Inside NU - All PostsRoll Damn 'Catshttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/52532/insidenu_fav.png2024-03-18T14:48:58-05:00http://www.insidenu.com/rss/current/2024-03-18T14:48:58-05:002024-03-18T14:48:58-05:00Baseball: Northwestern drops two of three against UTSA
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<p>The bats continue to go cold.</p> <p id="vHRey6">Looking to rebound from last weekend’s performance against Louisville, Northwestern lost two of three at UTSA on Saturday and Sunday.</p>
<p id="Y7h1Js">Game 1 of a Saturday doubleheader was brutal for the ‘Cats. The Roadrunners pounced early and often, plating the game’s first eight runs — one in the first, four in the fourth, one in the fifth and two more in the seventh.</p>
<p id="QZhoJT">Northwestern mustered two runs in the eighth thanks to a Zach Selfon bases-loaded walk and a Trent Liolios sacrifice fly that scored Jackson Freeman. But the floodgates opened back up in the home half of the eighth, with pitcher Alex Thomas surrendering four earned run on three hits, including a home run to Caleb Hill — the first batter he faced after relieving Jack Dyke. UTSA’s offensive surge was too much for the ‘Cats as the Roadrunners took the opener 12-2.</p>
<p id="0GsTrj">Northwestern starter Nolan Morr picked up his third loss of the season, giving up three earned runs and seven hits in just four innings. Offensively, the ‘Cats went cold mustering only five hits.</p>
<p id="yKe9fb">However after UTSA continued its strong offense in Game 2 — scoring two quick first inning runs — Northwestern’s offense exploded in the third inning. With runners on second and third, a Bennett Markinson sacrifice fly to right field plated Vince Bianchina for Northwestern’s first run. In the next at bat, Freeman singled to left field, scoring Owen McElfatrick from third.</p>
<p id="xkZWut">UTSA’s miscues led to more Northwestern runs later in the third. Freeman scampered home on a passed ball, while Lorenzo Rios scored on an error to give Northwestern a 4-2 advantage. Selfon singled to left center, scoring Preston Knott and Liolios, extending the lead to four at the end of the third.</p>
<p id="P33VeV">Unfazed by UTSA center fielder Mason Lytle hitting a two-run blast in the third, the ‘Cats continued to pad the lead with an RBI single from Freeman that scored McElfatrick in the fourth. Later, a Knott RBI double plated Freeman in the sixth, while two more runs crossed home in the seventh courtesy of a Griffin Arnone solo shot to right and a Markinson sacrifice fly that scored Bianchina.</p>
<p id="H1jFGL">In the 10-4 win, starter Kyle Potthoff went 3.2 innings, allowing four earned runs and five hits. Luke Benneche picked up his first win of the season, permitting only four hits and striking out one batter. More impressively, Benneche kept the Roadrunners off the scoreboard in 5.1 innings of work.</p>
<p id="jwG4g9">For a pivotal game three rubber match, Northwestern’s pitching did not disappoint. Amar Tsengeng didn’t allow a run, striking out two batters in two innings. Garrett Shearer tossed 4.2 innings, striking out six, while surrendering six hits and two runs.</p>
<p id="b1HfYF">Those two runs — both on doubles — proved costly, as the ‘Cats were held scoreless by UTSA’s duo of Ulises Quiroga and Daniel Garza. Northwestern only mustered four hits all afternoon as the bats went cold for the second time in the series. NU dropped Game 3 2-0.</p>
<p id="0nqwxP">Northwestern’s busy road slate continues, with a midweek two-game stint against Texas A&M Corpus Christi kicking off tomorrow.</p>
https://www.insidenu.com/2024/3/18/24104494/baseball-northwestern-drops-two-of-three-against-utsaAdam Beck2024-03-18T14:43:15-05:002024-03-18T14:43:15-05:00Lacrosse: Northwestern takes care of businesses against No. 12 Johns Hopkins
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<p>Izzy Scane ran the show all afternoon.</p> <p id="aonwIj">No. 1 Northwestern women’s lacrosse (8-1, 1-0 B1G) strengthened its national title defense credentials with a commanding 14-9 victory over No. 12 Johns Hopkins (7-3, 0-1 B1G) at Ryan Fieldhouse on Saturday afternoon.</p>
<p id="n6Gosq">The ‘Cats scored just over a minute into the game and never looked back, leading the rest of the way through in their first conference game of the season. As so often tends to be the case, the Lake Show turned into the Izzy Scane show. The graduate student scored seven goals on nine shots, marking both her season-high goals tally and her most efficient effort of the season.</p>
<p id="Ey2kny">For Johns Hopkins, Ava Angello led the way with three goals, but the Blue Jays were unable to recover from an extremely one-sided first quarter.</p>
<p id="IlGKEq">Scane got the scoring started early on, racing inside to score after Northwestern won the ball deep inside its own half. She quickly found herself on the scoresheet twice more within the first five minutes, receiving assists on a dime from Erin Coykendall on both occasions. </p>
<p id="dFQ1KE">Madison Taylor won the draw consistently throughout the early stages of the first quarter, setting the tone for a dominant team showing. After being hacked down in front of goal twice, Taylor converted on both free position shots to put NU up 5-0. Then, Scane cut through the Hopkins defense on her own like a hot knife through butter and finished for her fourth of the day.</p>
<p id="Yrbfep">The Blue Jays finally snapped into the game in the latter stages of the first quarter and the early moments of the second. Angello got JHU on the board with under two minutes to play in the quarter, capitalizing on a fastbreak opportunity. Maeve Barker found Marielle McAteer for a goal within 30 seconds of the second quarter, and a powerful Angello shot pulled a third goal back for Hopkins.</p>
<p id="xSZUQl">With the momentum against them, the ‘Cats slowed the game down by keeping possession for a short period, which eventually led to Coykendall scoring a free position shot. At the six minute mark, the teams swiftly traded three goals in under two minutes, with two of them scored by JHU. Northwestern solidified its defense and ran down the clock to take an 8-5 lead into the locker room at halftime.</p>
<p id="WXWR41">That defensive strength would carry over into the third quarter, which was a far more cagey affair. Scane started the Wildcats off right with a goal shortly after the break, but offensive breakthroughs were few and far between for the rest of the quarter. After Scane’s goal, neither team scored for over 12 and a half minutes. That drought was finally ended by Taylor, who gathered in Scane’s lone assist of the day and scored with 16 seconds to go in the quarter.</p>
<p id="FFQ7NH">Scane grabbed a goal from point-blank range to start off the fourth, and Coykendall’s successful free position shot less than a minute later had the feeling of a killer blow. Hopkins acquitted itself well throughout the rest of the game, outscoring NU 4-2, but ultimately came nowhere near staging a late comeback.</p>
<p id="vZfQTN">For a Northwestern team that has hit its stride ever since losing at Notre Dame in its second game of the season, this was yet another convincing victory. The ‘Cats are now 5-1 against opponents ranked inside the top 20, and have won their last four such games.</p>
<p id="eBBFdy">Northwestern resumes Big Ten play on Friday at Penn State on Big Ten Network.</p>
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https://www.insidenu.com/2024/3/18/24104378/lacrosse-northwestern-takes-care-of-businesses-against-no-12-johns-hopkinsEli Kronenberg2024-03-18T14:37:17-05:002024-03-18T14:37:17-05:00Softball: Five things to know from a 3-1 weekend in South Carolina
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<p>A return to form for the ‘Cats.</p> <p id="tWzNVc">After a weekend off, Northwestern softball hit the road again, traveling to South Carolina for a four-game stand against an array of quality opponents, including a conference rival and two ranked clubs. With a disappointing stretch of games in the rearview mirror, the Wildcats looked like the reigning Big Ten champs, winning three of four. Now sitting at 11-7, the ‘Cats return home for a stretch of games at the J, a venue where Northwestern was undefeated a season ago. Here are five things to know from a confidence-inspiring weekend in South Carolina:</p>
<h2 id="50KbbG"><strong>1. First-game scares</strong></h2>
<p id="ZIkGO9">What’s with Northwestern and weekend-opening struggles? Northwestern’s sole loss of the weekend, a 1-0 Friday loss to NC State, marked the fifth time the ‘Cats have dropped the first game of the weekend. The squad has still yet to collect a win in one of these games this season. Even more troubling, the three most recent losses of this variety have been shutouts, including two games that ended with a 1-0 score.</p>
<p id="vGxHnN">The NC State loss was especially frustrating because the Wolfpack eked out a single hit, an Amanda Hasler solo shot that proved to be the difference-maker. With the Wildcats managing just three hits, another fantastic Ashley Miller outing was squandered, and Northwestern barely missed out on the weekend sweep. It’s not cutting-edge analysis, but Northwestern’s bats need to wake up earlier in the weekend.</p>
<h2 id="gU7YSN"><strong>2. The pitching is rounding into form</strong></h2>
<p id="VqgQV2">Speaking of Miller, she put in another fantastic weekend of work, pitching in all four games. She was excellent as both a starter and in relief for Riley Grudzielanek, the only other pitcher who entered the circle this weekend. Grudzielanek’s confidence has continued to increase with more playing time, and although her strikeout numbers won’t blow you away, her ability to draw weak contact has impressed. If she can limit her walks, there’s potential for a lethal one-two combo with Miller.</p>
<p id="Yw16Ue">On the weekend, the pair of pitchers allowed just six runs across four games. Northwestern sits atop the conference in team ERA (1.99) while Miller leads the conference in individual ERA (0.84) and batting average against (.134), looking like the early favorite for Big Ten Pitcher of the Year. And one of the biggest reasons why has been...</p>
<h2 id="BQw5Q4"><strong>3. Northwestern’s defense and pitching was excellent with runners on</strong></h2>
<p id="5J9MHj">In the quartet of games this weekend, Northwestern’s opponents hit just 7-of-39 (.179) with runners on base. In the final two games of the weekend, against Minnesota and No. 23 South Carolina, the ‘Cats stranded 19 total runners, showing off the bend-don’t-break mentality of the team.</p>
<p id="EVyous">In the final inning against South Carolina, with a 4-2 lead, the Gamecocks plated a runner to cut the lead in half and put runners on the base paths looking to steal the comeback win. With the tying run on third and the winning run standing on second, Miller closed the door on South Carolina’s comeback hopes. Similarly, against No. 24 Boston University, Miller quashed a bases-loaded Terrier opportunity in the fourth inning with a strikeout, propelling the ‘Cats to a 2-0 win. To win close games against ranked teams, clutch situational pitching is required, and the ‘Cats delivered time after time in Carolina.</p>
<h2 id="UlaCDr"><strong>4. The ‘Cats pick up an early conference victory (sort of)</strong></h2>
<p id="uVrpgK">Sunday morning’s matchup with Minnesota marked Northwestern’s first test against a conference foe, and the Wildcats maintained their Big Ten supremacy with a 5-2 win. Bridget Donahey and Angela Zedak had two hits each, and Northwestern rode a three-run opening frame to victory. Unfortunately, because of an odd scheduling quirk that considers this game to be part of the non-conference schedule, Northwestern is still 0-0 in Big Ten play.</p>
<p id="UqJi5x">That said, there are plenty of reasons for optimism about this win. The ‘Cats held the conference’s fourth-best offense to just two runs, and although Minnesota lost Autumn Pease, last year’s Big Ten Pitcher of the Year, the Gophers are among the toughest challengers to Northwestern’s crown in 2024.</p>
<h2 id="azIJfd"><strong>5. A freshman switch-up in the lineup</strong></h2>
<p id="idTsFO">Kate Drohan continued to tinker with her lineup this weekend, still in search of the optimal permutation. This weekend, Drohan moved Kelsey Nader from first base to right field, where she played last season. As a result, Izzy Cunnea moved to the bench while fellow first-year Ainsley Muno manned first base. </p>
<p id="3GkCpJ">Muno struggled with the opportunity, leaving the weekend hitless in nine at-bats (with one walk). Meanwhile, Cunnea walked and hit an RBI single in her pinch-hitting appearances. We’ll continue to monitor the lineup going forward, but I have a feeling that we’ll see several more tweaks in upcoming games.</p>
<h2 id="M8ZESa"><strong>Weekend Awards</strong></h2>
<p id="pMm3o8"><strong>Weekend MVP: </strong>Another week, another <strong>Ashley Miller</strong> MVP (19.2 innings, nine hits allowed, 20 strikeouts, 2-1 record). As long as she keeps pitching at this level, I’ll have no shame in putting her name here every week. It’s hard to imagine a post-Danielle Williams plan working out better than Miller has.</p>
<p id="GKngbo"><strong>Best Play: </strong>I mentioned it earlier, but I’ll go with the <strong>Hannah Cady </strong>to <strong>Ainsley Muno </strong>(how about the stretch!) play to record the final out against South Carolina and secure a ranked win.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">No better way to close the weekend <a href="https://t.co/10QrGu4YVI">pic.twitter.com/10QrGu4YVI</a></p>— Northwestern Softball (@NUSBcats) <a href="https://twitter.com/NUSBcats/status/1769527920710635874?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2024</a>
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<p id="kkmzLw"><strong>First-year shoutout: </strong>I’m handing it to <strong>Riley Grudzielanek </strong>(7.1 innings, one run allowed, 33 batters faced) who looked great in the circle and also recorded two hits and one of Northwestern’s two RBIs in the win against No. 24 Boston University.</p>
<p id="mf3UXU"><strong>Ethan’s favorite NU softball thing he saw this week: </strong>The J is getting an upgrade! Thanks to Kip and Sara Kirkpatrick’s <a href="https://nusports.com/news/2024/3/13/northwestern-to-build-new-softball-stadium">$5 million gift</a>, one of the best softball programs in the country will get to play in one of the nicest softball stadiums in the country. The new stadium will increase fan capacity, add a new player clubhouse and renovate the dugouts, among other exciting amenities. The construction will start in 2025 and should be finished for the 2026 season. The ‘Cats won’t have to relocate during the renovation and the new Kirkpatrick Stadium will keep the iconic Sharon J. Drysdale Field moniker for the playing field. Despite an amazing weekend on the playing field, this may just be the biggest win of the week.</p>
<p id="NC9aQz"><em>That’ll do it for this week’s column. Next up for Northwestern are mid-week clashes with local DePaul and UIC before the conference slate kicks off with a weekend series against Michigan State back in Evanston.</em></p>
https://www.insidenu.com/2024/3/18/24105000/softball-five-things-to-know-from-a-3-1-weekend-in-south-carolinaEthan Segall2024-03-17T17:08:06-05:002024-03-17T17:08:06-05:00Northwestern men’s basketball earns NCAA Tournament berth as No. 9 seed, will play Florida Atlantic
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<p>Dance on.</p> <p id="hqma88"><em>Update: At about 7:30 p.m. CT, the NCAA announced that Northwestern will play Florida Atlantic at 11:15 a.m. CT on Friday afternoon in Brooklyn.</em></p>
<p id="giUd28">Northwestern’s dance continues with an Irish jig.</p>
<p id="rZ3S02">On Sunday afternoon, CBS announced on its Selection Sunday show that Northwestern (21-11, 12-8 B1G) was selected to participate in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament for the third time in school history, and the first time in consecutive years. As a No. 9 seed, the Wildcats will face No. 8-seeded Florida Atlantic (25-8, 14-4 American) in the Round of 64 in Brooklyn, New York.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">BREAKING: Northwestern will head to its third NCAA Tournament in program history, going to Brooklyn as a No. 9 seed to play Florida Atlantic on Friday!</p>— Inside NU (@insidenu) <a href="https://twitter.com/insidenu/status/1769484731941269976?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 17, 2024</a>
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<p id="dwk6GT">Northwestern hosted a Selection Sunday watch party at Welsh-Ryan Arena, which had a very good crowd turnout despite the student body going on spring break. Chris Collins and the players were there as well to celebrate the milestone.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Welsh-Ryan is ready to find out where the ‘Cats are going dancing <a href="https://t.co/Q3N9a969tO">pic.twitter.com/Q3N9a969tO</a></p>— Inside NU (@insidenu) <a href="https://twitter.com/insidenu/status/1769477017106260087?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 17, 2024</a>
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<p id="v3JvdZ">After making the Big Dance as a No. 7 seed in 2023 — advancing to the Round of 32 — All-Big Ten First Teamer Boo Buie led the ‘Cats to their second straight appearance with another stellar year. He averaged 19.2 points, 3.4 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game on a career-high 44.3% from three-point range, playing all 32 of NU’s games and averaging 36.6 minutes per contest. Buie became the program’s all-time leading scorer along the way, passing John Shurna on Feb. 22.</p>
<p id="YVRQzr">After Chase Audige departed for the NBA G-League, Brooks Barnhizer filled the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year’s shoes by earning an All-Defensive nod of his own. The junior also made the All-Big Ten Third Team. As a grad transfer from Princeton, Ryan Langborg added impact on the offensive end.</p>
<p id="zVsv18">En route to its March Madness berth, Northwestern tied its program record with 12 Big Ten regular season wins. It picked up four Quad 1 victories, including wins over then-No. 1 Purdue Boilermakers and Big Ten champion Illinois Fighting Illini at Welsh-Ryan Arena. Although a Dec. 13 home loss to Chicago State put a damper on NU’s tournament hopes, it recovered with a strong Big Ten campaign amid late injuries to key starters Ty Berry and Matthew Nicholson.</p>
<p id="HP7rPz">It is one of six teams in the Big Ten to make the field of 68, joining Purdue, Illinois, Wisconsin, Nebraska and Michigan State.</p>
<p id="9gKNqI">Northwestern will head to Brooklyn, where it’ll get set for a clash with the Owls on Friday. Tip is set for 11:15 a.m. CT at the Barclays Center, and the game will be broadcast on CBS.</p>
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https://www.insidenu.com/2024/3/17/24103328/northwestern-mens-basketball-earns-ncaa-tournament-berth-as-no-9-seed-will-play-florida-atlanticIgnacio Dowling2024-03-17T14:25:41-05:002024-03-17T14:25:41-05:00ROUNDTABLE: Ranking potential 2024 March Madness destinations
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<p>Everyone wants to see the Wildcats play in Barclays Center.</p> <p id="6UYPKh"><em>After Northwestern basketball’s 32-game regular season and one postseason matchup already on the docket, Selection Sunday is finally here. In under three hours, the Wildcats will find out if they made the exclusive 68-team list, as well as what their opponent will be and in what city. Our Inside NU staff writers ranked their preferred destinations. Take a look at our preferences and some blurbs why below.</em></p>
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<p id="Rn1AwD"><strong>Iggy Dowling: </strong>I’m from New York, so No. 1 should be self-explanatory (and it should be for everyone else, too). From there, Memphis seems like it has awesome BBQ and music, and Charlotte looks like it has a bunch of cool museums with great weather, so those are easy selections for two and three. I’ve also never been to the South outside of Florida. The middle could go any way you’d like (Pittsburgh’s downtown seems awesome and I’ve already been to Indy), but if your bottom two isn’t Omaha and Spokane, I don’t really know what to tell you.</p>
<p id="4KIVZN"><strong>Bradley Locker:</strong> Brooklyn would not only be incredibly cost-saving for those of us running Inside NU, but also a blast. I’m also on board with Charlotte and Memphis for barbeque alone, because having been there, I can vouch for it. Pittsburgh is the sleeper here (especially as a Steelers fan), but could be a little cold. Indianapolis never really disappoints, but I just have been quite a bit in the last two years and would love to get exposed to a new city. Really hoping for anything other than Omaha and Spokane, because woof there’s not much to do.</p>
<p id="GXNCag"><strong>David Gold:</strong> Much like Iggy, I am hoping that March Madness sends me home to the great state of New York and Barclays Center. Otherwise, I’ve had enough of traveling across the country for NU Athletics (yes, this is still Las Vegas slander), so I would be much happier to end up in Charlotte or Memphis. However, another Inside NU trip to Nebraska will only add to the lore of the first one of my tenure as EIC.</p>
<p id="Ohazol"><strong>Brendan Preisman: </strong>As a proud resident of Omaha, it falls to me to defend the city from the incredibly low rankings everyone else is about to give it. I’ll just say this: our zoo was voted best in the country (again), it’s secretly a really good sports city (College World Series, Creighton Athletics, etc.), and the downtown area has a ton of great dining options — especially steakhouses. Now, Brooklyn is the obvious number one choice just because it’s a borough of New York City (a place I’ve sadly never visited), but because of the convenience (and a whole lot of bias), I’m putting Omaha at No. 2. From there, Indianapolis, Memphis, and Charlotte are all good options — pro sports towns that are fairly easy to get to and seem to have a lot to offer during the off day. After that, Salt Lake City and Pittsburgh are kinda decent options, although I have no clue what I’d do in those places when I wasn’t watching basketball. And obviously Spokane is last (sorry to Washington’s most popular city, but I have no clue what you guys have to offer). </p>
https://www.insidenu.com/2024/3/17/24096721/roundtable-ranking-potential-2024-march-madness-destinationsInside NU Archives2024-03-16T20:59:20-05:002024-03-16T20:59:20-05:00Send us your mailbag questions!
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<p>One last ride with Boo Buie, and this trio.</p> <p id="UfUedQ">Postseason basketball is on the air. Spring Break is in full swing. Northwestern is (almost certainly) going dancing for the second straight season. The weather (barring Chicago craziness) is starting to warm up. A truly tremendous time of the year.</p>
<p id="jE61lH">With Selection Sunday in under 24 hours, it’s a perfect occasion for one last mailbag with Iggy Dowling, Bradley Locker and David Gold as co-editors-in-chief of Inside NU. Send any and all questions you’re wondering in the comments or using the embedded tweet — because it’s your last chance to get their opinions (in a mailbag at least)!</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr"> It’s time for the final EIC mailbag with <a href="https://twitter.com/Bradley_Locker?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Bradley_Locker</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/idowling11?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@idowling11</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/david_a_gold?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@david_a_gold</a> at the helm! <br><br>March Madness ideal opponents. Favorite memories running Inside NU. Evanston food thoughts. Your last chance to ask away about anything </p>— Inside NU (@insidenu) <a href="https://twitter.com/insidenu/status/1769180169468535073?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 17, 2024</a>
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https://www.insidenu.com/2024/3/16/24103544/send-us-your-mailbag-questionsInside NU Archives2024-03-16T17:40:07-05:002024-03-16T17:40:07-05:00If Northwestern wants to make any noise in the NCAA Tournament, Boo Buie cannot do it alone
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<p>Agent Zero needs help.</p> <p id="o9Whq5">How can a team have Superman, yet his own teammates be his Kryptonite?</p>
<p id="OLeDKa">When Boo Buie stepped on the floor at the Target Center yesterday, he was a man on a mission. In the first nine minutes of the game, Agent Zero had 16 points. By the time the clock struck zero, Buie finished the afternoon with 29 points on a 9-of-15 shooting clip from the field, including a 7-of-11 mark from deep. However, none of that mattered when he was the only source of offense out on the floor.</p>
<p id="R23fIm">Up 21-10 after Buie’s scorching hot start, No. 0 got tangled up with Tyler Wahl and had to leave the game for a couple of minutes because of a stinger knee. In that span, Wisconsin began a 14-0 run to take the lead and never looked back. Outside of Buie, the rest of the Wildcats shot 11-of-38 from the field, and only 1-of-12 from deep.</p>
<p id="y1MYdz">“We just were not ourselves,” Buie said after the game. “Our offense was a little stagnant. I know how capable this team is, and I just didn’t feel we were ourselves tonight.” <strong>(Is the second part of this quote necessary bc it repeats the same wording)</strong></p>
<p id="HNuKI0">With a lot of the attention focused on Northwestern’s star, Brooks Barnhizer had to step up to provide the ‘Cats with another option. But, No. 13 arguably played his worst game of the year. Barnhizer finished the day 3-of-15 from the field, 0-of-4 from deep and committed four turnovers. As a ball handler, he looked out of control at times, often pushing the ball into traffic and throwing up contested shots. By the time the second half rolled around, Barnhizer appeared to be forcing things, trying to create any sort of rhythm to get going, but it backfired throughout the game. </p>
<p id="YDh6kY">In a microcosm of his afternoon, the Wildcats, trailing by seven, poked the ball away and tried to push the pace down the floor. Without a numbers advantage, Barnhizer pushed his way to the rim uncontrollably and ended up missing the bunny. Because of the haste, the Badgers were able to leak out, and A.J. Storr finished it off with an alley-oop slam that brought the UW faithful to their feet. Instead of possibly making it a five or four-point game and sparking the ‘Cats back into the game, this four-point swing all but cemented the fact that Northwestern would be going home on Friday.</p>
<p id="kggNlR">“I definitely didn’t play a great offensive game,“ Barnhizer said postgame. “With the position we put ourselves in, we’re going to have another chance to go out there and play again, so we’re going to have to learn from this, come back and go get the next one.”</p>
<p id="DbzIGE">Much like Barnhizer, a lackluster performance from Ryan Langborg sank the Wildcats’ chance of victory. Langborg could barely stay on the floor yesterday, finding himself in foul trouble for all 40 minutes against Wisconsin. No. 5 only played 22 minutes on Friday afternoon, scoring six points on 2-of-6 shooting. Without his offensive prowess, NU had no viable floor spacing, allowing the Badgers to clamp down inside the paint and put heavy pressure on Barnhizer and Nick Martinelli. </p>
<p id="lORtfX">For the ‘Cats to make any noise in the NCAA Tournament, Langborg has to be on the court and shooting at the rate that is expected. He does not need to be 2023 March Ryan Langborg (although that would be nice for NU fans), but he needs to be a viable scoring option that Chris Collins and Co. can rely on each night. If he has to sit on the bench for most of the game due to fouls, Northwestern has a slim chance of making it past the opening round.</p>
<p id="wG2Osg">“We need his scoring,” Collins said postgame.</p>
<p id="1grCeL">A version of this story has been written in every game since Ty Berry and Matt Nicholson went down — whether the ‘Cats won or lost; however, as Collins said postgame, there are no more do-overs for this team. It does not matter how many points Buie has in the game because he cannot do it alone. </p>
<p id="THQ1dn">The defense has been solid over the past month, but heading into the NCAA Tournament, the biggest question surrounding the Wildcats is whether this team has enough firepower to make a run in the Big Dance. If the team that showed up in Minneapolis shows up in the Round of 64, the 2023-24 Northwestern basketball season — and the Boo Buie era in Evanston — will end with a whimper.</p>
https://www.insidenu.com/2024/3/16/24103299/if-northwestern-wants-to-make-any-noise-in-the-ncaa-tournament-boo-buie-cannot-do-it-aloneDavid Gold2024-03-16T17:32:16-05:002024-03-16T17:32:16-05:00Notebook: Observations from a Friday afternoon at the Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament
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<img alt="NCAA Basketball: Big Ten Conference Tournament Quarterfinal-Wisconsin vs Northwestern" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/IH9ytFtr_MzILxMQEyaibKF6WmA=/0x0:2738x1825/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73212324/usa_today_22784461.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Camp Douglas, Wisconsin is the place to be.</p> <p id="Jfwunj">Give me quantity over quality.</p>
<p id="ITcgLG">By definition, Champ Week might mark the culmination of the opposite. Yet, it’s the sheer number of basketball games that makes the second week of March special. In what other sport are there several dozens of postseason games on consecutive midweek days running nonstop from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m.? </p>
<p id="QVlcm5">Northwestern timed that crazy transition perfectly. After putting the “and” in DNA by finishing up some winter quarter final projects through a timeframe that looked pretty similar to that one on Wednesday, I dove headfirst into that fun to become a small part of it. Following a six-hour trek to Minneapolis the next day, Inside NU covered Northwestern’s Friday loss to Wisconsin in the Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament.</p>
<p id="s81MXk">In the process, I spent that early Friday afternoon watching the day’s first session at the Target Center to get a taste of a conference tourney atmosphere. Although the Badgers cut NU out of the action quickly, two games provided a large dose of entertaining basketball.</p>
<p id="H9s5NL">I thought it’d be cool to throw my bulleted general observations of Minneapolis (and the Midwest roads that INU co-editor-in-chief David Gold valiantly pushed through) — basketball and non-basketball — in here. A bunch of them are small, and aren’t really primary takeaways, but just things I noticed. Come for the Northwestern screen coverage takes, stay for the small town pit stop rec on the Chicago-to-Minneapolis drive (all the way near the bottom!).</p>
<p id="Swuvz2">I wish I saw what St. Patrick’s Day is like there.</p>
<h2 id="Zomx2p"><strong>On Michigan State vs. Purdue:</strong></h2>
<ul><li id="GZjI1S"><strong>Quick frontcourt swaps for Michigan State helped keep it in the game against Zach Edey</strong></li></ul>
<p id="6VehaJ">I got to the court around eight minutes into the game, and looked up at a scoreboard that was probably larger than my field of vision. I almost gasped after noticing that Purdue had already reached the bonus. It was even crazier that Michigan State was only down by seven at the first half’s conclusion. Tom Izzo’s inconsistency in allocating his center minutes has defined MSU’s disappointing season, but sharing the load proved crucial against the Boilermakers.</p>
<p id="9icM0X">Stats-wise, it’s tough to see because Edey scored 29 points. But, MSU did a really good job of getting the ball out of his hands when it needed to propel itself back into reach. I really liked how Carson Cooper got low to successfully front him when the Spartans made a small run in the first half. Mady Sissoko played a terrific game, providing a burst on rebounds up for grabs and stepping up after Xavier Booker’s great performance against Minnesota. Jaxon Kohler gave Sparty some good minutes. Best of all, though, MSU’s post doubles came well-timed and with two frontcourt players. Really impressed with Coen Carr and Malik Hall, who recovered out of those pretty well.</p>
<p id="kynS2k">At 67 points, PU totaled its worst offensive output of the season. I’m not sure who’s beating Purdue at the NCAA Tournament, but that’s probably the way to do it.</p>
<ul><li id="51cD4A"><strong>Zach Edey looks so much bigger in person</strong></li></ul>
<p id="qvQbXK">Shocker! But seeing it at the same level and watching defenders grab Edey’s jersey before he positions himself in the low post is pretty crazy.</p>
<ul><li id="xqfQbi"><strong>Myles Colvin is a really impactful off-ball player, even as a freshman</strong></li></ul>
<p id="u1haDf">His beautiful off-ball cut for an open dunk really caught my eye. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Myles Colvin with NO HESITATION <a href="https://twitter.com/mylesjcolvin?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@mylesjcolvin</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/BoilerBall?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BoilerBall</a> <a href="https://t.co/Lsl1EWgzv4">pic.twitter.com/Lsl1EWgzv4</a></p>— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) <a href="https://twitter.com/CBBonFOX/status/1768681199319302387?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2024</a>
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<p id="ntFPDJ">Colvin only played five minutes, but that was probably my favorite play of the entire day. Even when he was in the corner on sets, he found ways to involve himself and execute when the offense wasn’t looking to isolate Edey. His impact really helped Purdue survive this one.</p>
<ul><li id="uNcB8g"><strong>Neutral-site atmospheres with huge fanbases (more than two!) are insane</strong></li></ul>
<p id="IAVqNb">It made sense that the crowd was good on both sides — Purdue-Michigan State was far and away the biggest game of the day based on names alone — but it was captivating to see in-person. Rarely can a game feel like a double-home game when both fanbases are involved, but they traveled well. Every run (and there were a lot of them) was met with a ton of noise. I’ve only watched Northwestern-Penn State and NU’s March Madness games last year in-person, so this reached an entirely different level.</p>
<p id="pA5Jha">It was jarring to hear the way a large arena could deflate during an injury (when Braden Smith appeared to suffer a knee scare), and the way it could erupt during big threes (a Tyson Walker bomb sent the MSU section on the hoop Purdue was shooting on into a frenzy). </p>
<p id="MgVe29">The funniest part was, it wasn’t just those fans... other ones were there! Looking around to get a sense of how many Wisconsin fans were getting set for the game to follow, I saw a ton of red. However, they weren’t all wearing Badgers merch. A good portion appeared to be Indiana fans at the Target Center at 11 in the morning! The Hoosiers played Nebraska at around 7:30 at night! I heard one sitting right behind where I was saying that they’d gotten to the arena at 9:30 in the morning just to root against Purdue after watching IU beat Penn State the night before. That’s supremely sicko, but wonderful. Can’t imagine how they must have felt when Keisei Tominaga torched the court, though.</p>
<ul><li id="NDzmJl"><strong>A.J. Hoggard is really good at controlling a transition offense, and drawing quick fouls</strong></li></ul>
<p id="8MoHeG">The dichotomy between MSU’s defensive success with bigger lineups and its inability to generate offense in the half-court is an interesting one. When Hoggard and Tyson Walker were on the floor together (which wasn’t as often as one would’ve thought — Hoggard only played 29 minutes), their pace control helped spark the second-half runs that almost seized the game for Michigan State. </p>
<p id="ovfugI">Hoggard especially impressed me here in the final 20 minutes, even though he wasn’t shooting that well. He got out in transition really quickly off rebounds, and the Boilers couldn’t run the floor as well with Edey on the floor. Additionally, Hoggard drew a few blocking fouls speeding up the court that somewhat offset the inevitable foul bonus trouble the Spartans ran into with Edey. He racked up 10 assists, and a few of those went to Walker for some big-time long bombs (outside of Walker, Sparty went 1-of-11 from three). The guards did a really good job of spacing well in transition, and filling spots on the wing seamlessly. As has been the case often for MSU this year, speeding up the game a little more could’ve put it over the edge. </p>
<h2 id="l9SokA"><strong>On Northwestern vs. Wisconsin</strong></h2>
<ul><li id="jX5xyZ"><strong>The stars were out in warm-ups (no, I’m not talking about Boo Buie and AJ Storr)</strong></li></ul>
<p id="Wl1X5g">Referee Jeffrey “High Knees” Anderson and Big Ten Network color commentator Stephen Bardo dapping each other up is something everybody should see. A crossover that’s happened before — Anderson reffed the Northwestern-Michigan game on Feb. 22 that Bardo called — but an incredible one.</p>
<ul><li id="nSIZwu"><strong>Luke Hunger went underneath on a ton of screens, and it worked early</strong></li></ul>
<p id="mDoqRZ">Whether it was a permanent adjustment or just a gameplan for the Badgers specifically, Hunger didn’t hard-hedge a ton. Wisconsin put Northwestern’s guards in a ton of high screens early, but the NU sophomore constantly protected the interior by sliding underneath and leaving the guards to stay on the ball-handlers. It marked a change from the aggressive screen coverage that often forces Hunger to quickly recover inside after he hedges past the perimeter. While that puts an enormous amount of responsibility on bigs, he’s not especially mobile nor is he great defending in space, which is a big reason why Northwestern has struggled defending pick-and-rolls lately.</p>
<p id="hE9N9A">The ‘Cats clearly placed the onus on keeping the Badgers from dominating the interior (even though they eventually did, for other reasons), but Hunger was pretty fluid defensively in the first half when it came to preventing mismatch switches at the top of the key. He played a relatively solid game on that end. Maybe it’s something that Northwestern relies on going forward, depending on who it draws next week.</p>
<ul><li id="AYvHYS"><strong>Boo Buie.</strong></li></ul>
<p id="WCamYc">I mean, this is something everyone who’s followed Northwestern has seen before, but to see him basically silence an arena was something else. There is nothing in sports like a guard taking over a game. Buie’s three-possession sequence where he buried a three-pointer, forced a Storr miss after defending him in isolation and knocked down another trey on the other end was mind-blowing.</p>
<p id="1LSOaq">Even though it felt inevitable that Northwestern would lose this game after Wisconsin’s 18-2 run, Buie somehow kept it close even though his supporting cast had its worst performance of the entire season as a whole. It seemed like every time the Badgers put some distance between themselves and NU, he knocked down a deep three. It was like the Big Ten had personally asked him at halftime to tell everyone to stay in their seats for the end of the first session and keep the game running on TV.</p>
<ul><li id="ZdVYnw"><strong>Northwestern actually did a pretty good job on AJ Storr early</strong></li></ul>
<p id="q9jxsN">If you’re reading this, you probably know how it turned out. But, I was impressed with the way Nick Martinelli defended the St. John’s transfer early on. Northwestern assigned Martinelli on him to start, and he initially closed off the baseline well, which is where Storr tends to capitalize on his lethal first step. The Wildcats threw size at him, and it worked. The change for the worse came when Wisconsin switched Hunger onto its star on the perimeter, and Storr capitalized. Then he bombed threes, and Northwestern really had no answer.</p>
<ul><li id="GhcsFt"><strong>Felt like the Minnesota game from February</strong></li></ul>
<p id="L0PFGm">The pendulum of big runs was pretty forceful in the Wisconsin game early on, and Northwestern’s never really done well in contests like those this year. When it played the Gophers in Minneapolis in February, it seemed like both teams exchanged 8-0 runs at will. While the opposite was the case in the second half of Friday’s game — it’s why Northwestern never really found itself back in the game — the momentum switch in the first half felt like a game-deciding sign immediately, even when the 18-2 Badger run was at 8-0. The Wisconsin fans got loud, and it stayed that way. </p>
<ul><li id="lvRnSO"><strong>Max Klesmit’s defense on Buie after the first half under-12 caught my eye</strong></li></ul>
<p id="a0pF3W">After erupting for 16 points in the first eight minutes, Buie took two shots in the next 12. While the Northwestern star sat for a few minutes after getting a little shaken up in a tangle with Tyler Wahl, that was mostly a product of Wisconsin’s defensive adjustments. After the game, I asked Buie what Greg Gard did differently after that break, and he said that the Badgers made sure to double him off high screens. Buie noted that other teams have done it — Nebraska and Minnesota are a few that come to mind. Like those two squads, Wisconsin made sure to bring two defenders to him at the free throw line to prevent three-pointers and open floaters.</p>
<p id="Svw2eu">Klesmit was especially impressive here, both on and off the ball. Without Chucky Hepburn, who missed the game due to a lower-body injury, Wisconsin initially struggled stopping Buie without its All-Big Ten defender. However, Klesmit didn’t give up space to Buie when Northwestern began its half-court sets; it seemed like he was tightening up his stance 35 feet away from the hoop. When Chris Collins ran actions for Buie off the ball, Klesmit rarely had to switch on off-ball screens thanks to his strength. While No. 0 still got to 29 points and shot well, it was Klesmit’s defense (and Gard’s adjustments) that prevented him from single-handedly winning Northwestern the game. They got the ball out of Buie’s hands, and forced his supporting cast to beat them.</p>
<ul><li id="iH9wpS"><strong>Random fan one-liner, from a Wisconsin fan after a foul: “Northwestern people are very frail!”</strong></li></ul>
<p id="lVGEyM">I’m used to hearing choice words ring out on a bad foul call, but this guy’s booming voice was the one most audible among the groans when Martinelli drew a foul. That’s as nice and Wisconsin as it gets.</p>
<ul><li id="5r420B"><strong>When I knew the game was over: Steven Crowl throwing up the three-finger celebration on Luke Hunger to make it 59-51...</strong></li></ul>
<p id="aIDKh9">Crowl drained a three with 7:40 in the second half after Northwestern had cut Wisconsin’s lead to five. He drained an open three after Hunger gave him way too much space on the perimeter, and grinned at the sophomore while he ran up the court and threw up three fingers. Wisconsin’s fans were about as loud as they’d get. </p>
<ul><li id="RJ7lKI"><strong>And how in the world did Northwestern not adjust to Crowl taking open shots at the perimeter?</strong></li></ul>
<p id="FxgmJz">As an aside: I don’t know how NU gave Crowl that much room at the top of the key to bomb away. Whether that’s a product of the scout or the defenders themselves, I was unsure why Northwestern didn’t adjust to a center who’s shooting 48% from three on the year, even if it’s on 1.5 attempts a game. A lot of negatives for Northwestern in this one, but this was the worst of them.</p>
<ul><li id="Pam2I6"><strong>Max Klesmit was the most energetic player on the court in the second half</strong></li></ul>
<p id="vHo7F1">I haven’t watched enough Wisconsin basketball to know if this is always the case, but Klesmit sounded like the Badgers’ emotional engine on both sides of the ball. From the press row courtside, his high voice pierced through the crowd noise when Wisconsin communicated defensive switches. Gard noted that he was the point guard, a role that he hasn’t often played with Hepburn running the offense most of the time.</p>
<p id="Un10AA">Klesmit and Crowl were the ones urging on the UW faithful after big plays, like Kamari McGee’s block and the lob to Storr. With 4.8 seconds left and the game in hand, he threw up his hands to engage the crowd. Klesmit’s energy wasn’t what won the game for Wisconsin — Storr’s excellence and the struggles of Northwestern’s supporting cast did — but it kept the momentum firmly on the Badgers’ side.</p>
<ul><li id="SttYOC"><strong>Best play: AJ Storr’s stepback three on Nick Martinelli in the second half</strong></li></ul>
<p id="10Tdr0">Everything about this was fantastic. Coming in, I really thought Northwestern would win if it limited Storr from utilizing his first step to attack the paint in a half-court offense. He definitely did so later on, but the St. John’s transfer struggled there early. It was Storr’s three-point shooting that grabbed my attention; he went 3-of-5 on the day and never let Northwestern develop a run. He’s only shot 33% from deep on the season, but he diced up Martinelli here with a crossover into a deep step-back bomb. Phenomenal player.</p>
<h2 id="ilO1kV"><strong>Three must-sees</strong></h2>
<ul><li id="Ze80gs"><strong>Every city with sports teams in the downtown area should have Minneapolis’ Skyway setup (and Target Field), it rocks</strong></li></ul>
<p id="t9CHrr">Walking out of the Target Center’s parking garage, we caught this on the way to the picking up credentials at the arena. It wasn’t even cold out — we got lucky with a 45-degree day — but this was just an incredible sight. The inside was really nice, and it was a pretty efficient way to avoid getting lost. The view of Target Field, where the Minnesota Twins play, tops it off. You can partially glimpse the inside of the ballpark as the Skyway crosses into the Target Center, as well as the scoreboard.</p>
<p id="eP9pLQ">Even from watching it on TV, Target Field looks really nice, but getting a glimpse of the backdrop walking to a basketball game was a really cool surprise. I’ve been to six MLB parks (Yankee Stadium, Citi Field, Wrigley, Guaranteed Rate, Fenway, Nationals Park), but that has to be the next one. Nicest one I’ve seen. It looked gorgeous for early March. The entrance setup for the arena across for it was brilliant. Awesome way to start the day.</p>
<ul><li id="JYLMCR"><strong>Prince mural in Minneapolis</strong></li></ul>
<p id="qKoAbR">It’s right near the parking ramp toward the Target Center parking lot. I’d never heard of it before Friday. The purple and pink colors are really vibrant, and it’s so huge. Shoutout Jon Bois for educating me on the greatness of Prince’s Super Bowl XLI halftime show — unmatched energy.</p>
<ul><li id="DVv8AC"><strong>Black Sheep Coal Fired Pizza in Minneapolis (shoutout to co-EIC Bradley Locker here)</strong></li></ul>
<p id="Dj8Ycg">I’m from New York, so I’m pretty particular about pizza, but this was a great eat. Tons of toppings, and it’s one of the few places that can really make throwing three or more things on a pie work. They also have these chicken wings that are almost like three combined into one, which was a perfect appetizer. </p>
<h2 id="wiPCd8"><strong>Recs from the road</strong></h2>
<ul><li id="2KkwTC"><strong>Taverino and Camp Douglas, Wisconsin</strong></li></ul>
<p id="RD769R">One of the best pit stop bathroom breaks ever. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Somewhere in the middle of nowhere Wisconsin thinking about postseason Ryan Langborg <a href="https://t.co/keLHO0QW02">pic.twitter.com/keLHO0QW02</a></p>— Inside NU (@insidenu) <a href="https://twitter.com/insidenu/status/1768404525902176580?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 14, 2024</a>
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<p id="J32C3T">This place had a population below 700, and it just screamed Wild West. As we were about to get back in the car, which we parked in front of a bar to go use the bathroom during a Thursday happy hour, a guy just walked down the street to us and shook everyone’s hands. Across the street from this was a bar that had a beach volleyball porch set up. In all seriousness, I’d really love to see what that backdrop looks like in the fall when people go downtown to watch Packers games. The leaves haven’t grown back yet, but fall colors would make this beyond scenic.</p>
<ul><li id="WlWx5w"><strong>Lola’s — Madison, Wisconsin</strong></li></ul>
<p id="hMMN8c">A very solid late-night food option on the drive home on Friday night. I’ve never had Wisconsin cheese curds, so I had the equivalent of the Giannis Antetokounmpo-esque “I just taste for the first time a smoothie, MAN GOD BLESS AMERICA” experience before I’d even eaten my actual meal. Really good Chicago tavern-style pizza, too. Crust was really good there. While I didn’t have the sandwiches, there were positive marks across the board from the table.</p>
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https://www.insidenu.com/2024/3/16/24102063/notebook-observations-from-a-friday-afternoon-at-the-big-ten-mens-basketball-tournamentIgnacio Dowling