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Throughout the majority of the 2018-19 season, redshirt junior Aaron Falzon saw himself enduring long spells on the bench. Returning from a lower body injury made it difficult for the forward to see much court time. Falzon saw action in only 17 games and averaged just over 15 minutes per game. Falzon led the effort in what could be considered Northwestern’s most impressive win of the season at home against Indiana, but besides that, this season, which would prove to be his last in Evanston, was relatively uneventful.
Stats
The following numbers are taken from RealGM.com
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Falzon’s usage percentage was lower than in his previous two healthy seasons and almost every metric across the board took a drastic hit. Most significantly, his true shooting percentage was at an all-time low, pretty important for a spot-up shooter. Falzon’s 3.88 points per game were the worst of his three full seasons in a Northwestern uniform this year.
Shot distribution
Via Hoop-Math.com
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The shot distribution says all you need to know about Falzon’s production this season. He was purely a spot-up shooter and nothing more. Falzon only made one of his 18 threes without being assisted. Falzon struggled in a Northwestern offensive system that overalled lacked creativity and players capable of generating offense on their own. Falzon shockingly shot just six free throws all year and finished only two buckets at the rim.
The Good
Even with all the nagging injuries and the lack of minutes, Falzon was able to catch fire in a game where the Wildcats needed him most. He finished the game against Indiana 6-of-7 from deep and 3-of-3 from the line.
The Bad
It is hard to knock Falzon for struggling with consistency when he wasn’t really ever getting consistent playing time. It takes time for a player to fully recover and gel with the team. It is especially hard when the offense doesn’t include a player that needs repetition to provide value. Despite the mediocre stat lines, he gave glimpses of the shooting and the court spacing he can provide when in the right environment and situation.
What’s Next
Falzon recently announced his intent to graduate and transfer from Northwestern after what was a disappointing final season with NU to say the least. There’s speculation that he might end up playing at a school near his hometown area of Newtown, Massachusetts. Falzon, who came to Northwestern as one of Collins’ most highly-touted recruits of all time, will not be finishing his college career in Evanston.