Northwestern men’s basketball player previews: G Ryan Greer

Who he is:

Sophomore; guard; 6-foot-2; 185 pounds; Atlanta, Georgia; former three-star recruit

2018-19 Stats:

1.5 points per game; 8.9 minutes; 1 rebound; 0.9 assists; .390 FG%, .235 3FG%, .500 FT%

2018-19 Review:

In his first year in Evanston, Greer saw the court more than expected, appearing in 28 games on the year and filling in as a backup point guard. While he had his moments, the early enrollee struggled with confidence, especially on the offensive end.

Greer became somewhat of a liability on offense. His .92 assist-to-turnover ratio cannot be ignored, good for the second worst on the team, and he scored just 42 points on the season, the third-least of any Wildcat. As anticipated, Greer used his first year to acclimate to next-level play but has a fair amount of developing to do before holding a leadership role on this team.

Strengths:

While Greer struggled offensively throughout last season, he showed he has strong fundamentals and is comfortable with the ball. The turnovers will resolve themselves with experience and confidence, and Greer has the skill to be the primary ball handler. He also rotates well on defense and charted eight steals on the season.

Weaknesses:

Turnovers and shooting were the two weaknesses Greer must resolve in his sophomore season. He had 26 turnovers last season with only 24 assists –– not a comforting stat to see. He also recorded the second worst shooting percentage of any Wildcat, going 17-of-55 from the field. Additionally, he had the worst shooting percentage at the rim at just 47.4 percent. However, it is somewhat unfair to evaluate these stats because he only did shoot the ball 55 times last season.

Expectations:

Greer will certainly step into a larger role this season and could potentially start at point guard, competing for that spot with true first year Boo Buie. With an unexperienced backcourt as a whole, he and Anthony Gaines will lead a group mostly comprised of first-years, walk-ons and transfers. Stepping into this leadership role, Greer will have the opportunity to gain more confidence. However, he must protect the ball and be more aggressive on offense if he hopes to solidify this position.