Scouting Northwestern

[gregkoko]

They are elite from behind the arc. Sixth highest percentage in the country. They turn over the other team a ton and take care of the ball on their own end.

The good news for Rutgers. They play a brutally slow tempo similar to Wisconsin. They do not get to the line and are an average free throw shooting team when they get there. They're the worst rebounding team in the B1G. They foul more than any team in the B1G.

Just keep throwing bodies at them on the outside. Don't let them get into any sort of groove. Cliff should eat on the glass.
Attack the rim on offense. Over and over and over. Get them into foul trouble. I have faith that the students will show up, just hoping the rest of the fans aren't too late due to the early start. RAC should be rocking. Can't wait

 

[RUtrumpet92]

Berry is probably out from the sound of it, leaving them THIN. Yesterday they played two bench guys for 11 and 12 minutes, and one bench guy for 2 minutes. Bench stats: 1-3, 3 pts, 2 rebounds, 6 fouls. That's it.

In league play, Buie and Barnhizer both averaging over 37 minutes per game. Langborg is 10th at 24.5 per game. It's a three man offense without Berry - very reminiscent of Maryland, no?

I'm totally with you on the game plan. Bring the pressure in waves. Pick up full court all game, switching between man and the 2-2-1 traps we use. Bring the intensity from opening tip to final whistle and get that W.

 

[fatsam98]

Berry being out is absolutely huge. He's an unsung hero for them. Plus Pike has tape on them now without him.

 

[RUBlackout]

Berry is probably out from the sound of it, leaving them THIN. Yesterday they played two bench guys for 11 and 12 minutes, and one bench guy for 2 minutes. Bench stats: 1-3, 3 pts, 2 rebounds, 6 fouls. That's it.

In league play, Buie and Barnhizer both averaging over 37 minutes per game. Langborg is 10th at 24.5 per game. It's a three man offense without Berry - very reminiscent of Maryland, no?

I'm totally with you on the game plan. Bring the pressure in waves. Pick up full court all game, switching between man and the 2-2-1 traps we use. Bring the intensity from opening tip to final whistle and get that W.

Definitely press them all game to make those two players tire from extensive minutes. We have proven we have 10 capable bodies to keep fresh and that should be the plan.
Also attack the basket and the glass on rebounds. Some of our best scoring opportunities were when Simpson rebounded on defense and started our fast breaks. Thing of Beauty for this team

 

[Mr_Twister]

Does this blueprint for beating Northwestern come from watching the tapes of their losses to common opponent Mississippi State, and Chicago State?

 

[Scangg]

I really like this matchup for RU. Their best player is a small quick PG. Our guards defend best against small quick PGs. Look what Davis and Simpson did to Young on his home court

Berry was shooting the lights out this season and even more on fire in January. Rutgers can at times give up open 3's due to help D and doubles and now do not have to worry about Berry

They are thin. Press press press. They foul a lot someone mentioned. I can see JWill drawing fouls on Barnhizer. If JWill can do that and get him in early foul trouble, this game could get ugly for NW. Since they know they are thin, they might let RU get to the rim and score trying not to draw a foul. JWill should have a monster game and can also blanket Barnhizer

NW is the worst rebounding team in the league. Attack the offense glass. Should be a big OREB game. This is a game where Mag should be able to clean up around the rim

Boo is the straw the stirs the drink though. Slow him down and the team will fold. They are 1-5 on the road in the B1G, now without Berry, coming to play a red hot and extremely motivated Rutgers team

 

[Plum Street]

One of these years , Boo Buie will run out of eligibility. He is kinda like their Geo Baker .
Just better

 

[Degaz-RU]

With Berry, NW had 4 guys who could light it up on any given night -- Buie (18.8 ppg), Barnhizer (14.5 ppg), Langborg (12.0 ppg), and Berry (11.6). On threes, Berry leads the way at 43.3%, then Buie at 40.3%, then Langborg at 40.2%, and then Barnhizer at 35.6%. Even Nick Martinelli off the bench is a solid rotation guy at 7.7 ppg and 10-25 on threes (40%). As a team, they average 39.6% on threes. It's an embarrassment of riches from deep.

The point is, the loss of Berry is surely significant, but NW is still a very dangerous team from deep. Of course, losing 29.7 minutes from Berry, which will be replaced by a combination of Martinelli, more Barnhizer and Langborg, and freshman Jordan Clayton, who has played in 20 of NW's 24 games and averages 8.2 mpg but has literally only scored 9 points all season (so I'm guessing he's more of a garbage time type of guy).

What this means is that NW will be playing Buie, Barnhizer, Langborg, and Martinelli for 35 minutes EACH. As others have said, we need to press them 94 feet for 40 minutes and tire them out. Being on the road in a hostile environment and playing 35+ minutes against a relentless press will create jelly legs in the 2nd half.

 

[Proud NJ Sports Fan]

RU owes them some payback

 

[Scangg]

With Berry, NW had 4 guys who could light it up on any given night -- Buie (18.8 ppg), Barnhizer (14.5 ppg), Langborg (12.0 ppg), and Berry (11.6). On threes, Berry leads the way at 43.3%, then Buie at 40.3%, then Langborg at 40.2%, and then Barnhizer at 35.6%. Even Nick Martinelli off the bench is a solid rotation guy at 7.7 ppg and 10-25 on threes (40%). As a team, they average 39.6% on threes. It's an embarrassment of riches from deep.

The point is, the loss of Berry is surely significant, but NW is still a very dangerous team from deep. Of course, losing 29.7 minutes from Berry, which will be replaced by a combination of Martinelli, more Barnhizer and Langborg, and freshman Jordan Clayton, who has played in 20 of NW's 24 games and averages 8.2 mpg but has literally only scored 9 points all season (so I'm guessing he's more of a garbage time type of guy).

What this means is that NW will be playing Buie, Barnhizer, Langborg, and Martinelli for 35 minutes EACH. As others have said, we need to press them 94 feet for 40 minutes and tire them out. Being on the road in a hostile environment and playing 35+ minutes against a relentless press will create jelly legs in the 2nd half.

We really need to chase them off the 3 point line and make them beat us attacking the basket. Cliff has been a monster protecting the rim

 

[Degaz-RU]

Another helpful stat -- NW's three bigs (Nicholson, Hunger, Preston, whom they basically rotate with Nicholson getting about 21 minutes and the other two guys splitting the remaining minutes), collectively are shooting 51% from the foul line.

Hunger is the best of the three at 62% (13-21), then Nicholson at 51.4% (19-37), and then Preston at a putrid 42.3% (11-26).

An absolute part of our defensive strategy in crunch time must be to foul any of these guys if they touch the ball (less so Hunger, however). I suspect, though, that NW's offensive sets don't put the ball in their hands much, especially down the stretch, thereby limiting "hack a Shaq" type opportunities. In the few NW games I've watched in crunch time, it's basically just Buie getting downhill off of high screens and either using his KILLER teardrop/floater (one of the best in the country at this), or going to the tin, or kicking out for a three on the wing; or he uses the high screen to take a step-back three himself.

 

[RU MAN]

Berry being out is absolutely huge. He's an unsung hero for them. Plus Pike has tape on them now without him.

If indeed Berry is out, that's huge for us because he's their best 3-point shooter at 43%.

 

[zebnatto]

We really need to chase them off the 3 point line and make them beat us attacking the basket. Cliff has been a monster protecting the rim

We've improved with interior help when Cliff goes for a swat, but the little drop-off pass is still a concern for me.

 

[NickRU714]

We really need to chase them off the 3 point line and make them beat us attacking the basket. Cliff has been a monster protecting the rim

Chase implies running out in a recovery.
If NW is great from 3 then need to limit the help defense and not let them kick it out or rotate to a shooter.
If your man gets by you then so be it.
Otherwise it's kicked out for a 3.

 

[NickRU714]

Gavin is particularly fond of floating to a help position a little too far and has trouble getting back to his man on ball reversal.

Tell him to stay with his guy and not look to help as much.

 

[RUPete]

With Berry, NW had 4 guys who could light it up on any given night -- Buie (18.8 ppg), Barnhizer (14.5 ppg), Langborg (12.0 ppg), and Berry (11.6). On threes, Berry leads the way at 43.3%, then Buie at 40.3%, then Langborg at 40.2%, and then Barnhizer at 35.6%. Even Nick Martinelli off the bench is a solid rotation guy at 7.7 ppg and 10-25 on threes (40%). As a team, they average 39.6% on threes. It's an embarrassment of riches from deep.

The point is, the loss of Berry is surely significant, but NW is still a very dangerous team from deep. Of course, losing 29.7 minutes from Berry, which will be replaced by a combination of Martinelli, more Barnhizer and Langborg, and freshman Jordan Clayton, who has played in 20 of NW's 24 games and averages 8.2 mpg but has literally only scored 9 points all season (so I'm guessing he's more of a garbage time type of guy).

What this means is that NW will be playing Buie, Barnhizer, Langborg, and Martinelli for 35 minutes EACH. As others have said, we need to press them 94 feet for 40 minutes and tire them out. Being on the road in a hostile environment and playing 35+ minutes against a relentless press will create jelly legs in the 2nd half.

Yup agree with everyone on the pressure. Even token pressure will shave time off the shot clock and get them out of their comfort zone in the half court. And we also have to bring it as fans too, which I’m confident we will.

 

[winfield102]

No freaking long 2's by RU. Get to the hole and draw the contact.
16 to 20 shots by JWill.

I like that their last game was against PSU. You know PSU was hounding them. Impressive they only had 6 TO's against PSU.

NW scored 22 of their 68 from the foul line. I'm assuming they will see a similar number of foul shots against us.

 

[TaxLawyer5]

Rutgers basketball’s next opponent will likely be down key player

The next team on Rutgers basketball's schedule will likely be without a key player.

www.nj.com

 

[PSAL_Hoops]

Langborg took a big hit on the last foul of the game. He was limping when he went to take the free throws and then checked out. I wonder what his status is.

 

[BillyC80]

All I can say is, I hope we have a 7 point lead with the ball and less than a minute to go, because Buie is unstoppable in the paint other than fouling him and hoping he misses at the line.

 

[Scangg]

Langborg took a big hit on the last foul of the game. He was limping when he went to take the free throws and then checked out. I wonder what his status is.

NW cannot afford that with Berry out. Something to keep an eye on for sure but a decent amount of rest

 

[blueoyster]

NU is 13-1 at home and 2-5 on the road...I likeee!!

 

[GoodOl'Rutgers]

They foul a lot.. they foul a lot... How many times have we seen teams that foul a lot not get called when they play us? Miami.. PSU last season..

Do like everything else repeated in thread

 

[fatsam98]

They do foul a lot. Most in the B1G. They also get to the line less than anyone in the B1G.

I know they had that one game against Purdue where it was 46-8, not sure how much that skews the numbers.

 

[seansherm]

We really need to chase them off the 3 point line and make them beat us attacking the basket. Cliff has been a monster protecting the rim

To do this probably means going away from our normal helter skelter switching, high help D. Everyone stay home on guys at the three point line. Not sure we change it up that much, and our D does lead to many good three point attempts.

 

[jerzeyguy]

 

[RUtrumpet92]

I've never been one to be disappointed if a top player is unable to line up against my team - but it is real bummer to see a major injury like this. Tough break for Berry and the Cats. I hope he makes a full recovery.

That said, this is Division I athletics and nobody felt sorry for us when we lost Mag last season. Gotta go get that W tomorrow night!