Federer Back On Top, Purdue Comes Oh So Close

Watching North Carolina take on Creighton made for an interesting sight. Obviously, the big news was that the Tar Heels lost another key cog in their championship machine. It’s not clear how long Kendall Marshall will be out for, but I think if he’s out, that ends all of their hopes. There is no better facilitator of an attack than Marshall, who entered the year as one of the best passers in the country, and then improved his shot greatly this season to become a true all-around weapon. With his wrist now fractured, and John Henson’s wrist in spotty shape as well, bad luck has befallen North Carolina at exactly the wrong time. This team is talented enough to overcome any loss, including Henson’s, but losing Marshall might be the straw that breaks the camel’s back. Bet Tar Heels fans are wishing they didn’t treat Larry Drew II so badly now. They could really use him at this moment.

Anyway, back to the game. As ridiculous as Creighton junior center Gregory Echenique looks with his pink shoes and sporty glasses, I like his aggression, even if he did get away with a Shaquille O’Neal-like elbow on Tyler Zeller. He moves pretty fast for his size, beating nearly everyone up the court on one Creighton fast break, and has a nice collection of hook shots at his disposal. He also showcased a few nice fakes and some lateral quickness and had an absolutely vicious dunk on a North Carolina defender. Between him and Doug McDermott, who can clean up down low as well as anyone, the Bluejays are impressive down low.

Tar Heels forward John Henson, of course, was wild early, drawing a rather stupid technical foul when he got up in a Creighton player’s face after what appeared to be incidental contact. He then let the off-the-court antics get in his way on-the-court, as he tried to avenge his anger on one quick play, overpowering a layup well beyond the square, for an embarrassing miss. He quickly regained control, however, hitting a nice lay-up, followed by a jump shot and then blocking what would have been an easy lay-up on the defensive end. Meanwhile, Kendall Marshall was his usual stellar self, leading the fast break with his long, quick passes, while also spotting up and hitting everything in sight. He scored 13 points in the game’s first 13 minutes, including a three-pointer and an even prettier play, in which he trailed his pass, and ended up with a finger roll. Marshall continues to prove himself as a rare talent.

As for Henson, who left the game temporarily with an injury toward the end of the first half, he played long enough to place the game in the Tar Heels’ hands, and that was enough for Sunday. As if to reassure anxious North Carolina fans, James McAdoo scored on an easy cut to the basket on the very next play, as if to remind Tar Heels’ fans that they still had an All-American under the hoop. Two if you count Zeller. That’s the luxury of rooting for a basketball factory like North Carolina, of course, where if one star gets injured, you churn out another. Moments later, McAdoo reaffirmed his presence on the court, blocking McDermott as he tried to swing back and forth and maneuver his way toward an open shot. Creighton had cut its deficit from 15 to eight at that point, so McAdoo’s block was crucial. Then, Marshall missed a free throw, and McAdoo tipped the rebound back to a teammate. It was a solid end to the half for McAdoo if not for the Tar Heels, who entered the intermission with a tenuous eight-point lead. Coach Roy Williams, clearly unhappy with the 7-0 Bluejays run to end the half, told the sideline reporter that his team had to stop playing “silly basketball” and when the sideline reporter tried to eek out some praise for Marshall, the veteran coach simply mentioned that it would be nice if Marshall would stop turning the ball over, please. It was one of the more entertaining sideline interviews you will ever see, and gave viewers some idea of how uncomfortable that locker room might be. In retrospect, Williams would probably take Marshall and his turnovers, over walk-on point guard Stilman White. Meanwhile, if Marshall truly is out, Tyler Zeller will have to step it up in the post, and interior weapons James McAdoo and Desmond Hubert might have to help lead a grittier Tar Heels attack, as they transition from Showtime to old-fashioned Motor City basketball. Of course, anytime you have a weapon like Harrison Barnes, who wowed me with consecutive step-back three-pointers from well behind the arc, you have a chance. He’s the ultimate athlete, if not yet the ultimate basketball player. With Marshall out, the open looks for P.J. Hairston and Reggie Bullock might be no longer. Instead, of Marshall creating shots for them, guys like Barnes will have to create their own shots in the half-court offense, because I don’t think Stilman White is going to beat the defense up the court, with his legs or his passes.

Also, one more note, the whole stadium setup of the NCAA Tournament is mind-boggling and patently unfair. I know it’s inevitable that some regional arenas will fall somewhere close to the homes of the 68 teams participating in March Madness, but to have Duke and North Carolina’s games take place in Greensboro, North Carolina is absurd. Why not put Duke and North Carolina in the West bracket to avoid such occurrences? Because otherwise it’s simply unfair to teams like Lehigh and Creighton, to put them in a stadium with 14,000 Tar Heels fans or 10,000 Blue Devils fans. That just doesn’t seem right. Especially when Creighton, instead of playing in the Omaha region, was forced to play in Greensboro. That’s pretty messed up.

Meanwhile, in one of the major stories of this year’s NCAA Tournament, Purdue nearly capped off a dream weekend for the Big Ten. If the Boilermakers had beaten the Jayhawks, they would have become the fifth conference team to make it into the Sweet Sixteen. Ultimately, they fell short. But while Purdue may have lost, Robbie Hummel will never be forgotten. This is one of those games that will be aired over and over again on ESPN Classic, as it was a nail-biter the entire way, from the early moments when you wondered how much longer Kansas would miss easy shots for and wondered how many more three-pointers Purdue could hit, to the late moments when the Boilermakers’ lead was continually whittled down, but never seemed to fade away. The end was magical, as multiple Purdue shots came a smidgen away from falling, including what would have been a game-tying three-pointer at the buzzer. Down three, the Boilermakers got the perfect inbound pass, a beautiful half-court heave to Ryne Smith, who nearly banked it home, but his half-court shot ultimately glanced off of the front rim. And so it ended, one of the most entertaining games of this March Madness, and one of the great stories of this college basketball season, the improbable rebirth of Robbie Hummel.

Purdue seized an early ten-point lead behind incredible three-point shooting, particularly from Robbie Hummel. The senior was confidently taking shots from everywhere, from well behind the arc, and with defenders on him. He hit several tough shots from the baseline, and each time, his shot looked the same, rolling off the bottom of the bucket. He was in the zone. He didn’t hesitate. He simply shot. Purdue, as a whole, took that philosophy, rolling off screens, and stopping in motion to take three-pointers. On the other hand, you had to believe that Kansas would come back once it stopped trying to shoot the ball so much, and started exploiting its natural advantage in the paint. Why the Jayhawks came out shooting three-pointers, I’ll never know. But still they were missing some easy shots, and you had to figure that they wouldn’t shoot at a 2-of-16 rate for the duration of the contest. Momentum first started to swing in my opinion when D.J. Byrd tried to save a loose ball out-of-bounds, only to fling it right into Kansas’ hands, leading to a fast break and an intentional foul call, which was bogus in my opinion, since he was going for the block. Regardless, it got the Jayhawks’ fan base incensed, and then when Conner Teahan made a three-pointer with minutes to go in the first half to draw Kansas within six, it was clear that it was game on. Same when Tyshawn Taylor drained a three-pointer to draw Kansas within four. From there on out, it was a physical contest, and while the Jayhawks were certainly dominant on the boards, you have to give the Boilermakers credit for their impressive physicality. That physicality rewarded them in the post, where they held Thomas Robinson in check for the majority of the evening.

But at the end, as Purdue took a six-point lead into the intermission, it was all about Hummel, particularly on one possession in which all of Purdue’s cuts were blocked off. With five seconds left, Hummel was behind the arc, and was dribbling away from the basket, a hopeless wanderer it seemed, until he suddenly turned around, and chucked up a quick shot. Again, it fell right in. Finishing the half with 22 points, Hummel literally missed just one free-throw attempt and one three-point attempt in the first half. He stepped out-of-bounds on one drive to the basket, but other than that, he was picture-perfect: aggressive on the boards, and sterling on the shot. It was a long time in coming for Hummel, who has endured so much, and is now enjoying the moment. As someone who just suffered a sprained ankle himself, I admire Hummel’s boldness and reckless abandon on the court, flopping about, even after he underwent two ACL surgeries on the same knee.

In the second half, you could see the difference from the opening possession. It’s not as if Hummel was open in the first half, most of his three-pointers came with a defender marking him, but in the second half, Kansas stepped it up a notch, harassing Hummel as he tried to post up, and even cutting Hummel off as he attempted to get rid of the ball, nearly forcing a turnover. But Purdue’s other scorers stepped up in Hummel’s wake, at least at first. More important, the Boilermakers started adding offensive rebounds to their arsenal, taking advantage of the Jayhawks’ zone defense, to find their way to the glass. They had five more shots than the Jayhawks did midway through the second half, a reversal of what happened in the first half, but the shots began to abandon Purdue. Timely shots maintained its lead for a while, but with Lewis Jackson unable to finish his drives to the hoop, and the threes suddenly not falling, the game began to tighten up. Kansas had a big chance, down 47-44, when it got several open shot opportunities, boosted by multiple offensive rebounds, but it couldn’t take advantage, and on the other end, D.J. Byrd again proved that he could do more than hit threes, grabbing the offensive rebound, and drawing a foul to get to the charity stripe. His ensuing free-throws brought the Boilermakers’ lead to five.

But Purdue’s lack of elite scorers killed it at game’s end. While Kansas had Thomas Robinson there to block Lewis Jackson’s final failed swoop to the hoop, Purdue only had Hummel, which was good enough for the majority of the game but not for its entirety. While the Jayhawks had Elijah Johnson heaving it half-court to Tyshawn Taylor for an alley-oop with a little over a minute remaining, the Boilermakers had no such flare. Give credit to Johnson. That was an incredibly risky play, with his team trailing by three, and with an advantage on the fast-break, to go for the alley-oop. If it fails, Purdue probably wins the game, and Johnson finds himself in Bill Self’s doghouse. But instead, the play worked to perfection. Meanwhile, Purdue got a couple of last big plays from Robbie Hummel. He had a beautiful score off of an inbound pass, in which he caught the ball in mid-air, hung in the stratosphere as he flowed toward the hoop and let a little floater go that found its way into the hoop. Later on, he made a gorgeous power move to the hoop, kissing the ball high off of the glass for two points. But 22 of Hummel’s 26 points came in the first half, as did 36 of Purdue’s 60 points, and without him, the Boilermakers simply weren’t the same. Lewis Jackson, as quick and spritely as he is, couldn’t finish a drive to save his life, and as lovely as Purdue’s cast of characters are, they couldn’t step up when they needed to the most. And Jackson, at the end, killed them, trying to dribble out possessions like a man working his way around a minefield. It reminded me of the old computer game, Minesweeper, as Jackson dribbled around, trying to avoid contact, until he dribbled right into a Jayhawks’ defender. His turnover with a minute or so remaining was an absolute cardinal sin, and a deadly bad break to befall Purdue.

Ladies and gentlemen, in spite of tonight’s loss, watch out for the Boilermakers. That’s all I have to say. Not necessarily this year. I don’t think this Purdue team ever had what it took to win a national championship. Not necessarily next year, because Hummel’s loss will be hard to cope with. But in the next couple of years, with a Top 15 recruiting class coming in, and one of the best coaches in the nation at its helm, watch out for Purdue. Seriously, what Matt Painter has done with a bunch of feisty role players and a couple of shooters is astounding. The Boilermakers possess such strong and fundamental defense. This is a team that you can say with certainty is a well-coached squad. Give Painter credit. Purdue has its man.

On the upset side of things, nothing is more depressing than a dandy of an underdog falling flat in the ensuing round. After all the energy, hype and hoopla generated from a thrilling upset, it’s as much of a downer as you can get when said underdog falls by 20 points in the next round. It’s as if, after a joyous moment of anarchy, order is restored. Disbelief turns into belief, before falling back into disbelief. That happened to some extent with Norfolk State. People will not notice, they will only remember the stunning upset, but after beating Missouri, the Spartans were demolished by the Gators. So, they will be thought of forever on as one-hit wonders, a group of men who came together on one special night, before the reality of their inferiority reasserted itself against Florida. Unlike VCU which will long be remembered for one magical season, Norfolk State will be remembered for one magical night. Lehigh, on the other hand, fought valiantly against Xavier, disappointing nobody. Not that there were many people to disappoint. It was sad to see the number of empty seats at the end of the Xavier-Lehigh game. Clearly, a mass exodus of fans followed the conclusion of the North Carolina game, which is a shame, considering how much good basketball remained. Wouldn’t Tar Heels fans want to stick around to see the Mountain Hawks team that downed the mighty Blue Devils?

Meanwhile, on the tennis court, John Isner didn’t seem to be on the attack in the championship match of the BNP Paribas Open as he was in his semifinal match against Novak Djokovic. Roger Federer was able to return his serves to the back-end of the court, often pressing Isner up against the back line. Meanwhile, Federer displayed a dominant serve of his own, compiling three straight aces at one point, and indeed, he never appeared challenged on his own serve. His drop shot was devastating, he hit the lines with no fear and he took advantage of Isner’s lanky build. Far too often, Isner simply gave up on the ball, freezing in the middle of the court, unsure of where to go, absolutely sure of the point’s fate.

The game really turned on the first tiebreaker, as emotion and momentum swayed back and forth throughout. Federer angrily swung his racket, and smacked an extra ball into the net, after falling behind 3-2. He was far happier after breaking consecutive serves from Isner, but Federer was broken himself, and later on in the tiebreak, Isner fought back with a serve so powerful that Federer was left waving his racket like a wimpy wand. Ultimately, in a tiebreaker that remained close until the very end, Federer was able to hold his own, thus securing an impressive and hard-fought victory.

Firings Aside, Plenty of Job Security in the Big Ten

Well, we’re coming off a rough day in the Big Ten, as Illinois’ Bruce Weber and Nebraska’s Doc Sadler were put on the chopping block after disappointing seasons.

I can understand why Weber was fired. After nine seasons, the Fighting Illini seemed to have backward momentum, and were underachieving to an extreme degree. How a team with a NBA-caliber point guard in Brandon Paul, an elite big man in Meyers Leonard and a useful glue guy in Joseph Bertrand could lose that many games is a mystery to me. This might be the most disappointing team in the Big Ten, and their hasty Big Ten Tournament exit against Iowa certainly didn’t help matters. That being said, this is an unfortunate firing in the sense that Weber had grown really close to top recruit Jabari Parker. His firing could jeopardize Illinois’ chances at landing him. Indeed, his family said as much, which is a shame considering that Parker is the No. 1 ranked small forward in the class of 2013, and is easily the most talented of five Chicago natives that Weber was targeting. As crazy as it sounds, I have to wonder if Weber could be bound for Evanston. While I believe Carmody should remain Northwestern’s coach, if he is fired, Weber could be an intriguing fit. He has shown a knack for recruiting in the city of Chicago, and you can just imagine the fuss is Weber somehow brought Parker to Evanston. I literally would think I was in Heaven already.

Meanwhile, I really don’t understand Doc Sadler’s firing. Listen, there’s no doubt Nebraska struggled this year, but don’t forget that this was the Cornhuskers’ first year in the Big Ten, and the jump from the Big XII to the Big Ten is not an easy one to make, whether it’s the jump in skill level or simply game-planning for 11 new conference foes. And then you take into consideration that Nebraska puts such minimal money into its basketball program, the lowest such figure in the Big Ten as one fan pointed out in a full-page newspaper advertisement, and it’s no wonder this team struggled. I mean this team’s only real star was Bo Spencer, and I hesitate to call him even that. Sadler should have been given another chance.

As for the hot stove rankings, with 10 coaches left, I give you my spin on who’s safe and who’s in hot water:

Untouchables

Bo Ryan, Wisconsin – Unbelievable, Jon Leuer departs for the NBA, and the Badgers come back as good as ever. Their defense remains one of the best in the Big Ten, and with Sam Dekker coming in, fans in Madison have plenty to be excited about.

Tom Izzo, Michigan State – Obviously, the Big Ten Coach of the Year doesn’t have much to worry about in terms of job security, but the job he did this season deserves further praise. This Spartans team lacks stars with the exception of Draymond Green, but Izzo once again fit all of the pieces together into something beautiful.

Thad Matta, Ohio State – Is it a little disappointing that the Buckeyes have had so little success in the NCAA Tournament? Yes, but that doesn’t take away from Matta’s immense skills as a recruiter. It will be very fun watching a talented Class of 2011, featuring four four-star recruits, contribute on the court.

Hero Mode

Matt Painter, Purdue – One of the most underrated coaches in the Big Ten, Painter eked every bit of possible effort out of this Boilermakers team, coaxing a limited team (Hummel and who else?) to a late-season run. Yes, despite the losses of E’Twaun Moore and JaJuan Johnson, Purdue is still destined for the NCAA Tournament. And now he has the 16th-ranked freshman class coming in, a shockingly good haul considering West Lafayette’s limits as a basketball town.

Fran McCaffery, Iowa – His Hawkeyes team was feisty in 2011, finishing close to .500 in Big Ten play, and pulling off a nice victory over the Fighting Illini in the Big Ten Tournament. His team seemed to overachieve, riding several role players to surprising victories. The Hawkeyes’ 24th-ranked incoming freshman class doesn’t hurt either. He definitely has this program heading in the right direction.

Tom Crean, Indiana – He brought in Cody Zeller and he has Yogi Ferrell coming in next year. He has a recruiting lock on the state of Indiana, and is reaping heavy rewards from the rich soil of the Hoosier State. He has made Hoosiers basketball relevant again, and their NCAA Tournament berth alone should keep fans in Bloomington happy for a while.

John Bellein, Michigan – The Wolverines tend to do well in the fundamental aspects of the game under Bellein, and have become a perennial top contender in the Big Ten. Add in the freshman of the year, and the 11th-ranked incoming recruiting class, and you get the feeling that Bellein will be in Ann Arbor for a long time to come.

Dicey Mode

Tubby Smith, Minnesota – The Golden Gophers put forth a really chippy effort in the Big Ten Tournament, and it’s unlikely Tubby Smith will get fired after a season that was compromised by Trevor Mbakwe’s season-ending injury. Still, Minnesota hasn’t gone anywhere in a while, and there’s no doubt things haven’t turned out as planned in Minneapolis.

Bill Carmody, Northwestern – A strong run in the NIT would help make his case for steady progress within the program, but even without a few NIT wins, he should be fine for a little while longer. Athletic director Jim Phillips tends to be quite patient with coaches, and from a historical perspective, Carmody is doing things that have never been done in Evanston. Now, if only he could recruit post players.

Too Early to Judge

Patrick Chambers, Penn State – He had one year and it didn’t go very well. But he deserves time to try to build his own program. Brandon Austin, the No. 13 small forward in the Class of 2013, is looking like a big recruit, and if he can tap into the Philadelphia metropolitan area, that could be a huge break. That being said, he needs to learn not to chase referees across the court. Murder usually doesn’t look good on a resume.

In Other News

Meanwhile, someone in the Redskins’ front office made a decision that ought to get him or her fired, trading away three first-round picks and one second-round pick for the No. 2 selection in the 2012 NFL Draft, or in other words, the right to select Robert Griffin III. Listen, I know that we were all awed and charmed by Griffin’s press conference at the Combine, and I know that he will sell a lot of tickets at FedEx Field, but is it really worth it?

No doubt Robert Griffin III is good. He’s been tossing touchdowns in the pass-happy Big XII for a long time, and with his mobility, he’s the type of quarterback that doesn’t need a strong offensive line to make him look good, which is a happy coincidence given that most of the teams that own top draft picks lack strong offensive lines. It’s how they got there in the first place. So, Griffin III can step in right away into a bad situation and win some ballgames. But, at the same time, Griffin’s 2011 numbers were a little bit out of nowhere, he did play in an unorthodox offensive system and it sometimes seems like any quarterback can toss 30 touchdown passes in the aerial launching ground that is the Big XII. Could he put those type of numbers up in the Big Ten, or more importantly, in the NFL? I’m not so sure.

Perhaps the thinking is that he has the mobility of a John Elway, who Mike Shanahan did well with in Denver, but still as good as Griffin III is, three first-round picks? When you consider that every first-round pick has the potential to be a franchise-changer, that’s a lot to give away. St. Louis could completely remake its defense with those three picks. This year, the Rams will have the No. 6, No. 33 and No. 39 picks, and then they should have two first-round picks in each of the next two drafts. I’m practically salivating thinking of what St. Louis could do with its three picks in the first two rounds of this year’s draft. The Rams could pick up Matt Kalil or David DeCastro to shore up their offensive line, then pick up Alshon Jeffery to give Sam Bradford someone to throw to and finally pick up Jerel Worthy to stuff the run.

Whether or not that’s the best approach, I have no idea, but the point is they can now address multiple weaknesses through the 2012 NFL Draft. The way I just outlined would help fix the line, receiving corps and run defense in one fell swoop. It’s the greatest new mind game for NFL fans to play in their free time: how the Rams should spend their first three picks, and it’s all courtesy of the Redskins. This isn’t just a vote of confidence in Sam Bradford by St. Louis, it’s also quite simply a very smart move. Meanwhile, I can’t really blame Washington. When you consider how long the Redskins have gone without an elite quarterback, you can see why they made this desperate move.

On Your Marks, Get Set, Go. It’s Big Ten Tourney Time in Indy.

IOWA HAWKEYES VS. ILLINOIS FIGHTING ILLINI

Despite their inferior conference record, the Fighting Illini are the favorites in this one. Meyers Leonard has proven himself this season as a truly dominant big man, averaging 13.4 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game, and the Hawkeyes lack the size to contain him.

Iowa (16-15, 8-10) vs. Illinois (17-14, 6-12). 10:30 a.m. Big Ten Network.

Illinois lost 11 of its last 13 this season, thus blowing its NCAA Tournament chances, but one of those two wins did come against Iowa a little more than a week ago. In their recent matchup at Assembly Hall, the Fighting Illini won by 11, fueled by 22 points and 14 rebounds from Leonard.

The Hawkeyes never led in that contest, shooting just 37 percent in Champaign. They will rely heavily on Matt Gatens, the senior sharpshooter who will need to have a field day against one of the Big Ten’s weakest three-point defenses in order to give Iowa a shot.

INDIANA HOOSIERS VS. PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS

The Nittany Lions are hoping that the third time is the charm against the Hoosiers. Penn State nearly beat Indiana at home on January 8, before falling by 19 points in Bloomington on January 22. Tim Frazier leads the Nittany Lions in points (18.6), assists (6.3), steals (2.3) and rebounds (4.8). If only he had some help. Penn State lacks a post threat and shoots just 30 percent from behind the arc. It’s not like the Nittany Lions turn the ball over; they just can’t seem to figure out a way to score other than putting the ball in Frazier’s hands.

Indiana (11-7) vs. Penn State (4-14). Shortly after Iowa/Illinois. BTN.

Hoosiers coach Tom Crean is too smart to allow Frazier to beat his team. Meanwhile, his shooters went 23-of-40 from behind the arc in two games against Penn State this season. The inside-outside combination that Indiana boasts will probably be too much for Penn State. As upset-heavy as the Big Ten has been this season, the one team that has been unable to pull off any miracles thus far is Penn State. I doubt that changes Thursday.

NORTHWESTERN WILDCATS VS. MINNESOTA GOLDEN GOPHERS

The Golden Gophers destroyed the Wildcats at the Barn. Northwestern returned the favor at Welsh-Ryan Arena. Now, here comes the tiebreaker. Minnesota lost six straight before pulling out a win over Nebraska in its regular-season finale, and has had a particularly difficult time putting up points of late. The last time the Golden Gophers topped 70 points was on January 28 in an overtime win over the Fighting Illini. The Wildcats, meanwhile, have no difficulties putting up points as long as their threes are falling. Five of the top 15 three-point shooters in the conference, astoundingly enough, don the purple and white.

Northwestern (8-10) vs. Minnesota (6-12). 4:30 p.m. ESPN2

While Golden Gophers guard Julian Welch is also present in the top 15, he’s hardly an elite scorer, and indeed, Minnesota clearly lacks stars. Rodney Williams, its leading scorer, averages just 10.9 points. Northwestern, on the other hand, has plenty of starpower, with John Shurna and Drew Crawford leading the way with 19.8 points per game and 16.4 points per game, respectively. The Wildcats’ weakness pertains mainly to depth, something the Golden Gophers have in spades, so Thursday’s contest quite simply pits depth and mediocrity against a star-studded and short-handed Northwestern lineup.

PURDUE BOILERMAKERS VS. NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS

Purdue won five of seven to finish off its conference schedule while Nebraska lost eight of nine to cap off its first season within the Big Ten. The Boilermakers have been led by a remarkable renaissance from senior Robbie Hummel, who torched the Cornhuskers for 29 points and seven rebounds the last time these two teams met. Both teams actually shot greater than 50 percent in that meeting but scored 65 points or less, pointing to slow, methodical possessions.

Purdue (10-8) vs. Nebraska (4-14). Shortly after NU/Minn. ESPN2.

With the exception of Bo Spencer, who is a legitimate swoop to the hoop kind of guy, Nebraska lacks true scoring options. Purdue, on the other hand, boasts Hummel and a slew of no-name players who can light it up from behind the arc. Just to put a name or two to the Boilermakers roster, D.J. Byrd and Ryne Smith are both in the top 11 of the conference in three-point percentage, with each draining greater than 40 percent of their attempts from behind the arc. The Cornhuskers, on the other hand, are not present in the top 15.

Northwestern, North Carolina and the Beginnings of March Madness

After all of the bad breaks Northwestern has received over the years, it was nice to see the Wildcats catch a break or two against the Hawkeyes at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Just thinking back on those final couple of minutes, Northwestern didn’t exactly look confident in closing out the game Saturday, but somehow it got the job done. Two free throws by Alex Marcotullio, who I wanted shooting the free throws since he has ice water in his veins, barely rattled in. Meanwhile, Iowa missed a solid shot at a three-pointer in the closing seconds that would have won it. Now, everyone keeps saying that the Hawkeyes missed a wide-open three-pointer. I’m less convinced of that. The Wildcats did a nice job of closing out, and blocking the sight line of the Hawkeyes’ shooter, but no doubt about it, it was a great opportunity for Iowa, and a shot that has seemed to fall every other time in Northwestern history, finally hit rim, and so the Wildcats caught a break. So, Northwestern won the game and now remains firmly enmeshed in the bubble conversation. Just to hear our university talked about it in that way carries its own kind of thrill, and for once, having more than a dream to play for in Indianapolis is refreshing. And if we do ultimately land in the NIT, three home games likely await us. But since Marcotullio’s shots did ultimately roll into the basket, let’s dare to dream for a while, and enjoy a few more weeks of March Madness. Let’s bask in the feeling of Madness in Evanston. God knows when we will get this feeling again.

I was impressed with the fury with which the Wildcats played on Saturday. Their defense was awfully stingy, forcing 18 turnovers, and those turnovers allowed them to overcome an enormous early deficit. On the offensive end, however, it seemed as if Northwestern was almost playing with too much energy early on, as the Wildcats were doing a beautiful job of driving to the hoop, only to mangle passes and overpower easy shots. It was as if the blood was pumping a little too rapidly. But give them credit. After falling behind by 15, they didn’t just stem the tide, they turned the tide around completely. Facing a fired-up Carver-Hawkeye Arena, the Wildcats went on a 27-5 run to end the half, relying on their defensive ferocity and ability to run the court to generate quick points.

Giving Gatens Due Credit

Give a lot of credit to Matt Gatens, who went 6-for-12 on his Senior Night, going 38 minutes without a single turnover. He has only turned it over three times or more four times this season, and has always been a solid player, if not a great one. And when he hit that three from several feet behind the arc on Saturday, to draw Iowa within a basket or two, I seriously thought Northwestern might be screwed. Gatens was a scary player in his day, and he’ll need to be scary in the Big Ten Tournament to give Iowa a shot at the NIT. Currently, Iowa is said to be on the NIT bubble, but is not projected to make it in. Why Minnesota is projected to get into the NIT over Iowa remains unclear to me, especially when the Hawkeyes posted a far better record in Big Ten play.

Wildcats’ Season In Review

At 8-10 in conference, the Wildcats were actually right where I was hoping they would end up at the beginning of the season. Well, OK, so maybe I had slightly more ambitious dreams, but they definitely did some things right this season. In past years, Northwestern has struggled to win the easy games, and this year, they took care of business with a ruthless nature at times. They won the Charleston Classic, kicked Minnesota, Nebraska and Iowa off the court at Welsh-Ryan Arena, and showed that not every Wildcats game needs to come down to the final buzzer. But they lost zillions of close games, and with Shurna missing that final free-throw against Iowa, and a shaky performance toward the end at Penn State, the Wildcats still lack clutch credentials. For that matter, they still somewhat lack credentials for the NCAA Tournament. On the face of it, they deserve to make the tournament. I think there’s little doubt that Northwestern is one of the top 68 teams in the nation, but that’s not how the tournament works, and the fact is that Northwestern was unable to capitalize on any of its million chances to pick up a third signature victory. Beating Michigan State was impressive. Beating Illinois on the road, at a place Northwestern rarely wins, was impressive. Coming back from a sharp deficit at Carver-Hawkeye Arena was impressive. As was winning the Charleston Classic. But will voters still be smarting over the bad taste of a season gone wrong, of opportunities spoiled and chances given away? Or will they recognize that Northwestern was close in every single one of its losses toward the end of the season, was rarely outclassed and almost always makes for good television? There’s two different ways to approach the issue, and how one chooses to interpret Northwestern’s many close losses will go a long way in deciding whether it makes the tournament or not.

Bubble Boys Take to Indianapolis

I’m definitely pleased with Northwestern’s draw in the Big Ten Tournament. The Wildcats get to take on a Golden Gophers team that they looked dominant against the last time they met up in Evanston, and the last time they met up in Indianapolis. Thankfully, their Big Ten Tournament meeting will take place far away from the Barn, where Minnesota has pummeled Northwestern year after year. The Golden Gophers have lots of talented role players, and a should-be star in Rodney Williams, but they have no one that can take over a game the way Brandon Paul and Meyers Leonard can. Ralph Sampson III is fairly flimsy inside, which works well with Northwestern’s interior players, who are all extremely flimsy. I could actually see Shurna, who has a surprising number of blocks in the post, match up effectively against Sampson III, tormenting him with his speed, creativity and power. The only issue is that Sampson III, like Leonard, does block a lot of shots, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see him swat away several of Dave Sobolewski’s drives to the net, which would be unfortunate since driving to the hoop is a key part of Northwestern’s game.

If they beat the Golden Gophers, they would move on to face a Wolverines team that they have played close twice before, a Michigan team that lacks a dominant inside force. What scares me most about a potential match with Michigan is that the Wolverines chuck up far more three-pointers than any other team in the Big Ten, and the Wildcats have a fascinating inability to contest top three-point shooters. Northwestern may want to consider abandoning the 1-3-1 zone during parts of a potential match against Michigan. If this game is to reach overtime, like their previous two games against Michigan, then the Wildcats will be boosted by the presence of JerShon Cobb, who has been a critical cog in recent weeks. His defensive energy has been most impressive, as has his ability to rebound the ball, and he is slowly emerging as a scorer as well. He went 6-for-11 against Iowa with three assists, and many of his mid-range jumpers and floaters came in the midst of Northwestern’s season-defining rally at Iowa City. As one of the few Wildcats who can create his own shots, shoot deep, or drive aggressively, Cobb could be invaluable, and his three-point form has slowly come back to respectability. I was very happy to see his picture as one of the leading pictures on the Wildcats’ website. While he might not score like Shurna and Crawford, he deserves a lot of the credit for the way that they have been playing lately.

To address some of the furor surrounding Northwestern, many appear irate at the thought of a team that finished with a sub-.500 record in conference play making the NCAA Tournament. That’s a legitimate opinion. But don’t forget that Michigan, Michigan State, Illinois and Penn State all made it with 9-9 Big Ten records last season, and similar overall records, and furthermore, they all earned fairly high seeds. Michigan was a No. 8 seed, Illinois was a No. 9 seed, and Michigan State and Penn State were both No. 10 seeds. So it’s not that ridiculous to think that Northwestern, with a conference record of just one game below .500, might earn a No. 16 seed, or at least a chance to play-in to the tournament. Add in their really strong performance in non-conference play, and the fact that they essentially have no bad losses, and you have a case for the NCAA Tournament. That being said, I do agree that the Wildcats need a win in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament to really give themselves a chance on Selection Sunday.

Notes About Purdue-Indiana

I can’t help but make a quick comment about Tom Pritchard. He is adorable if not all that talented. He’s the classic Big Ten athlete that you have to respect just because he goes out and competes the right way. In the several minutes I watched, he made two great plays, diving on the floor for a loose ball and hitting a hook shot. Both were nice hustle plays. On the hook shot, it was a clumsy play. He probably should have had the dunk off of a beautiful entry pass, but by the time he collected himself, two defenders were in his face, so he had to work hard, shuffle his feet, and use a crafty little hook to pick up the bucket. His limited athleticism also showed when he missed a dunk and ran straight into a pick within seconds of each other. But again, you have to give him credit for his effort.

Also, let’s give some credit to the fan at Assembly Hall who held a sign with an arrow pointing up to the rafters. It read: “Purdue, here are what banners look like.” Or something like that. Anyway, it was brilliant Hoosier State trash talk, and essentially the ultimate version of the “scoreboard” taunt, except that, instead of referring to a single game, it’s referring to an entire program’s history. Also, a lot of credit to the way this rivalry has run, as we saw both Pritchard and D.J. Byrd of Purdue hit the deck for loose balls. The effort is great, even if Indiana was decidedly in control this season. Purdue did make a late run. After falling behind by 13, the Boilermakers hit a couple of mid-range jumpers and floaters, forced an inbound steal, and a Byrd three-pointer cut the Hoosiers’ lead to six with more than a minute remaining. Unfortunately, Hummel, apparently unaware that he had four personal fouls, picked up his fifth, and from that point on, it was pretty clear who would win the game.

Notes About North Carolina-Duke

The latest installment in the Tobacco Road rivalry was a little bit of a dud, with North Carolina finally showcasing its superior talent. In particular, John Henson was that superior talent, hitting mid-range jumpers with astonishing frequency to complement what is already a potent post game. Tyler Zeller continued an incredible run, with his 9-of-11 performance, finishing with 19 points and 10 rebounds. His ability to tip shots in and finish off entry passes has always been impressive. And of course no one dishes it like Kendall Marshall, who had 10 of his team’s 13 assists. I was impressed with Mason Plumlee. He had 17 points on 7-of-13 shooting in the losing effort, and his assortment of power moves, gritty play and hook shots were something to behold.

But the fact is that North Carolina will always be a better post team, out-rebounding Duke 42-22 on Saturday night, and when the threes aren’t falling for the Blue Devils (6-of-21 on Saturday), they stand little chance of winning. That’s why I can’t take Duke seriously as a title contender. The Blue Devils will always be a top notch team, but can they remain hot for an entire NCAA Tournament run? I will say Duke can start its resurgence with a more aggressive Austin Rivers. Approximately half of his shots were from three-point range, but he is such a good driver, and that could add to his game tremendously. Two interesting notes: North Carolina had only one block and Duke turned it over just six times (with four of those turnovers coming from Rivers). The Tar Heels’ tendency to take off large swaths of time, with hasty threes and turnovers, nearly came back to bite them against the Blue Devils, and could haunt them again in the future.

One more cool note concerning North Carolina. Upon checking the brackets, it appears that the Tar Heels could be in for a meeting with the Hoosiers somewhere down the line, which would mean an intriguing contest of older brother versus younger brother. This would be the one time they ever got the chance to face off, with Tyler Zeller about to depart Chapel Hill, and it would be a rare chance to see brothers go up one-on-one, even if North Carolina would win the overall match handily.

Coming Up Next: Either Tuesday or Wednesday, I will preview the entire Big Ten Tournament for you. Do not miss it. It should be a whole lot of fun.

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.

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.

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.

One Magic Moment

Northwestern 83 – Iowa 64

At the conclusion of last night’s battle between the Wildcats and the Hawkeyes, I stood on the floor of Welsh-Ryan Arena, giving high-fives to all the Northwestern players as they walked off the court. And as each player walked by, I uttered one simple statement: Bring This to Mackey. The most important game of the Wildcats’ season awaits them, as they head to West Lafayette for a pivotal contest with the Boilermakers. With the excitement of March Madness already settling in, this game means everything to Northwestern. In past years, the Wildcats would lose this game. This year, they need to reverse the result and defeat a Boilermakers team that really isn’t all that good in my opinion. They lack stars, shooting touch and any significant strengths for that matter. The Wildcats should win, and if they bring to the Hoosier State the same type of effort that they brought against the Hawkeyes, they will win this one.

Quite frankly, I can’t recall a time when I was as proud of Northwestern as I was last night. The Wildcats were in rare form, dominant in a way that I’ve rarely seen them before. Taking on an underrated and relatively hot Hawkeyes team, they delivered an absolute pounding. Dave Sobolewski had the best performance of his young career, finishing with 23 points. But it wasn’t the quantity that impressed me, it was the quality. The freshman point guard wasn’t settling for outside shots, which is a good thing since he lacks the touch of an elite shooter. Instead, he was driving to the hoop relentlessly, time after time. He was pushing the ball up court without fail, sometimes finishing the play by himself with a bold drive and sometimes displaying that trademark vision on the run and finding an open shooter.

Northwestern, for that matter, was dishing the ball all around the court, which probably speaks as poorly of the Hawkeyes’ defense as it speaks well of the Wildcats’ attack. I mean, honestly, what kind of defense lets the ball get flung around the court like that? Northwestern was completing beautiful cross-court passes, utilizing the backdoor game to perfection, hitting threes — all the things they usually strive for — and in an unusual twist, the Wildcats were driving to the hoop with tenacity. Their ability to finish around the hoop was astounding. Thursday night featured an absolute bevy of ridiculous reverse layups, all sorts of close-range shots taken from extraordinary angles, and more often than not, they went in. Whether the Wildcats can make those types of tricky shots on a consistent basis remains to be seen, but it was refreshing to see them drive into the paint and rely on something other than the three.

Back to Sobolewski, it’s too early in his career to make any definitive statements about him and you certainly don’t want to call him a star after just one worthy performance, but this game did show a guy who can do more than just pass the rock. He can drive to the hoop, and push the ball up the court, and not only could he do it, he should do it in every single game. Sobolewski was a little Energizer Bunny out there on Thursday night. Literally from the opening tip to the final whistle, he was sprinting past Iowa’s defense and taking it to the hole. Not every defense will let him through like the Hawkeyes did, and trees like Cody Zeller and Meyers Leonard, I’m sure, are licking their lips at the chance to block Soboloewski one more time, but Sobolewski should continue driving because it keeps a defense honest, and because even if half of his shots get blocked and half go in, that’s still a good percentage. And thankfully for the Wildcats, they only take on the elite big men of the conference a couple of more times this season. Iowa and Penn State lack the type of big men that can swat shots away. Against Ralph Sampson III, Cody Zeller and Jared Sullinger, well let’s just say Sobolewski might want to be a little more careful.

Also, in an underrated point from Thursday’s game, Northwestern’s defense truly played a huge role in its win. When you play a 1-3-1 zone defense, you need to have active hands. That’s the entire point of the zone defense, each player has a sphere around him, about seven feet of wingspan that he takes up and uses to clog the court. The zone is all about intercepting passes, and cutting off areas of the court, but when your hands are down, you might as well be a stick. Thursday night, those Wildcats defenders had their hands out, and the result was a myriad of turnovers, particularly off of errant entry passes. Yes, a fair amount of Iowa’s 18 giveaways came off of passes that sailed into the fifth row of the stands, but even many of those were the result of pressure, and many other steals came in the paint. That’s no coincidence, ladies and gentlemen. It was also a big night for Reggie Hearn, who went a long way toward showing that Sunday afternoon was no fluke. He had another solid game against Iowa, continuing to show off his improved touch from behind the arc, continuing to drive to the hoop and continuing to fight for loose balls.

The statistic of the game though has to be the team assist-to-turnover ratios. Iowa had 14 assists and 18 giveaways; Northwestern had 22 assists and seven turnovers. That’s practically the margin of victory right there if you think about it, and as Bill Carmody astutely pointed out, that was the key to the game.

And now, as a result of their three straight wins, the Wildcats have a path to the NCAA Tournament so simple, even a caveman could do it. Sorry GEICO to steal from you there. Hopefully, the fact that I just mentioned your name makes up for stealing your slogan. Anyway, Northwestern currently stands at 5-6 in Big Ten play. The Wildcats could finish 8-10, win a game or two in the Big Ten Tournament and make it, but why go through all that fuss. It’s reasonable, at this point, to expect them to finish with a 9-9 record. In order to do that, they would have to go 4-3 over their final seven games, and in a perfect coincidence, they have four upcoming games with non-ranked, mediocre teams coming up, as well as three upcoming bouts with Top 25 teams. That should be four wins, three losses right there. But before you all get into a tizzy, note that I said simple, not easy. No Big Ten game is easy, and certainly Carver-Hawkeye Arena, Mackey Arena and the Bryce Jordan Center each present challenges of their own. But the formula is simple enough.

On February 12, 2011, WIN at Purdue. The Boilermakers are not that good a team, they can’t shoot, and neither Robbie Hummel nor Lewis Jackson are bonafide stars. If the Wildcats can overcome their occasional road heebie-jeebies, they should win this one.

On February 18, 2011, WIN versus Minnesota. The Golden Gophers are a gritty team, but they turn the ball over far too much and score far too little to defeat the Wildcats twice in one season. Northwestern needs to use this game as a chance at revenge, and insert pride into the equation. The Wildcats should also be grateful that the man who would have tormented their weak interior defense, Trevor Mbakwe, is out of the season.

On February 21, 2011, WIN versus Michigan. This a tough one, and not just because Michigan is ranked. The Wolverines rebound the ball far better than the Wildcats do, but Northwestern should thrive on its home court, after nearly defeating Michigan at the Crisler Center. It will be interesting to see which Tim Hardaway Jr. shows up at Welsh-Ryan Arena. As talented a player as any in the Big Ten, he has hit just 13 of his last 47 attempts from the field.

On February 25, 2011, WIN at Penn State. University Park has had a hex on Northwestern of late, but the Wildcats need to step up and win this one. The Nittany Lions have struggled this season and are far too one-dimensional to be a legitimate threat. Penn State has made just 38 percent of its shots this season, so this is another chance for Northwestern’s aggressive defense to wreak some havoc.

On March 3, 2011, WIN at Iowa. The Wildcats clearly have better scoring threats than the Hawkeyes do, and are significantly less sloppy. Iowa lacks the type of big man who usually gives Bill Carmody nightmares. Playing on the road will be a challenge but with their NCAA hopes likely on the line in the regular-season finale, the Wildcats needs to play with their hair on fire.

You may notice I’ve put five should-wins on the docket. That’s because, knowing the Wildcats, they will find a way to blow one of these games. But that’s OK. Just win four out of five, and you’ll head to Indianapolis with a NCAA Tournament to play for.