Well we all needed that..the players, the coaches, and the fans. RU had lost 7 in a row and 9 out of 10....and you can see the frustration of the losses mounting on both the players and the coaching staff and for us fans too because we need to be thrown a bone or two to keep some faith. So tonight we got it however unlikely it was. RU was dead in the water a few times in this game. How unlikely? Well RU didnt have its first lead in the game until 2:15 was left in overtime. The first when Northwestern went on that spurt to go up 28-16 and then again when after RU had chipped back into it, the Cats seemed comfortably in control at 33-24...but I even commented a "Goodnight Irene" moment at 11:42 when Lindsay hit his 2nd consecutive 3s to put NU up 44-33....and then one more, after Gaines nailed a shot clock expiring three from the corner to put them up 56-50 with just 1;34 left. And really I never got the feeling RU had a chance to win this one until maybe around the 6 minute mark. Seemed like Northwestern was successful at keeping RU at bay by hitting a timely shot everytime RU got close. Plus the RU offense was pretty dreadful the first half, dont have the first half stats for shooting but it couldnt have looked pretty. RU looked every bit as bad on offense as it did in his previous two games.
But one thing kept RU in the game and that was defense...Despite the offensive woes in the first half, RU was at least able to keep things in double digits by slowing Northwestern down and playing some really strong D and causing some turnovers. The first 12 minutes of the game was being played at NW's pace. I posted in the game thread at that time, RU needed to get this game in the 50s and low 60s to win. Those last 7 minutes of the first half, RU held Northwestern to just 2 made fgs...5 points..and that carried over into the next 4:30 minutes of the 2nd half where they were held scoreless...thats just 5 points in almost 12 minutes of play. That was some excellent RU basketball...so while the offense was struggling, the team kept to its task working on rebounding, pressure defense, getting back in transition...all the little things that we fell in love with this team in the early part of the season. I see RU outboard Northwestern 41-37 but it seemed like more, like to see the 2nd half numbers if anyone has them. RU really seemed like they were cleaning up in the last 10 minutes. Still the offense was a struggle but they just kept chipping away. One thing about this team and yes they are very frustrating but just when you are ready to count them out they come back from the dead.
Corey Sanders took over the last 4 minutes for RU singlehandedly sending this game into overtime scoring RU's final 10 points, including nailing all 3 ft on his three point shot he was fouled on and then hitting the game tying shot from his favorite spot. But beyond that Corey also was a warrior defensively in shutting down Lindsey. Logging 41 minutes with 30 points on 11-22 shooting with 4 assists and just 2 tos. A superlative effort by Corey tonight, reminiscent of his Illinois game a couple years back and the Purdue game albeit in a loss. Listen everyone wants this Corey back for another year. The frustration with Corey is the erratic ups and downs. When he is on, he is on. He doesnt have to score 30 points a game but he has to bring it mentally every night...and as a senior that is what will be expected out of him every night, players will always have poor nights but can Corey take that next step to become consistent next year...so just needed to touch on that in light of the discussion from the other thread. He can single handedly win RU games, we have seen it before, we saw it tonight. You have to tip your hat to him, he is a competitor with a will to win and I am sure after the last 2 dismal games and getting down 11 in this game it could have been easy for him and the rest of the team to pack it in.
Have to give props to Eugene, Issa, and Mike. Issa struggled early but then hit two big 3s...one in regulation before Corey took over that was a key shot..then a bigtime shot in OT that gave RU its first lead of the game. Big time shots in a big time spot, not sure if Issa had ever hit such big shots in pressure situations in his career so this was outstanding to see given his recent struggles and slow start to this game. Eugene coming back from injury..starting no less and then coming up with 8 points and 10 boards and playing stellar D, it makes you wonder if he should have been starting a lot sooner but what a difference it makes on this team having him back. 39 freaking minutes for Eugene..wow! Mike...again usually warrior self, still rusty from 3 but the knack for being in the right place at the right time hitting his other shots finishing with 8 points on 3-6 shooting. Candido Sa...shoutout to you....25 minutes and 8 boards, tough D. This is a game Baker struggled, do not know exactly why but just nothing seemed to go down for him....1-11.
I will say Pike coached an outstanding game today. I think there were a couple games where he was outcoached...Indiana for one but he was doing the outcoaching tonight. Collins did a marvelous job with the Wildcats last year but something is just missing this year. It simply looks like focus. Talent is there, I think they have all the pieces and are more talented than RU but they continually shot themselves in the foot tonight and give credit to RU's defense. Pike did a wonderful job with his rotation with his 3 bigs shutting down the inside game of NU, denying the ball and frustrating them into taking some longer range shots that they had trouble hitting. True Northwestern was really hurt when MacIntosh could not go no more, but RU was playing without Freeman as well and has played without injuries. No one is going to cry for you when you have an injured or player sitting out, you need to find other players to step up.
I have no idea why Freeman didnt play. I have not read anything on the board yet about it. If its a discipline thing that kudos to Pikiell potentially risking a chance to win a game by sitting him out and allowing other players to step up in his place.
The big picture,..RU will not finish above 500 this season, I think thats pretty much guaranteed, however with 3 conference wins RU has now matched last seasons total...and controls its own destiny with Illinois coming into the RAC in the season finale, Beat Illinois and RU will not finish in last place (assuming Illinois is not pulling massive upsets with their brutal schedule before that game). RU can still jockey around and finish 11th and there is a wacky scenerio where they can finish 10th. Thats progress...that is the goal to shoot for. Going to be tough to beat a decent but struggling Maryland at their place..they are a much better team at home...and quite frankly RU save for the anomoly at MSU has been a pretty bad road team this year. At OSU will not be pretty...but that Illinois game is big for saying RU has improved, RU is out of the basement, RU can reverse an embarrassing 30 point loss to Illinois. And in a year where we seem to have taken alot of lumps...small victories, small steps up have to pointed out.
But one thing kept RU in the game and that was defense...Despite the offensive woes in the first half, RU was at least able to keep things in double digits by slowing Northwestern down and playing some really strong D and causing some turnovers. The first 12 minutes of the game was being played at NW's pace. I posted in the game thread at that time, RU needed to get this game in the 50s and low 60s to win. Those last 7 minutes of the first half, RU held Northwestern to just 2 made fgs...5 points..and that carried over into the next 4:30 minutes of the 2nd half where they were held scoreless...thats just 5 points in almost 12 minutes of play. That was some excellent RU basketball...so while the offense was struggling, the team kept to its task working on rebounding, pressure defense, getting back in transition...all the little things that we fell in love with this team in the early part of the season. I see RU outboard Northwestern 41-37 but it seemed like more, like to see the 2nd half numbers if anyone has them. RU really seemed like they were cleaning up in the last 10 minutes. Still the offense was a struggle but they just kept chipping away. One thing about this team and yes they are very frustrating but just when you are ready to count them out they come back from the dead.
Corey Sanders took over the last 4 minutes for RU singlehandedly sending this game into overtime scoring RU's final 10 points, including nailing all 3 ft on his three point shot he was fouled on and then hitting the game tying shot from his favorite spot. But beyond that Corey also was a warrior defensively in shutting down Lindsey. Logging 41 minutes with 30 points on 11-22 shooting with 4 assists and just 2 tos. A superlative effort by Corey tonight, reminiscent of his Illinois game a couple years back and the Purdue game albeit in a loss. Listen everyone wants this Corey back for another year. The frustration with Corey is the erratic ups and downs. When he is on, he is on. He doesnt have to score 30 points a game but he has to bring it mentally every night...and as a senior that is what will be expected out of him every night, players will always have poor nights but can Corey take that next step to become consistent next year...so just needed to touch on that in light of the discussion from the other thread. He can single handedly win RU games, we have seen it before, we saw it tonight. You have to tip your hat to him, he is a competitor with a will to win and I am sure after the last 2 dismal games and getting down 11 in this game it could have been easy for him and the rest of the team to pack it in.
Have to give props to Eugene, Issa, and Mike. Issa struggled early but then hit two big 3s...one in regulation before Corey took over that was a key shot..then a bigtime shot in OT that gave RU its first lead of the game. Big time shots in a big time spot, not sure if Issa had ever hit such big shots in pressure situations in his career so this was outstanding to see given his recent struggles and slow start to this game. Eugene coming back from injury..starting no less and then coming up with 8 points and 10 boards and playing stellar D, it makes you wonder if he should have been starting a lot sooner but what a difference it makes on this team having him back. 39 freaking minutes for Eugene..wow! Mike...again usually warrior self, still rusty from 3 but the knack for being in the right place at the right time hitting his other shots finishing with 8 points on 3-6 shooting. Candido Sa...shoutout to you....25 minutes and 8 boards, tough D. This is a game Baker struggled, do not know exactly why but just nothing seemed to go down for him....1-11.
I will say Pike coached an outstanding game today. I think there were a couple games where he was outcoached...Indiana for one but he was doing the outcoaching tonight. Collins did a marvelous job with the Wildcats last year but something is just missing this year. It simply looks like focus. Talent is there, I think they have all the pieces and are more talented than RU but they continually shot themselves in the foot tonight and give credit to RU's defense. Pike did a wonderful job with his rotation with his 3 bigs shutting down the inside game of NU, denying the ball and frustrating them into taking some longer range shots that they had trouble hitting. True Northwestern was really hurt when MacIntosh could not go no more, but RU was playing without Freeman as well and has played without injuries. No one is going to cry for you when you have an injured or player sitting out, you need to find other players to step up.
I have no idea why Freeman didnt play. I have not read anything on the board yet about it. If its a discipline thing that kudos to Pikiell potentially risking a chance to win a game by sitting him out and allowing other players to step up in his place.
The big picture,..RU will not finish above 500 this season, I think thats pretty much guaranteed, however with 3 conference wins RU has now matched last seasons total...and controls its own destiny with Illinois coming into the RAC in the season finale, Beat Illinois and RU will not finish in last place (assuming Illinois is not pulling massive upsets with their brutal schedule before that game). RU can still jockey around and finish 11th and there is a wacky scenerio where they can finish 10th. Thats progress...that is the goal to shoot for. Going to be tough to beat a decent but struggling Maryland at their place..they are a much better team at home...and quite frankly RU save for the anomoly at MSU has been a pretty bad road team this year. At OSU will not be pretty...but that Illinois game is big for saying RU has improved, RU is out of the basement, RU can reverse an embarrassing 30 point loss to Illinois. And in a year where we seem to have taken alot of lumps...small victories, small steps up have to pointed out.
