in Wilmette just to get to the game in time. I remember when I first arrived in Evanston, I could show up right at game time, and end up with a front-row seat. Now, there’s barely a spot in the student section for latecomers. Northwestern has begun to create that ultimate small-gym feel, with the fans absolutely packed in on the benches right behind the two baselines, and the resulting noise absolutely reverberating around the building. When Alex Marcotullio hit the game-tying three with seven seconds remaining in regulation, it sounded like a real arena should. It sounded like college basketball. That’s an excitement that Carmody and the boys worked hard to earn, with three consecutive NIT bids and a surge to the bubble finally creating that elusive home atmosphere that athletic director Jim Phillips has been dreaming about for years.

That being said, I have a challenge for Wildcats fans. If you really care about this team, then let’s head down to Iowa City. As the Northwestern players exited the court Wednesday, I implored them to give the same effort at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. If they do, they will win the game. But if we want them to give the same energy in Iowa City, shouldn’t we? Opposing fans have long filled the upper rafters of Welsh-Ryan Arena, and time after time, as the game has slipped away from the Wildcats, we’ve had to endure their chants, their mockery and their celebrations. Meanwhile, Northwestern has the worst fan presence on the road imaginable. I’ll never forget that on my trip to Mackey Arena, literally just a couple-hours drive from Evanston, there was hardly a purple-clad fan in the building. If you believe in this team, and like me, you insist that the dream has yet to die, then come out with me to Carver-Hawkeye Arena and we’ll show this team that we still believe in them.

Disappointment in Champaign

I hate to put a damper on Illinois’ win over Iowa, but after watching that game, it has become clear to me that the Fighting Illini are the biggest disappointment in the Big Ten. Their six-game losing streak has knocked them out of NCAA Tournament contention, Big Ten Tournament miracle aside, and their 6-10 conference record can only be regarded as an abysmal letdown. They have a player in Brandon Paul, who has NBA talent, as evidenced by the number of difficult jump shots he hit against the Hawkeyes. They have a guy in Meyers Leonard, who has been performing at an unbelievably high level of late. His leaping ability, dunking ability and blocking ability all stand out immediately, and his fantastic dunk over Iowa’s Zach McCabe was awfully fun to watch. I’ve long thought that McCabe is nothing more than a mediocre interior player within the Big Ten, and as much as Leonard gets under my skin at times, it was fun to watch him assert his superiority on Sunday. His blocks were even more impressive, particularly during one 30-second span, when Leonard posted two highlight-reel blocks in a row. You simply cannot go for simple layups when Leonard is under the basket. He is such a reliable shot blocking threat, to an extent unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. And yet, this Fighting Illini team continues to underachieve, even Sunday, when it let the Hawkeyes hang around, in no small part due to Illinois’ 17 team turnovers. You wouldn’t think it would be that hard to simply feed the ball inside to Leonard, and for Leonard to whip it back out to the perimeter. For Christ’s sake, Northwestern relies far more on cross-court passes, and risky backdoor plays. If anyone should be turning the ball over, it’s the Wildcats, not the Fighting Illini. But on Sunday, Brandon Paul showed off tremendous arm strength and even greater inaccuracy when he hurled a pass to Leonard about 10 feet over Leonard’s head, an impressive accomplishment when you consider how tall Leonard is. The pass landed in the second row of the stands behind Illinois’ bench. Small wonder the Fighting Illini are dead last in the Big Ten with 13.8 turnovers per game.

Living On A Prayer

Northwestern 67 – Penn State 66

First of all, my apologies for not posting more of late. I’ve been really occupied this week with my work for Pro Football Weekly. We’ve been at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis all week, and between the 9-7 days at Lucas Oil Stadium and the long nights of writing at the Comfort Suites across the street, there hasn’t been much time to think about anything other than the NFL. But I figure as long as I’m on the blog tonight, speaking about Northwestern’s win over Penn State, I might as well make a few remarks about the Combine. I’ll try to say something more poetic later, but I should say that I was struck by the similarities between the young kids I was interviewing and myself. At this point, you might be rolling your eyes and smacking your forehead, but I’m serious. Sure, my 40 time would probably be greater than five seconds and my height and weight is more fitting for a career on the links, but beyond the obvious gap in athleticism, there are some serious similarities. Most of us are college seniors. We are all surrounded by the most elite members of our profession and we are all hoping to make a winning impression. In my case, I’m surrounded by some of the most talented sports journalists in the country, big shots like Chris Mortensen and Rachel Nichols, as well as lesser known print journalists, and I’m simply trying to prove I belong. And like the athletes, I’m simply honored to be at the Combine, as hard as I might have to work there, as stressful as it might be. Wisconsin punter Bradley Nortman probably said it best when he told a couple of us:

It’s a thrill, it really is, it’s once in a lifetime. So few get to be part of something this special, something this busy, something that has this much impact on their life, and you know everything about it, I’m just excited to be a part of and to be given an opportunity like this, I’m very blessed.

Back to the important things in life like Northwestern basketball, let me just start by saying that Bon Jovi’s timeless mantra has never seemed more fitting than tonight. Except instead of living on a prayer, it’s living on a call, as a whistle in the final seconds sent John Shurna to the free-throw line with a chance to tie or win the game. He drained both shots, providing the decisive margin in Northwestern’s 67-66 victory over Penn State.

First of all, no matter what Penn State coach Patrick Chambers might think, I believe that the referees absolutely made the right call. There’s little doubt in my mind that Shurna was fouled after he hoisted up his prayer of a jump shot, if not earlier when he received the entry pass. Replays showed fairly conclusively in my opinion that one of the two defenders hit Shurna on the arm. Right call or not, Chambers certainly embarrassed himself when he tried to chase the referees off the court. Thank God his assistant got in his way and held him back, because it seemed to me like he was about to do something that would bring great shame on Penn State. He had nothing to be so angry about. It was certainly a close call, and by no means, a blown call. If he was angry at anybody, his rage should have been directed toward his defender, who made the mistake of fouling Shurna on a very difficult jump shot attempt. As for Shurna, give him credit, not only for draining the free throws but for drawing the foul. Just snatching that entry pass away from the double-team was impressive, and then he had the presence of mind to realize that with the way the defenders were hounding him, a shot would likely result in a foul. I can’t say, of course, whether or not he was thinking that, but it certainly seemed like a smart play from my vantage point, and a brilliant way of working his way to the free-throw line. And then for a guy who has struggled on his free throws at times this season to swish the two biggest free throws of his life, well, it was impressive. Northwestern obviously needed this win, and now at 7-9, the Wildcats remain alive in the hunt for March Madness. My recipe remains clear. One win against Iowa or Ohio State and one win in the Big Ten Tournament should do it. Two regular-season wins or postseason wins would clinch it. And let’s face it, Northwestern fans are just grateful to be able to talk tournament hopes seriously after that scare in Happy Valley. We’re also happy to win at the Bryce Jordan Center for the first time in a very long time. Two wins over the Nittany Lions this season should put an end to the hex that Penn State has had over us in recent years.

The end of the Northwestern-Penn State game was hardly pretty, but it wasn’t the ugliest ending of the day. I would have to give that award to North Carolina and Virginia. An excellent game turned pretty ugly in the second half with a myriad of missed shots, including two missed threes by the Cavaliers in the final minute. Virginia had multiple open chances from behind the arc, and was absolutely unable to hit the big shot. I’ll give credit to Tyler Zeller for his thunderous dunk in the last minute, but at the same time, let’s face it, a fairly mediocre shot fake somehow sent the defense stumbling. It was as much bad defense from the Cavaliers as good offense from the Tar Heels. North Carolina continues to look like something far less than a Dream Team at this point in the season.

Also, my question of the day, does St. John’s have a chance at the NCAA Tournament after defeating a ranked Notre Dame team at home? It doesn’t look like it right now, as the Red Storm are just 13-16 on the season and 6-10 in the Big East. But wait, there’s more. Their final two games are on the road, against Pittsburgh and Rutgers, and if they are able to defeat two of the conference’s cellar-dwellers, they will enter the Big East Tournament on a five-game winning streak. Go on a bit of a run in the tournament, which of course ends on St. John’s home court at Madison Square Garden, and the Red Storm could have a chance. Yes, it’s a remote chance, but it’s not entirely outside of the realm of possibility.

And speaking of tournament talk, how about the Purdue Boilermakers, one of the hottest teams in the country, after a decisive win at No. 13 Michigan. At 9-7 in the Big Ten, and just one bad loss on the season (a 20-point defeat at the hands of Penn State), the Boilermakers should be set for March Madness. Assuming a win over Penn State and a loss to Indiana, which seems logical, they would have a 10-8 record in Big Ten play, and would certainly have the edge over a team like Northwestern, with their two wins over the Wildcats. Those games suddenly look increasingly crucial. If the Wildcats are able to snag either of those two games, then they might get a bid over the Boilermakers.

Cardiac Collapse Costs Cats Dearly

Michigan 67 – Northwestern 55 (OT)

I wish I could cry.

It’s not like the Wildcats’ wilting performance came as a surprise. With approximately 1:30 remaining in regulation in Northwestern’s overtime loss to Michigan, I texted my closest friend from high school, and guaranteed that the Wolverines would win. Let’s face this, Northwestern Nation, this Wildcats program, when it comes to the revenue-earning sports of football and basketball, is among the least clutch programs ever in sports history. If only someone could inject this bunch with the ice-cold blood that runs through the lacrosse program’s veins, as evidence in its one-goal defeats of both North Carolina and Maryland to win its sixth national title in seven years. Instead, try to think of the last time this basketball program won a game in the closing minutes. Sure, the Wildcats have stunned plenty of teams, but those victories have always come by six or seven points. When was the last time Northwestern hit a buzzer-beater, scored on that crucial final possession, and finished that drive to the hoop? The last time I can recollect is when a much younger, yet still very baby-faced, John Shurna hit a three to defeat Ohio State at Welsh-Ryan Arena. Since then, it has been unmitigated disaster after unmitigated disaster. Whether it’s Meyers Leonard swatting Drew Crawford or a missed Shurna three at the buzzer that rattles off both rims the result is always the same. Northwestern always loses.

It’s not like the Wildcats’ wilting performance came as a surprise.

You’ll have to forgive me for not using more stats in this article. I’m writing this post from the passenger seat of my 2011 Toyota Prius, stealthily stashed away in a Wilmette parking lot. The excitement was so great surrounding tonight’s game that I had to park here. The traffic down Central Street was too tremendous to navigate toward the stadium any further. I had to abandon the car, and walk the rest of the way. That’s how big a game this was. And the student body knew it too. It’s unfortunate that it’s considered a great achievement every time the purple and white-clad fans descend upon Welsh-Ryan Arena and Ryan Field, but that’s what this was. This was one of the few times when every seat was taken, and countless students arriving minutes late to the game found no place for them in the student section. One could wonder when they will expand seating for students at Welsh-Ryan Arena. One could certainly understand why miffed students, finding themselves rebuffed from sitting amongst their colleagues or anyone for that matter, would feel that way. But for now any plans to expand Welsh-Ryan Arena are a joke, particularly when you consider the way the stands are half-filled for most other Big Ten home games. As it was, I was fortunate to snare a seat on this occasion. If I had stayed in the car, I would have arrived at 7:30, too late to sit down, likely to be banished to … well, God knows where. My miraculous decision to park 10 minutes from the stadium saved the day. For me, anyway.

Now, it’s easy to imagine Northwestern fans turning away from Welsh-Ryan Arena after this game. Think about how many times the students have packed the arena, only to see their hometown heroes lose. Sure, there was that win over Michigan State. But more frequently, the fans come, only to see the Wildcats suffer devastating defeats to Ohio State, Michigan, Illinois and Purdue. But that’s no excuse to stay away. I believe that at this point, fans have to subscribe to the “If you build it, they will come” philosophy of sports team building. Fill up this stadium consistently and maybe the Wildcats will have a better shot at drawing top recruits. Fill up this stadium and perhaps the wins will come. Welsh-Ryan Arena has always been known as one of the softest road games in the Big Ten, and it’s up to us to change that. Packing the stadium three times a year doesn’t undo row after row of empty benches against Purdue or Iowa. If the fans want to turn Welsh-Ryan into a consistent locale for Wildcats victories, let’s start by turning this into one of the toughest home gyms in the Big Ten. I couldn’t care less if we have half the seats of Value City Arena. As we have seen over the past two games, when you pack a small gym like Welsh-Ryan Arena, and start screaming, the noise reverberates. The on-court results shouldn’t inspire us, but they shouldn’t turn us away either. And the atmosphere should inspire us, and let us know that Northwestern is capable of bringing the heat.

Heck, he even drained his free throws, which happens about as often as Bill Carmody keeps his suit jacket on for the whole game.

As for the game itself, Northwestern played such an inspired first half of basketball. Davide Curletti was nearly back to Michigan State form, driving aggressively to the hoop, backing down defenders and grabbing rebounds. He even added a few jump shots, including an impressive fadeaway jumper from the elbow that sent Welsh-Ryan Arena into a frenzy. Heck, he even drained his free throws, which happens about as often as Bill Carmody keeps his suit jacket on for the whole game. But, what I didn’t understand is why Curletti turned silent in the second half. Sure, he added another block or two, but when the game ticked down into the final minutes, Curletti played scared, resorting to his usual post at the elbow, and waiting to find open men to pass to, rather than taking it for himself. John Shurna disappeared too. After a fairly pedestrian 10-point performance in the first half, he was even quieter in the closing act. At one point, he hit a couple of clutch, spinning, whirling dervish shots from within the paint, and it looked like once again he would carry the Wildcats through the tough stretch, but then he inexplicably disappeared. Ever since an odd play, where Shurna came up short, and appeared to limp away from contact, he was not to be seen. I heard that he wasn’t injured, that his shoe simply fell off, but whatever the case, Shurna vanished. The rest of his shots were a junky collection of airballs. Drew Crawford disappeared too, presumably because of injury. Either way, he was virtually absent for nearly the entire second half, and then he was literally absent for the entire overtime period. Which meant that JerShon Cobb of all people ended up taking all the clutch shots as regulation ticked to a close. Why an unproven sophomore had the ball in his hands is a mystery to me.

Take his three-point attempt in the final minute of the game. With ten seconds remaining on the shot clock, the ball ends up in Cobb’s hands. You can’t blame him for shooting, not when John Shurna was stationed out by the top of the arc, a spectator rather than an active participant in the game. But, you can wonder if this is really the play the Wildcats called coming out of a timeout. Cobb, for all his accolades out of high school, has yet to prove himself as a legitimate three-point threat, so for him to take that shot, is a mystery. Yes, he was having a good game, and for that matter, I like what Cobb’s return has brought to Northwestern. His rebounding ability and defensive presence are greatly appreciated. Heck, I loved that one play Tuesday night when Cobb used what his mother gave him, as few players did, backed down his defender, and then faded away for an easy swish in the paint. It’s always mystified me why more players don’t use their butts to create shots, and Cobb did it beautifully Tuesday night. But even during his best performance of the season, he couldn’t knock down a three for his life. All of his sorry attempts bounced off the front rim, so it shouldn’t have come as any surprise when his late-game attempt did the very same. Give credit to Reggie Hearn. His presence on the offensive boards offers something new and exciting for the Cats, and when he secured that rebound, off pure hustle in the final minute, I actually thought Northwestern had a chance for a fleeting moment. That’s what the Wildcats have been missing all these years, but they blew the opportunity, giving the Wolverines the ball with the shot clock off. Unbelievably enough, because of Northwestern’s miserable 18-point performance in the second half, Michigan had a chance to win it at the buzzer. Give the Wildcats credit, they played perfect defense. They used their final foul to give with 4.7 seconds remaining. Then, they contested the Wolverines’ buzzer-beating three-point attempt so beautifully that the shot failed to find even the rim. They had a chance. The arena was rocking.

It felt similar to Pullman. Somehow, the Wildcats miraculously force overtime. The momentum should be coursing through their veins. John Shurna pumped his fist exiting the court following the final buzzer of regulation. Welsh-Ryan Arena was ready to witness a miracle. And then they came out as flat as you could possibly come out in overtime. On offense, it was a series of missed shots from Shurna, misses so bad that you wondered if he was injured, and turnovers. On defense, it was surrendering open three-pointers again and again to the Wolverines. Three three-pointers later and Michigan held a nine-point lead. Northwestern did its usual late-game tease, but per usual, it had dug itself a hole far too deep to climb its way out of. Why the Wildcats can’t figure out a way to set the tone in overtime on their home court is more than a bother, it’s a severe problem. Let’s face it, the Wolverines set the tone for the entire second half, as well as the entire overtime period. Whereas the Wildcats, led by Curletti, attacked the hoop early on, and forced Michigan to go over the limit just 13 minutes into the game, the offense looked dead in the latter two periods, allowing Michigan to confine it to the perimeter. On one of those perimeter plays, Reggie Hearn actually stepped up and hit a three-pointer, from well beyond the arc. I thought that might be the difference, as that gave the Wildcats a late lead. But the offense could never manage anything more. The Wolverines’ defense won the game.

Whatever it is, the Northwestern offense, so frequently lauded for its creativity, frequently seems to drift away in the clutch.

One could wonder why it’s always the opponent’s defense winning the game and not Northwestern’s. We saw it happen in Bloomington, when the Hoosiers and Wildcats were neck and neck entering the final minutes, and Indiana’s defense simply refused to allow Northwestern to score. The Wildcats were unable to do the same. I think, part of it, is that when push comes to shove, Northwestern lacks people who can drive to the basket and create their own shots. Part of it is a lack of ability in the clutch. Whatever it is, the Northwestern offense, so frequently lauded for its creativity, frequently seems to drift away in the clutch. Meanwhile, the 1-3-1 defense is fairly simple to understand. The way Northwestern runs it, the Wildcats don’t just sit in the 1-3-1, they try to apply a flurry of pressure on the ball-handler. The goal is to create turnovers, and against the Golden Gophers, it worked. Minnesota turned it over 21 times, and Northwestern won the game. Even when it forces bad passes, that cause the men on the wings to fumble for the ball, it has done its job, since that gives enough time for the defenders to cut back and cut off the open three-pointer. But fluid ball movement can defeat the 1-3-1 defense each and every time, and on Tuesday, the Wolverines managed to push the ball around the arc, and find the open man on the wings, enough times to win the game. Particularly in overtime. The amount of space Timmy Hardaway Jr. had on some of his three-point attempts was ridiculous. The Michigan shooters had all the time in the world to set their feet, and they cashed in. Give Northwestern credit, its interior defense has gotten much better. The Wildcats are blocking more shots than ever and they didn’t allow the Wolverines to control the paint. But they did allow Michigan to hit three-pointers in overtime that changed the course of the game.

But all of this scheming and work on the chalkboard doesn’t change the fact that Northwestern blew a golden chance tonight. And quite frankly, the Wildcats are running out of chances. Fast.

So, what happens now? Well, Northwestern isn’t done, no matter what the press says. Too many times this season, we’ve heard games described as must-win games (remember those home games against Illinois and Purdue) only to see the Wildcats lose and their tournament hopes remain alive. If they take care of business against Iowa and Penn State, which is easier said than done, they will finish with an 8-10 record in Big Ten play. That gives them a chance. With an 8-10 record, I wouldn’t be surprised if one Big Ten Tournament win was enough to make the NCAA Tournament. But all of this scheming and work on the chalkboard doesn’t change the fact that Northwestern blew a golden chance tonight. And quite frankly, the Wildcats are running out of chances. Fast.

Please forgive me if I have been overly dramatic. Please forgive me if I’ve made any mistakes of memory. This entire post has come from my head. I don’t have any access to stat sheets, here in my darkened car, off of Central Street. It’s only my head and I tonight. And tear ducts that are dried after watching far too many Northwestern games. That’s what this post was for, a chance to rant, empathize and mourn. And now it’s time to move on. Start your engines, Wildcats. It’s time to get this car in motion.

Time to Get Off The Schneid

After a long period of silence on the state of Northwestern basketball, I guess it’s time to suck it up and finally face what has happened in the past week. All of the momentum that the Wildcats derived from that three-game win streak has been lost. While Northwestern competed impressively in both West Lafayette and Bloomington, it has nothing to show for its efforts, except two close losses.

In both games, the Wildcats were close heading into the final few minutes, but simply got out-gunned in the home stretch. Against Purdue, Northwestern held a 55-54 lead with 7:44 remaining before the Boilermakers sank three consecutive shots from behind the arc to take a six-point lead. Purdue led the rest of the way, as Northwestern’s offense seemed too tired to mount a significant comeback. While John Shurna was amazing in the final minutes, hitting fadeaway shots in the paint, three-point shots from well behind the arc and finishing backdoor cuts in the paint, to score 18 points in the final seven minutes, his teammates were unable to match his prowess, scoring just four points the rest of the way. Against Indiana, Northwestern was literally tied with four minutes to go and trailed by a basket with just two minutes to go, but the Wildcats were unable to formulate efficient offensive possessions in the game’s final minutes. This is when the Wildcats’ lack of depth hits them hardest. While the Hoosiers seemed riled up in the final few minutes, the Wildcats seemed dead. Shurna was clearly not his normal self, after playing all 40 minutes, and none of his teammates stepped up to fill the void. Northwestern was unable to penetrate the paint in the game’s final few minutes and was forced to shoot a variety of terrible shots at game’s end. Even the Wildcats’ one successful possession was an awful one, as Alex Marcotullio had to take a shot that started from behind the basket with the shot clock about to expire. Although Marcotullio was somehow able to angle his body to the left, off the baseline, so that his shot didn’t hit the side of the backboard, it wasn’t the type of shot you want your team taking in the final couple of minutes.

It’s really not hard to figure out why this keeps happening to Northwestern. Whereas Indiana’s starters were well-rested heading into the final few minutes, Northwestern’s were exhausted. Shurna hit his peak with about five minutes remaining, far too early. With sufficient rest, perhaps that peak would have come at game’s end, when they needed him most. Take a look at the minute counts of the team’s three greatest stars, and you’ll see just how much of a disadvantage the Wildcats were at:

           INDIANA                                                      NORTHWESTERN

1. Christian Watford   28                                John Shurna    40
2. Cody Zeller  30                                           Drew Crawford   38
3. Jordan Hulls   34                                     Dave Sobolewski    36

To be honest with you, the Indiana loss upset me the most. Purdue, give the Boilermakers credit, they won that game. They hit an unbelievable number of threes, draining 11-of-23 from behind the arc. Role players stepped up, including D.J. Byrd (20 points) and Ryne Smith (14 points). That’s something the Wildcats would have loved to have seen this weekend. On the other hand, the Hoosiers hit just two from behind the arc. They weren’t that good. The Wildcats blew a big opportunity at Assembly Hall.

Now, when I became really frustrated on Wednesday was hearing the Big Ten Network guys rip on John Shurna for feeling the effects of fatigue toward the end of the game. They tried to use that classic, overly stated, argument that great players need to step up in the clutch, and if Shurna is to be a true leader, he needs to dominate until the final whistle. Obviously, that would be nice, but it’s not easy to carry a team for 40 minutes, or for 80 minutes rather over two games. When the opposition is getting rest, so that they can play active defense, and you’ve been working your butt off for the entire game, it’s hard. I don’t think you can pin the blame on Shurna. Very few players have to do for their teams what Shurna had to do for his team this weekend. If you saw him play, and saw the sheer ridiculousness of the shots he drained, the drives he took, the energy that goes into setting up and creating his own shots, it’s hard to get mad at him. He needs his teammates to join him on that plane. That’s all.

Also, how funny is it how the mighty have fallen. Indiana is no longer the top-notch team that we thought it was. The Hoosiers had to battle hard for that win on Wednesday, and they really didn’t look all that dominant at any point during the game. They played shutdown defense in the end, something bound to make Tom Crean happy. It’s funny because Indiana started the game playing such horrendous defense. Northwestern was driving past defenders with ease early on, but by game’s end, the Hoosiers had tightened it up. They somehow managed to win despite zero points from their star shooter, Jordan Hulls. But Hulls’ performance raises questions, and reminds us how contingent Indiana is on the three-ball. Cody Zeller is not as good as everyone thinks he is. He’s tall and incredibly artful around the net. He has a wide variety of post moves that he can utilize at any moment. He showed strength too, the way he took it to Shurna early, but he’s not the punishing force that Meyers Leonard is. Leonard versus Zeller is a question of brawn versus brains. Zeller does far more around the hoop but he doesn’t establish the post the way Leonard does, particularly on defense. Zeller appears to be a finesse guy early in his career, a speedy guy who can finish off fast-breaks, while Leonard likes to swat shots, back down defenders and keeps his moves relatively simple. The one Indiana player I was really impressed with despite his 4-for-11 performance is Christian Watford. I really like the way he aggressively takes it into the paint before pausing and taking a soft shot from 10 feet away. He’s a pretty good player. With Watford and Victor Oladipo, the Hoosiers have two guys who can create their own shots, something Northwestern quite frankly lacks.

Also, if there’s one thing we learned from this past weekend, it’s that Purdue is better than we realized. I was wrong about Robbie Hummel. I admit it. I still don’t think he’s great, but he is clutch and he is dangerous from the outside. He’s a smart player to be sure, and after burning Northwestern for 27 points, he went right back to work, burning Illinois for 19 points and 11 rebounds. Big win for the Boilermakers over the Fighting Illini. Very impressive stuff. Beyond Hummel, the Boilermakers have an experienced point guard and a couple of strong role players. This isn’t a great team, but it’s impressive to see them fight in the wake of JaJuan Johnson and E’Twaun Moore’s departures.

Where does this Northwestern team go from here? Well, the Wildcats need to win at least three of five to have a shot at March Madness, and in my opinion, they need to win four out of five. They have plenty of winnable games coming up. Assuming a loss to Ohio State, Northwestern simply needs to beat Michigan, Minnesota, Iowa and Penn State. Fortunately for the Wildcats, their two hardest upcoming games are at home, as the Wolverines will dominate the rebounding column and the Golden Gophers will dominate the paint. The Wildside will have to show up big time for those games. Meanwhile, Iowa and Penn State are two highly winnable games on the road, although given Northwestern’s road struggles over the past couple of years, neither is a given. It has to happen this year though. Shurna combined to score 59 points in the Wildcats’ two losses. He was that guy. When the Wildcats needed a score, it was either Shurna or nothing. Unfortunately, at the end, if was nothing. Without him, I’m not sure Northwestern has a legitimate, consistent scoring threat.

As for what the Wildcats need to do on the court. They need Dave Sobolewski to play with tenacity and intelligence. Those three offensive fouls in the opening minutes against Indiana really hurt Northwestern, since this offense clearly flows better when its freshman point guard is driving to the hoop. That sets up the open threes from Reggie Hearn and the easy dunks for Drew Crawford. Without that, both Hearn and Crawford were quiet in Northwestern’s last two losses. So, Sobolewski needs to avoid the charges and drive to the hoop like he did against Iowa. Northwestern is a far better team when he does. And finally, they need Davide Curletti to man up and contribute. In 34 minutes of play against Indiana and Purdue, he had just three points, five rebounds and seven assists. As impressive as the assists number was, Curletti has to do more than simply be a facilitator at the elbow. He literally is a stick there, just holding the ball and waiting to feed the backdoor cut. That’s great, but he needs to score. I’m not asking for an encore of his Michigan State performance, though that would be nice, I’m just asking for the occasional inside play to keep a defense honest.

Do You Believe?

After Northwestern’s disappointing 10-point loss to Purdue on Sunday night, many are treating tonight’s contest with Indiana as a sure defeat. After all, if the Wildcats couldn’t defeat the chaff of the Hoosier State in West Lafayette, why would they have any more luck with the wheat in Bloomington? Clearly, the Hoosiers are playing at a higher level than the Boilermakers right now, as exhibited in Indiana’s 78-61 victory at Purdue on February 4. And undoubtedly, the Hoosiers will be, and should be, the favorites in tonight’s matchup. But they are hardly unbeatable and tonight is hardly a foregone conclusion.

NORTHWESTERN AT INDIANA

Assembly Hall, Bloomington, Indiana, 5:30 p.m., BTN

As good as Indiana was early in the season, defeating Ohio State and Kentucky, the Hoosiers have put up a mixed record in conference play, compiling a blemished resume which includes a shocking home loss to Minnesota, a loss at Nebraska and a loss at Michigan that wasn’t quite as close as Northwestern’s was.

What will be key for the Wildcats is figuring out some way to keep the Hoosiers from heating up behind the arc. In its loss to Minnesota, Indiana made just 4-of-18 three-point attempts. In its loss to Michigan, it converted on 5-of-14. Kentucky, on the other hand, was blitzed by a barrage of three-pointers. Indiana boasts a frightening number of players draining shots at a blinding rate from behind the arc. Six Hoosiers are hitting 44 percent or greater of their attempts from three-point land, including Christian Watford’s 44 percent clip and Jordan Hulls 49.5 percent clip. Watford terrifies me because he can also drive to the hoop and draw fouls, and could be a Robbie Hummel-like thorn in the Wildcats’ side. What also terrifies me is how bad Northwestern’s three-point defense was against Purdue. The Wildcats surrendered 11 three-pointers on 23 attempts against the Boilermakers. That type of performance will not do against an even better Hoosiers squad. Too many times on Sunday, Northwestern got caught behind screens and failed to even contest three-point attempts. Purdue’s shots all came easily, smoothly, without a hand in the face. That will need to change if the Wildcats are to win tonight.

And then of course there’s the difficulties of playing at Assembly Hall. Indiana has only lost once there this season, and Northwestern hasn’t found it to be a very pleasant place to play in the past.

Fortunately, the Hoosiers aren’t all that good a rebounding team as evidenced by their loss to the Cornhuskers, in which Nebraska fired off 10 more shots than Indiana did. The Hoosiers rank just 164th in the country with 34.7 rebounds per game, and though they are proficient on the boards, they aren’t as dominant as you’d think they would be with a big man like Cody Zeller. The Indiana-bred center is averaging just 6.4 rebounds per game this season, roughly equivalent to John Shurna’s average. While Zeller is electric in the post and can kill you with an assortment of inside moves, he is not a dominant force on the glass. Nor is he a dominant force in the post. Whereas Meyers Leonard simply camped out in the post, backed defenders down and bludgeoned the Wildcats for 21 points and nine rebounds, conveying an aura of inevitability, Zeller is a very different type of post player. He is defter and quicker, alarming traits to be sure, but perhaps traits that Northwestern is more capable of handling. Zeller averages far fewer rebounds and blocks than Leonard does which is a sure sign of relief to anyone who witnessed the way Leonard dominated that February 5th matchup at Assembly Hall.

That being said, it would help if Northwestern got Luka Mirkovic back from his swollen ankle, if anything, just for his five fouls. Stopping Cody Zeller will take a team effort, and the Wildcats could really use Mirkovic’s help.

Prediction: Assembly Hall is a tough place to play. Northwestern will get out-rebounded and outdone from behind the arc in another difficult-to-swallow loss. INDIANA 76 – NORTHWESTERN 68

When Melo Returns, Centers Dominate and Teams Overpay

It’s hard enough being a Northwestern basketball fan. It’s even harder watching other teams boast in spades what we haven’t been able to find in more than a decade: a quality post player. In a rare break from Big Ten coverage, I had the chance to check out highlights from Monday’s Kansas-Kansas State game, and the Jayhawks are fortunate to not only have a forward who averages a double-double but a center who blocks shots like it’s nobody’s business. We all know about Thomas Robinson, although I only realized today that he is easily averaging a double-double, with 18.1 points and 12.1 rebounds per game, but perhaps the world was not aware of Jeff Withey, who made his presence known with a nine-block performance against the Wildcats, the Wildcats of Kansas State that is. The seven-foot center has freakishly long arms, and also boasts impressive speed, which allows him to get to players on the fast break, sneak up behind them, and swat their shots against the glass. I couldn’t believe some of the shots he got to. And then for a rather meek looking kid, he fights hard down low, and even has the ability to tip shots in. Of course, I’m making my judgments from one set of highlights, and it’s doubtful that a kid like this could ever play more than a reserve role in the NBA, but still Withey and his 3.2 blocks per game and 6.3 rebounds per game are worth noting.

Also, the latest fuss out of the Big Apple is what will happen when Amare Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony return to the starting lineup. Will brilliant babysitter Jeremy Lin be forced to turn his keys over to the established stars, and head back to the bench? Of course not, there’s always room for an electric scorer and unselfish passer like Lin in the Knicks’ starting lineup. He seems perfectly content to feed Anthony and Stoudemire all day if necessary, and this will make it harder for teams to crack down on the so-called Linsanity, because if they crack down on his drives to the hoop in future games, he will have the option to dish it out to an open Anthony or Stoudemire in the post. Both are menacing threats. So, I think this could work out quite nicely. And this could help Anthony get open shots, rather than force shots off the dribble. Watch Anthony’s atrocious 40 percent clip from the field skyrocket with Lin at the point. The Knicks will have two guys who can drive to the hoop and hoist up shots from the outside, in Lin and Anthony. They’ll have a dominant scorer in the post, in Stoudemire, and the game’s most underrated big man, perennial double-double threat Tyson Chandler, who’s averaging 9.9 rebounds per game. Chandler carried my fantasy team back in the day, and I have no doubt he can carry the day on the boards for the New York Knicks. Landry Fields makes for a nice role player, spark player in my opinion, and they have two veteran ball-handlers off the bench in Baron Davis and Mike Bibby, both formerly among the game’s best, who should provide leadership during a potential playoff run. Yes, I like the look of this team very much. And with a slate of easy games coming up, the Knicks have a chance to capitalize on their current momentum.

As for the return of the old guard, if this quote from ESPN New York’s Ian Begley, attributed to Stoudemire, is true, then the Knicks should have nothing to worry about.

Lin is finding guys out there. He’s playing totally unselfish. He’s taking what the defense gives him. He’s studying, which is what you want from your point guard, a guy who wants to be that facilitator and get guys involved and get guys open shots. He’s passing the ball right on the numbers where guys can catch and shoot. That brings up high-percentage shooting.

Also, happy payday to DeSean Jackson. By getting the franchise tag slapped on him, the Eagles wideout will be paid like an elite wide receiver, despite finishing 22nd in the NFL with 961 receiving yards, 46th in the league with 58 receptions and tied for 63rd in the league with just four touchdown receptions in 2011. Jackson obviously contributes to more than just the receiving corps, as he is an electric option on punt returns, but similar players can be found in the draft. And better yet for Jackson, after a miserable contract year, he gets one more chance, and if he can cross the millenium mark once more, he should be in line for a fat new contract, whether it’s with Philadelphia or someone else.

Winning Streak Gone, Question Marks Return

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Walking out of Mackey Arena, I didn’t feel too upset on Sunday night. Despite Purdue’s 87-77 victory over Northwestern, I felt that I had gotten to see a great basketball game in an even greater basketball venue. This complacency with Sunday’s result surprised me, and while it’s possible that my improved reaction could be an example of some sort of new found maturity, I think it’s more attributable to the way in which the game broke down.

When Purdue defeated Northwestern by two points at Welsh-Ryan Arena, I was angry, because I felt like the Wildcats had lost to a poor shooting, meek Boilermakers team. On Sunday, Purdue was anything but, turning the ball over just five times and draining shots from all over the field. For that reason, I could accept the loss. Whereas, Northwestern had lost the game in Evanston, I felt that Purdue won the game in West Lafayette. The Boilermakers were unbelievable on Sunday, playing really gritty defense in the first half, and then hitting a wild assortment of threes in the second half. Their ability to drain runners and floaters was also highly impressive. It seemed like time after time, Kelsey Barlow or Robbie Hummel would drive towards the hoop, pull up around the charity stripe and drain the shot. Those are very hard shots for a defense to stop, and to Purdue’s credit, it hit those shots nearly every single time.

Purdue essentially won by beating Northwestern at its own game. Typically, the Wildcats are the ones thriving off three-pointers, but as good as they were on Sunday, the Boilermakers were even better. Northwestern drained six of its 12 attempts from behind the arc in the second half Sunday, but Purdue converted on 7-of-11 attempts, and finished with one more three-pointer on the night. Whereas the Wildcats’ threes were often difficult shots, hoisted up from well behind the arc, the Boilermakers’ threes tended to be simple, non-contested shots. The one area in which I fault Northwestern is its defenders frequently got caught behind screens, allowing Purdue’s perimeter shooters to get open. There is no excuse for how open Robbie Hummel, Ryne Smith and D.J. Byrd were on some of their three-point attempts. They had all day to shoot, as the trio finished with 10 combined three-pointers. The Wildcats’ defense actually got better toward the end, but once you let a team get hot in its own gym, your ship is sunk, and that’s what happened to Northwestern. Purdue simply got on a roll from outside. It was ultimately two threes, one from Terone Johnson and one from Ryne Smith, that gave Purdue a six-point lead that would last for the duration of the contest. The Wildcats never again came within four points.

There actually was an exciting late rally, that almost made the late-game slew of fouls and three-point attempts worth watching. Of course, the reason one team starts fouling, and the fans stick around to watch, is that perhaps a miracle will happen, and a comeback will be initiated. Down 12 with 1:15 to go, the Wildcats almost made that miracle happen. With Purdue utterly incapable of making free throws, Shurna’s three with 53 seconds left drew Northwestern within seven, and a subsequent attempt rattled in and out of the rim. If that shot, taken from way back, had fallen in, the Boilermakers’ lead would have been cut to four with 43 seconds still on the clock. That was the last moment of doubt about the game’s outcome, and while it was an exciting flurry of shots from Shurna, the comeback was far-fetched to say the least.

The funny thing is John Shurna was able to replicate his astounding performance from a week ago at Assembly Hall, coming through with an astounding second half. After falling heavily under the radar in the opening stanza, Shurna was very active after the intermission, draining a number of shots from well behind the arc, and driving to the hoop with consistent success. Unfortunately, Drew Crawford was less successful, failing to finish on a number of spectacular drives, and that was really the story from Sunday night. All of those amazing reverse layups that capped off successful drives in Thursday’s win over Iowa failed to fall against Purdue. Dave Sobolewski, for example, who was so stellar on Thursday, failed to hit the rim on one ill-fated layup attempt.

Back to Crawford, though, he was a little bit scary on Sunday. He seemed a little bit too fired up all match, perhaps contributing to some of his misses around the basket, as well as his shenanigans after the whistle. After throwing an obvious elbow in the first half, Crawford nearly got into a fight with Kelsey Barlow, as several players clustered around the scrappy duo. I could have sworn Crawford had one hand clenched, and was thus very grateful when the referees stepped in. While the first technical foul on Crawford was inexcusable, as he never should have thrown that elbow or gotten into that ugly confrontation, I didn’t mind the second one. It was after Northwestern had essentially lost the game, Shurna’s late comeback aside. After a missed opporunity, Crawford slammed the ball against the ground, not incredibly hard, but enough to send the ball 10 feet in the air, and enough to draw the technical. While it resulted in his ejection, and could have been costly had the Wildcats’ comeback come a little bit further, I could understand his frustration, on a rough Sunday, and as someone who has slammed the ball down multiple times myself in pickup games, I didn’t mind his rage all that much. Controlling the fire will be key for Drew though, particularly if he wants to continue being a factor in the physical post.

Lack of depth also plagued the Wildcats. Although most concerns about Northwestern’s lack of bench players have circled on the effect that could have on player fatigue, the issue Sunday was with foul trouble. Crawford, Sobolewski, Nick Freundt and Davide Curletti all finished with four fouls, while Alex Marcotullio had to leave after picking up his fifth. While many of the fouls were picked up in garbage time, Marcotullio, Sobolewski and Crawford all had to suffer under the burden of foul trouble throughout, and that might have affected the way in which Northwestern played defense. If the Wildcats had an adequate bench, guys like Marcotullio wouldn’t have had to play with four personal fouls.

Also, a very odd fun fact for those of you who are weird like me. Take a look at D.J. Byrd of Purdue. Then, take a look at Ryne Smith of Purdue. Finally, try telling me that Marcotullio doesn’t look like a combination of the two. Very odd. Sadly, looks were the only area in which Marcotullio was able to compete with Smith and Byrd. The Boilermakers’ duo finished with 34 combined points to Marcotullio’s five, as the junior proved unable to match his three-point salvo from Northwestern’s win over Iowa.

The Wildcats also got out-rebounded by a margin of 40-28, with most of the damage occurring early on. Purdue quickly jumped out to a +10 advantage on the glass, and while Northwestern was able to stem the tide for much of the second half, a key offensive rebound or two once again bit it in the butt late. As good a rebounding threat as John Shurna is, he can’t do it on his own, and Northwestern’s continual troubles on the boards, due both to a lack of legitimate interior players and the mechanics of the 1-3-1 zone, will always make it hard on the Wildcats to come up with the win.

I was a little disappointed to see empty seats at Mackey Arena on Sunday. Don’t get me wrong, the stadium was 90 percent full, better than Welsh-Ryan Area on any given Sunday, but still, after seeing 8,000 fans at a Purdue women’s basketball game, I expected the place to be packed. I was also somewhat surprised by the hostility of the home Boilermakers fans. Dressed in my old Tyrell Sutton jersey, I received quite a few dirty looks, and tension seemed to follow me wherever I went, which I found kind of silly, considering Purdue fans fill up the upper decks of Welsh-Ryan Arena every time the two teams play. Also, I think it’s worth considering raising the ticket prices for kids below the age of 12, after enduring the shill cries of the young man behind me all game. Another note about Purdue fans, you wouldn’t believe it, but they have to be some of the biggest whiners around. They didn’t just moan at the controversial calls, such as when the referees missed an elbow thrown by Drew Crawford, they moaned at every single call that went Northwestern’s way the entire game. Even obvious out-of-bounds calls were booed viciously. The whole affair made me realize just how rough referees have it, and from this point on, I promise to avoid booing the referees, or at least, I’ll try my hardest. All these small complaints aside, Mackey Arena is a remarkable basketball venue, an old-fashioned gem, with a dome that greatly resembles Madison Square Garden. The place gets pretty loud at times, and with scoreboards situated at diagonal ends of the court, a scene straight out of the 1960s, as well as above the court, this has to rank among my favorite basketball stadiums.

Northwestern vs. Iowa: The Need to Maintain Momentum

The thought heading into tonight’s game against the Iowa Hawkeyes is alright, an easy win for Northwestern. Well, as Lee Corso is quick to say, not so fast, my friend! This is an Iowa team that is 5-6 in Big Ten play, and was able to beat Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota, all schools that Northwestern has been unable to beat thus far this season. This Hawkeyes team is rocky, falling to the Boilermakers and Cornhuskers after their big upset of the Wolverines, but they are threatening. And at a half-game in front of the Wildcats in the Big Ten standings, Iowa is a team that Northwestern must pass in order to make the NCAA Tournament. The two teams are on a six-lane highway right now, or however many conference teams will make the NCAA Tournament this season, and the Wildcats could pass the Hawkeyes tonight.

The good news for Northwestern, currently second-to-last in the Big Ten with its -4.8 rebounding margin, is that Iowa has struggled on the boards as well. And the Wildcats should be encouraged by their ability to out-rebound the Fighting Illini at Assembly Hall on Sunday. Shooting 60 percent definitely helped in that effort, and it’s unclear whether Northwestern will be able to pull that off against an Iowa team that has surrendered just 62.5 points per game in its last two appearances. Memories of that 103-point shellacking the Hawkeyes suffered in Bloomington are beginning to fade away, and while this is the Big Ten’s worst team in terms of scoring defense, it appears that Fran McCaffery’s unit is beginning to round into shape. Overall, I believe that statistics aside, Northwestern should be able to score, since Iowa’s last two opponents, Penn State and Nebraska, lack Northwestern’s attacking prowess, and John Shurna and Drew Crawford present a dynamic duo of the likes Iowa has rarely seen before. Iowa’s statistically strong three-point defense raises an interesting question, as to whether Northwestern will be forced to resort to its backdoor passes. But at this point, I’m probably delving too far into the statistics.

The Hawkeyes also have very few people who scare me. They have plenty of people whom I respect, like Matt Gatens, Bryce Cartwright and Aaron White, but none of these guys deserves to be considered among the Big Ten’s elite. Sure, Gatens is averaging 13.9 points per game and shooting 34 percent from behind the arc, but he tends to confine himself to the perimeter, and I don’t consider him an elite driver by any means. I like Cartwright. I think he’s an athletic kid that can clearly do a lot of things, but neither him nor Melsahn Basabe, whose physicality I admire, are the types of players that can take over a game. Also, Iowa is prone to turn the ball over quite a bit, so this is a chance for Northwestern to use its 1-3-1 to force mistakes. Iowa is among the league leaders in steals so there is the potential for both teams to collect plenty of turnovers, and run up and down the court. I think that type of tempo is to Northwestern’s advantage, so the Wildcats should embrace the speed of the game.

Now, it’s time to update the Wildcats’ postseason tournament hopes chart:

Current Record: 4-6

Necessary Record: 8-10

Need to Go (At Least): 4-4

* Below games are ordered by Northwestern’s chance of winning, ranked on a scale of 0 to 10, with 10 being the most likely.

8 Northwestern vs. Iowa, February 9, 2012 at 8:00 p.m. – The Hawkeyes are not bad as evidenced by their comeback victory over the Golden Gophers, but the Wildcats have usually had success keeping Matt Gatens in check. Besides, I’ve never viewed Gatens as a legitimate star. He’s a good shooter, with some ability to drive to the hoop, but he doesn’t fit into the category of Big Ten elite. The Hawkeyes’ defense is too shaky to be trusted, and assuming the Wildcats don’t turn it over twice a minute like the Golden Gophers did, they should be fine in the friendly confines of Welsh-Ryan Arena.

Opponent Profile: Hawkeyes (13-11, 5-6), tied for seventh in the Big Ten, four games back, two-game winning streak (Minnesota, PSU)

7 Northwestern at Penn State, February 25, 2012 at 8:00 p.m. — This is a mediocre Penn State squad, but that hasn’t stopped the Wildcats from falling to the Nittany Lions in the past. Guard Tim Frazier is an absolute beast, averaging 18.0 points, 4.8 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game this season, and while Northwestern has actually kept him in check in the past, he still scares me. Plus, the Wildcats have never had much success in Unhappy Valley, losing every game they’ve played there since February 16, 2002. The Nittany Lions’ +4.1 rebounding margin also scares me, given the Wildcats’ difficulties controlling the boards in the past.

Opponent Profile: Nittany Lions (10-15, 2-10), last in the Big Ten, 7.5 games back, five-game losing streak, last two by 33 points combined

7 Northwestern at Iowa, March 3, 2012 at 1:30 p.m. — Short of Gatens, Melsahn Basabe is a top athlete, but he has yet to put up much production during Big Ten play. While the Hawkeyes have a bunch of talented athletes down low, overachievers in my opinion, none of them are awe-inspiring, and I expect the Wildcats to be able to have some success down low.

Opponent Profile: Hawkeyes (13-11, 5-6), tied for seventh in the Big Ten, four games back, two-game winning streak (Minnesota, PSU)

6 Northwestern at Purdue, February 12, 2012 at 6:00 p.m. — Not to sound like a sore loser, but I wasn’t impressed by the Boilermakers at all when they beat the Wildcats 58-56 at Welsh-Ryan Arena. This is a Purdue team that lacks an elite scorer, since I still refuse to recognize Robbie Hummel as a legitimate star within the Big Ten, and for that matter, this is a Boilermakers team that straight up cannot shoot the rock. They missed more open shots against Northwestern than I care to mention, and the funny thing is, despite how badly the Wildcats played all game, they still only lost by two. I expect Northwestern to come out and win at Purdue, even though Mackey Arena is an undeniably tough gym to play in.

Opponent Profile: Boilermakers (15-9, 5-6), tied for seventh in the Big Ten, four games back, two-game losing streak (Indiana, @OSU), gave the Buckeyes a surprisingly tough fight in Columbus

6 Northwestern vs. Michigan, February 21, 2012 at 7:00 p.m. — The Wolverines may be ranked, but the Wildcats gave them the fight of a lifetime in Ann Arbor not so long ago. In fact, Northwestern easily could have won that game, as Michigan attempted to hand that game over on a silver platter on numerous occasions. The Wildcats simply failed to take advantage, bungling buzzer-beating opportunities and missing critical free throws to spoil a fine shooting day from the field. Undoubtedly, Northwestern has a better offense than Michigan, which isn’t a claim you can make very often about the Wildcats these days, but the question is can they take care of business on the boards against an excellent rebounding team? The Wolverines fired an astounding 18 extra shots when these teams last played, and the Wildcats will have to work to make their shot counts far more even. If the shot counts are even, I’d put money on Northwestern draining more.

Opponent Profile: Wolverines (18-7, 8-4), No. 22 AP, third in the Big Ten, 1.5 games back, haven’t won consecutive games since January 11

6 Northwestern vs. Minnesota, February 18, 2012 at 6:00 p.m. — I cover Golden Gophers basketball for Big Ten or Bust, so I have plenty of experience watching them play, and all I can say is they are a tough, gritty team that can turn any game into a physical, low-scoring contest. Their defense is mean, which could present a challenge for a Wildcats’ attack that struggles against elite defenses, but at the same time, Minnesota doesn’t play all that well away from home and turns the ball over way too much. The Golden Gophers have no elite scorers of Drew Crawford or John Shurna’s caliber, although that being said, Rodney Williams presents numerous matchup problems as an athletic forward who can rebound, dunk and shoot the three. Ralph Sampson III also is flat-out better than Luka Mirkovic and Davide Curletti. He never really dominates a game, but if Minnesota wins, it will be on the legs of Williams, with consistent chip-ins from Sampson III.

Opponent Profile: Golden Gophers (17-7, 5-6), tied for seventh in the Big Ten, four games back, split last four games, won five of seven

3 Northwestern at Indiana, February 15, 2012 at 5:30 p.m. — Northwestern made history last year, breaking a losing streak at Assembly Hall so long that it made my dad’s bald spot look like a recent development. As impressive as that win was, I’m not sure I see it happening again. The Wildcats will have deep difficulties stopping Cody Zeller in the paint. Zeller is so much bigger, more creative and more agile than Northwestern’s interior players that he will cause serious matchup problems. And don’t forget that the Wildcats still aren’t a very good road team. Still, the one thing in their favor is that the Hoosiers rely heavily on the three, and when the outside shots aren’t falling, Indiana is prone to upsets.

Opponent Profile: Hoosiers (18-6, 6-6), fifth in Big Ten, 3.5 games back, lost five of last eight games, perfect non-conference record faded fast

2 Northwestern vs. Ohio State, February 29, 2012 at 7:30 p.m. — Northwestern actually played Ohio State tight on multiple occasions last season, but it’s hard to imagine the Wildcats handing the Buckeyes a stunning defeat in this episode of their new rivalry. Centers Davide Curletti and Luka Mirkovic have struggled all season against centers far lesser than Ohio State big man Jared Sullinger, so I expect Sullinger to absolutely dominate the paint against Northwestern. The Buckeyes also have an able crew of outside shooters, including stud William Buford (who is averaging 15 points per game) and floor general Aaron Kraft, who is a superior version of Dave Sobolewski. In addition to having the offensive weapons necessary to pummel the Wildcats, the Buckeyes also have a stalwart defense that has held opponents to 55 points or less in five of Ohio State’s last seven games. For an offense that has struggled against elite defenses this season, this could be deadly, and I fully expect the Buckeyes to keep the Wildcats in check in this one.

Opponent Profile: Buckeyes (21-3, 9-2), No. 3 AP, first in Big Ten, won six straight, Purdue and Wisconsin challenged them last time out

Living on a Prayer in Chapel Hill

The question that still lingers in my mind hours after the conclusion of Wednesday’s contest between North Carolina and Duke is would that shot have gone in? If you watched the game, you know what shot I’m talking about. With 14 seconds remaining, Duke forward Ryan Kelly hoisted up a shot from behind the three-point line that appeared to be well off track, and North Carolina center Tyler Zeller, who later told the press that he was going for the rebound, tipped it in. After a brief discussion amongst the referees, it was decided that the shot was no longer worth three points, but two points since Zeller had tipped it in. In my opinion, once Zeller touched that ball, it would have been two points regardless of whether the ball went in or not. The ball was on its way down, its destiny not yet clear, when Zeller deflected it. It was goaltending without a doubt, and a surprisingly stupid play from the usually heady senior. Zeller simply jumped early. Also, why he wouldn’t just grab the ball, rather than tip it, remains unclear to me. By tipping it, Zeller was taking a risk. Clearly, he never expected the ball to deflect backwards into the basket, but it could have deflected into a Duke player’s hands. Why not catch it? How ironic that the fall of mighty North Carolina came on the boards, where the Tar Heels have been so dominant all season.

Alas, at the end of the game, North Carolina’s rebounding skills faded away. The Tar Heels out-rebounded the Blue Devils by seven in the first half, as expected, and it went beyond the stats sheet, North Carolina was absolutely dominant on the boards, wreaking havoc at every possible opportunity. It didn’t really matter if the Duke player had prime position under the hoop, Tyler Zeller and John Henson were always able to reach higher. But in the second half, Duke and North Carolina were literally even on the boards, and the Blue Devils snared eight offensive rebounds to the Tar Heels’ five. Rebounding was North Carolina’s biggest advantage entering Thursday’s contest, and once that faded away, Duke had free rein. The Blue Devils’ timely rebounding continued into the final minutes, most notably when Ryan Kelly missed a three-pointer from the corner pocket, hustled to the loose ball, picked up the long rebound and hoisted up another jump shot, this time from within the arc. It was a perfect play from Kelly, as he impressively hesitated for just a second with the ball, waited for the perfect moment when the two Tar Heels defenders had their hands down, and took the baseline jumper. That cut North Carolina’s advantage to two.

Then, Tyler Zeller pulled a John Shurna and missed one of two shots at the free-throw line. The usually rock solid free-throw shooter suffered uncharacteristic difficulties at the charity stripe Wednesday, including a missed pair of free throws at one point. It was highly unlike him, and even though he ended the day with a fairly impressive 7-of-11 clip from the charity stripe, it wasn’t a Zeller-like performance. Elite free-throw shooters occasionally miss shots from the charity stripe, but they usually don’t miss a pair of attempts. In fact, when a good shooter misses the first free throw, I usually have more confidence that he’ll sink the second, since his full focus is on the task at hand, and since I expect him to figure out what went awry on the first one and make the necessary adjustments. When Zeller missed a pair, an alarm bell went off in my head. It was too bad, to see Zeller suffer that way in the final few minutes, since he had put up such a good game previously, posting a double-double with 23 points and 11 rebounds. Zeller had been the only thing keeping North Carolina alive in the first half, stunning Duke with a bevy of jump shots, dunks and offensive rebounds. Yet, in the end, it was Zeller that cost the Tar Heels the game.

While the dark cloud of tragedy prevails over Franklin Street now, North Carolina fans shouldn’t fret. Yes, it has been a frustrating season so far, with losses to UNLV, Florida State and Duke that no one saw coming, but the Tar Heels are still an elite team. In fact, they’re far better than the Blue Devils. They are the best team in the ACC. They can drive to the hoop like it’s nobody’s business. When North Carolina was able to turn the game into a track meet, running up and down the court, the Tar Heels were absolutely dominant, and they certainly finish fast-breaks beautifully around the basket. It’s funny, the difference between the two teams was illustrated quite clearly on one Duke fast-break, when the Blue Devils sprinted down court with a two-on-one, but rather than drive to the hoop, the player without the ball sprinted to the wing, and the ball-handler dished it to him for a quick attempt from behind the arc. North Carolina would have driven the ball. Duke preferred to shoot the three. It really was fascinating to see two starkly different philosophies in conflict Wednesday. Rarely do you see two teams that play the game so differently. Duke prefers to pass it around the perimeter, and take deep shots. North Carolina wants to dump the ball into the paint and work from there. Either that or run the court.

Anyway, back to my point, North Carolina has the better team. Tyler Zeller and John Henson are absolutely dominant down low, although I thought Henson was a little too quiet on both ends of the court Wednesday. He didn’t seem quite as intimidating as usual with his defensive presence. But the Tar Heels out-scored the Blue Devils 42-14 in the paint. That is a recipe for success. Meanwhile, the Blue Devils didn’t play sustainable basketball. They were outstanding from behind the arc Wednesday, scoring 51 of their 85 points from three-point land, but many of those shots were tough shots, taken from well behind the arc, or with the shooter’s momentum taking him away from the basket. They went in Wednesday night, but will they go in their next time out? Wednesday night was their night. I wouldn’t expect it to happen again, however. I think if these two teams met 10 times, North Carolina would win nine times. This was Duke’s night. And what a special night it was.

Austin Rivers was unbelievable all game, but that final shot simply made me chuckle. I was rooting for North Carolina, but even I had to admit that was a pretty cool way to end the game. The entire time I was thinking what is this chuckle-head doing, dribbling out the clock, without ever trying to penetrate past the arc. With Duke trailing by only two, he could have pushed the ball inside. Seconds were ticking off the clock and he kept dribbling. Dribbling nowhere. His defender, Zeller, must have also been wondering why Rivers was willing to settle for such a bad shot, but after an eternity, he caught Zeller unaware, and hoisted up a three-pointer as the buzzer went off. It was a beautiful shot, falling right through the laces of the net, and just like that, bedlam ensued in Chapel Hill. ESPN flashed to a picture of a stunned student section, so ready to celebrate minutes earlier, now wondering if they had somehow fallen into Hell during halftime. I was stunned myself, but more over why they had Zeller on Rivers, and why for that matter, Rivers didn’t try driving on his presumably slower defender. No matter, it capped an unbelievable 29-point, five-rebound performance from Rivers, in which he made 6-of-10 from behind the arc. Combine Rivers and Seth Curry, and they made 10-of-18 from three-point land. That’s insane, particularly when most of the shots were self-created and weren’t exactly easy. Yes, North Carolina’s perimeter defense lacked luster, but they still had guys out there, Duke was still forced to take wild three pointers and the Blue Devils made every single one of them. Why the Tar Heels didn’t continue pushing them back, farther and farther, until they reached the half-court line remains unclear to me. Your defenders are already out there, why not push them a little farther. Make Duke beat you with the backdoor.

Also, let’s note that Harrison Barnes is fine. After all the talk about his health status, he scored 25 points, earned 12 shots from the charity stripe and sped his way down court on multiple fast-breaks. He looked absolutely great all game. Mobility was never an issue for him. This perfect team has just two problems that could keep it from the ultimate goal. One is obvious, their lack of depth, and that is something that they can’t really do anything about. It’s not their fault that Leslie McDonald and Dexter Strickland are both out for the season with injuries. But the other issue, which they can do something about, is situational basketball. Up 10 points at home, there’s no way North Carolina should have lost this game. But the Tar Heels turned the ball over, made defensive mistakes, surrendered offensive rebounds, and somehow failed to attempt a single field goal in the final minutes. The Tar Heels need to learn how to keep their feet on the gas pedal for all 40 minutes. They need to practice getting around screens, keeping their hands up and defending the three. The talent is there. Now, Roy Williams just needs to develop it. He has time. Thankfully for North Carolina, March is a month away.