Inside NU: All Posts by Bradley LockerRoll Damn 'Catshttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/52532/insidenu_fav.png2024-03-24T20:58:02-05:00https://www.insidenu.com/authors/bradley-locker/rss2024-03-24T20:58:02-05:002024-03-24T20:58:02-05:00Rapid Reaction: Northwestern dominated 75-58 by UConn in Round of 32
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<figcaption>Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The Wildcats never truly stood a chance against the country’s best.</p> <p id="NLNtyV">NEW YORK — This one was over as fast as the 4 train leaves Grand Central.</p>
<p id="pdIMOn">No. 9-seed Northwestern (22-12, 12-8 B1G) saw its wildly impressive 2023-24 season come to a bitter close with an 75-58 loss to No. 1 overall seed UConn (33-3, 13-7 Big East). It was the Wildcats’ worst loss by margin (17) since Jan. 2 at Illinois and their most lopsided defeat in six NCAA Tournament games.</p>
<p id="nF9IBm">The ‘Cats got nothing functioning offensively, converting just 34% of their shots. Boo Buie shot 2-of-15, mustering nine points — his lowest output since Jan. 20 at Nebraska — while Brooks Barnhizer posted 18 points. Ryan Langborg had 13 on 5-of-7 from the field.</p>
<p id="aedGAS">Meanwhile, Donovan Clingan was a problem from the tip, amassing 14 points, 14 rebounds and eight blocks. All-American point guard Tristen Newton also contributed 20 points and 10 assists.</p>
<p id="MVKLua">After a steal from Buie, Clingan blocked a Luke Hunger dunk, and Newton laid it in on the other end for the first points of the night. Stephon Castle added an and-one, and Clingan spun in a hook to make it 7-0 Huskies.</p>
<p id="hNLtxy">Northwestern’s initial bucket came via a layup from Blake Preston at the 16:44 mark of the half, but it stayed all UConn via an NU turnover and throwdowns from Castle and Clingan. In response, Nick Martinelli put in a classic left-handed hook around Clingan and Cam Spencer to send the teams to the under-16, where it was 11-4 UConn.</p>
<p id="ICTUBX">A showtime feed from Hassan Diarra to Clingan and a Spencer lay-in kept all momentum with the No. 1 overall seed. The Wildcats remained ice cold, starting 2-of-12 from the field — including multiple misses from close range. A levitating three-point play by Newton made the deficit 14 for the Wildcats.</p>
<p id="wIOGXS">A floater from Martinelli and a bank shot from Hunger gave the ‘Cats a 4-0 run, with Northwestern’s defense tightening to hold UConn scoreless for over two minutes. But the stretch did little to stop the bleeding, as easy buckets from Clingan and Spencer neutralized the purple spurt.</p>
<p id="SbdtIU">By the under-8, Connecticut extended its lead to 24-10. Buie had zero points, while three Huskies had already reached five points. Northwestern’s offense stalled on virtually every possession, with Dan Hurley’s defense disrupting sets and knocking the ball away consistently.</p>
<p id="KkuMao">Two free throws from Clingan came after the break, and Hunger bodied the Husky big for a layup. Newton proceeded to roll one in, and a triple from Spencer and an and-one from Diarra gave UConn its largest lead at 21 at the under-4.</p>
<p id="oCY8eN">Buie finally broke his scoreless spell with two free throws with 1:22 left in the half, but Alex Karaban answered right back with a three — and another metaphorical slap in the face. One Diarra free throw sent the contest to halftime with the Huskies throttling the ‘Cats 40-18. Buie and Barnhizer combined for just two points on 0-of-14 shooting, while Clingan had amassed 12 points, 11 rebounds and a gaudy five rejections in 13 minutes of action.</p>
<p id="E0MFgg">Clingan fed a slipping Karaban for a dunk to open the second, which set the tone for the massacre. Hunger ran past Clingan, who was assessed for a goaltend, but Langborg was then called for his third foul. Barnhizer finally hit a shot with 18:22 left on a patented stepback, but the lead was still 24 for the Huskies after a pair of charity stripe makes from Newton.</p>
<p id="QxLOnA">A swat by Clingan and an and-one from Newton all but sapped what was left for the Wildcats, as UConn led 49-22. Langborg hit a triple, and a lob from Buie to Blake Preston had the score 51-27 at the under-16.</p>
<p id="DmMtzF">A steal-turned-dunk from Newton and Spencer layup forced a Collins timeout with the Wildcats trailing by 28. Nothing stopped the Husky train, though. Even though Barnhizer poured in five points after the break, Samson Johnson added two lobs. Northwestern was overpowered 59-32 at the under-12.</p>
<p id="BLA3Nq">Barnhizer reached 10 points with a spinning three-point play, and Buie finished a putback jumper for his first field goal of the evening. But NU couldn’t get within 21 points of the reigning champs before the under-8 hit, where the Huskies led 66-42.</p>
<p id="uek3fl">Northwestern did flash some positives in the next few minutes, though. Langborg jumped a passing lane and drilled a three, and two more from Barnhizer gave those in purple some optimism. Buie then got Clingan in the air, drawing a foul and adding a free throw that reduced the advantage to 16.</p>
<p id="Y6vorE">Justin Mullins had the ball knocked away, and Hurley’s side began to tick away at the clock. Two from Castle and another block from Clingan brought those in navy on their feet. Ultimately, Northwestern fell 75-58, its third ever NCAA Tournament trip ending in the Round of 32.</p>
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https://www.insidenu.com/2024/3/24/24110969/rapid-reaction-northwestern-dominated-75-58-by-uconn-in-round-of-32Bradley Locker2024-03-24T10:19:57-05:002024-03-24T10:19:57-05:00Northwestern drawing upon high-level center exposure to prepare for UConn’s Donovan Clingan
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<figcaption>Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Defending the 7-foot-2 sophomore is not an easy proposition, but the Wildcats believe they can do enough to emerge victorious.</p> <p id="VMxLX6">When a team faces the UConn Huskies — the reigning national champion and No. 1 overall seed in this year’s tournament that’s won 91% of its games this season — there’s hardly just one area to pinpoint in scouting. The biggest one, though, is probably a good place to start.</p>
<p id="Pfs14m">UConn center Donovan Clingan, standing at 7-foot-2, is one of the better interior players in college basketball. The sophomore burst onto the scene last season with impressive stretches of play as Adama Sanogo’s backup, and has taken starting reins in 2023-24 — averaging 12.7 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game. Clingan’s offensive rating on Bart Torvik is the highest among <em>any</em> Division I player with over a 20 usage rating, and he’s slotted as the ninth-best prospect in the 2024 NBA Draft, per ESPN’s Jonathan Givony.</p>
<p id="1lcp2U">Defending a player of Clingan’s caliber is formidable enough as is. But for Northwestern, that hurdle grows immensely because of the foot injury to typical starting center Matthew Nicholson, who hasn’t played since March 2. Now, the duties of mitigating the sophomore standout’s impact fall upon redshirt first-year Luke Hunger and grad transfer Blake Preston.</p>
<p id="zdvzhT">“He’s a big, big body. Good touch around the rim,” Hunger said about Clingan. “Very athletic. We know he’s a good player.”</p>
<p id="S6myxZ">The Wildcats’ bigs have gotten more than a sample platter of lining up against intimidating centers all season. Notably, that includes two matchups with presumptive two-time Wooden Award winner Zach Edey. Preston cited those contests, as difficult as an assignment as any, as being formative.</p>
<p id="1Sm55u">“When you’re experiencing that size mismatch for the first time, it’s definitely a shell shock,” Preston said. “As you kind of go that second, third, fourth experience, it becomes a little bit easier as you know, ‘Hey, this worked, this didn’t work.’ I think just the experience of it all will be good for us.”</p>
<p id="6vIWW3">Squaring off with Purdue’s unstoppable big man also allows for comparison, if not some relief moving forward. After all, very few can come close to Edey’s combination of scoring, rebounding and defensive acumen. Consequently, Northwestern’s centers recognized that Edey and Clingan are not one and the same, suggesting that the Husky may be a more favorable opponent.</p>
<p id="6V1vq6">“Playing against Zach Edey prepares you for pretty much every big in the country,” Hunger said. “He’s [Clingan’s] a little weaker in the lower body, so he’s a little easier to push around. I think we’ll be able to kind of push him off his catches in the low post. His touch isn’t as great as Edey’s. I think we’ll be prepared, especially now.”</p>
<p id="m9okPg">The Wildcats got a good amuse-bouche of a dominant center in their NCAA Tournament opener against FAU. The Owls’ Vlad Goldin thrived to the tune of 19 points, nine rebounds and four blocks. However, Goldin didn’t get going early — posting just three points and four ‘boards — because of the team’s patent defensive style of doubling the post. Assistant Chris Lowery, who spearheads the Wildcats’ defensive schematics, was impressed by his center tandem in the Round of 64.</p>
<p id="9LJ2oY">“I just think our aggression, and not letting him catch it where it wants, and his spots where he’s very comfortable,” Lowery said about what worked against Goldin. “Luke and Blake did a great job of really just staying with him, and just forcing him to score different ways.”</p>
<p id="ziUQWT">For as excellent as Clingan is as a standalone player, what augments UConn’s strength is just how elite it is in pretty much every other facet. Invest too much in guarding the Bristol native, and a team can get torched on the outside by All-American point guard Tristen Newton or sharpshooters Cam Spencer and Alex Karaban. As a result, Northwestern is trying to do what it can to play its cards properly on Sunday.</p>
<p id="bo6eK3">“We try to make sure that we take what people’s best bets are, and take them away from them,” Lowery said. “You can’t take one thing away from them, because they’re so well balanced. We just can’t get a healthy dose of all of them. Everybody can’t get off, and I think that’s the biggest thing with them."</p>
<p id="uYIbpu">“Just kind of knowing the personnel and doing the scout,” Hunger reinforced. “Knowing what guys shoot, which guys are better inside who are drivers, who to help off of. Those are all important.”</p>
<p id="Z42qSs">For much of this campaign, Northwestern’s defense has not been as good as its offense, as evidenced by a KenPom rating 22 spots below the other unit. Bad rotations, close-outs and rebounding have been sore spots for considerable games. Yet the ‘Cats feel their defense has fortified as the season has progressed — as evidenced by limiting the high-flying Owls to 20 first-half points on Friday.</p>
<p id="UmtJwc">“I think the attention to detail has continuously grown stronger as the season has progressed,” Lowery noted.</p>
<p id="VJzePJ">Ultimately, how do the Wildcats intend to plan for Clingan’s unavoidable presence in the paint? Expect adherence to NU’s typical center defense throughout 2023-24, with an emphasis on rallying two bodies and forcing Clingan to distribute the rock.</p>
<p id="4JSR59">“Being tough inside. Fighting for our position. Doing what we do every day,” Preston said. “We’ve had a great stretch of opportunities to practice against that obviously in the Big Ten.”</p>
<p id="kbMHz3">No matter if it’s neutralizing Clingan and the top-echelon Huskies or any other school on the other side of the hardwood, the Wildcats believe they can go toe-to-toe with anyone — a sensible air of confidence regardless of having Nicholson or not.</p>
<p id="9hSxaA">“No. 1, No. 2… Seeds don’t really matter to us at this point, because we’re on the same court at the same time,” Hunger said. “As soon as that ball goes up in the air, it’s kind of everyone is against each other. We’ve beaten really good teams, and we’re prepared just as much for this one.”</p>
https://www.insidenu.com/2024/3/24/24110378/northwestern-drawing-upon-high-level-center-exposure-to-prepare-for-uconns-donovan-clinganBradley Locker2024-03-23T09:48:23-05:002024-03-23T09:48:23-05:00Northwestern shows it still has enough — and its program progress — in win over FAU
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<figcaption>Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Chris Collins’ patented style, established over 11 years, shone through in Brooklyn.</p> <p id="vwQzQK">With just over 90 seconds left on the Barclays Center floor, two stars crossed paths. While Northwestern’s Boo Buie missed a stepback three, Florida Atlantic’s Johnell Davis raced to his left and sank a layup that gave the Owls a two-point lead.</p>
<p id="Mt1i0h">It felt as if every bounce of the ball on the orange rim deflated whatever air was left in the Wildcats’ balloon. Gone was the team’s nine-point lead, and in was a hole seemingly dug by the grim reaper himself. That morbidity only increased as FAU big man Vlad Goldin was hacked by Brooks Barnhizer with 26 ticks to go.</p>
<p id="SgLcdO">With its magical season — and the prolific careers of Boo Buie and Ryan Langborg — hanging in the balance, NU simply denied life support. Instead, the Wildcats answered in the form of a tying layup by Barnhizer, out of a disjointed play no less. Then came overtime, in which that resuscitation transformed into vivacity: Northwestern led the entire period, fueled by a virtually unconscious Langborg.</p>
<p id="j9JLhe">The ‘Cats’ 33<sup>rd</sup> game of the 2023-24 season, in many ways, encapsulated the themes of its previous 32. That included stretches of very ugly basketball, such as a scoring drought over five minutes in Brooklyn. Most importantly, though, Friday afternoon’s contest embodied tenacity and winning via multiple difference-makers.</p>
<p id="yjXTTG">In the first half, it was Barnhizer’s seven points, combined with stellar defense, that allowed NU to hang in despite a combined 2-of-12 shooting from Buie and Langborg. In the second period, it was the latter two, combining for 28 on four triples. In overtime, it was virtually all the Princeton transfer, who poured in 12 of the team’s 19 points.</p>
<p id="49n8t9">The problem for Northwestern not just this season, but also last, has been finding consistently viable threats outside of Buie. Even down two starters from November, yesterday’s Wildcats indicated they’re still potent enough to make some noise — even if Buie doesn’t play at his best for 40 (or 45) minutes.</p>
<p id="cOjfHC">Chris Collins’ matchup with Dusty May’s team was anything but utopian, a far cry from NU’s games against Michigan State, Ohio State or Nebraska during conference competition. Even then, when the Wildcats’ head man first wrote out a lineup that included Buie, Langborg and Barnhizer against Binghamton on Nov. 6, what Northwestern got from those three against the Owls was virtually all one could have dreamt of over four months ago.</p>
<p id="Kz0nJf">It’s easy to view the Wildcats’ win over a team from last year’s Final Four in a vacuum. After all, the alacrity of the NCAA Tournament — with teams playing every other day and speaking to the media largely nonstop — doesn’t allow for much introspection. Yet Northwestern’s triumph over FAU was more than just another of its 22 this year: it extended the program’s run of never having lost in the Round of 64.</p>
<p id="cufGxP">Sure, the sample size is limited. But winning in March is far from a guarantee, even for teams way better than the ‘Cats; just ask Kentucky and Auburn about prevailing with a bracket on the court. That Northwestern has made the Round of 32 — in an event chronically celebrated for its lunacy — in both of the last two seasons is remarkable, and is a real reflection of the prestige it’s starting to establish in Evanston.</p>
<p id="MQrkrD">“I feel like we’ve earned respect, and you only do that by winning and your play. You’ve got to go out there and you’ve got to produce results,” Collins said at the podium Friday. “We are trying to build something that’s sustainable, something that can last. And the more you can win and the more you can get on this stage — perception is everything.”</p>
<p id="qnZYkJ">For Wildcats that inherited a program few conceived as ever being successful, let alone <em>this</em> high-level, victories over a team like FAU mean that much more. In fact, they leave no doubt about the very essence of Northwestern basketball, even if down Ty Berry and Matthew Nicholson.</p>
<p id="0tAe2Z">“People used to think of Northwestern basketball and think that we were a pushover, think we were soft. Not give us any credit,” Barnhizer said in the locker room postgame. “The last two years, we’ve really debunked all those thoughts about us, and all those claims.”</p>
<p id="eJQUxJ">For the Wildcats to have reached three second rounds after not even making the tournament until 2017 is superb. The problem is what lies on the other side of that first door: a top-seeded behemoth. 2017 Gonzaga, 2023 UCLA and 2024 UConn? Those are some of the better programs and teams in the last 10 years, a college basketball murderer’s row.</p>
<p id="VhIrnE">“Well, I want to enjoy this game before I start talking about that juggernaut,” Collins mused.</p>
<p id="ap3Kq1">In having to play against All-American Tristen Newton and fellow stars Donovan Clingan and Cam Spencer, and to win against a team that’s gone a blistering 38-3 in its last 41 games, the Wildcats will need plenty to go their way. The probability that Northwestern will reach its first ever Sweet 16, which has been on Langborg’s and others’ radars since the preseason, is slim to none. Bart Torvik projects those odds at 17%, but those truly feel too high.</p>
<p id="umKMlv">But if NU is to have any shot at snatching the crown from the Huskies’ head, it’ll need just as, if not more, well-rounded contributions from Buie, Langborg and Barnhizer — the backbone of a ‘Cat squad that’s beleaguered but not done dancing yet. And in March, a chance is all one needs.</p>
https://www.insidenu.com/2024/3/23/24109490/northwestern-shows-it-still-has-enough-and-its-program-progress-in-win-over-fauBradley Locker2024-03-21T17:02:06-05:002024-03-21T17:02:06-05:00“Leave it all on the line”: Northwestern focused on ending Boo Buie era with Last Dance-type March Madness run
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<figcaption>Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Finality has started to creep in, but the Wildcats are intent on channeling their intensity on FAU — and standards for the future.</p> <p id="NHXaRt">Arenas outfitted with cushy NBA locker rooms, cross-country flights and even custom gear are some of the exclusive benefits earned for players on teams qualifying for March Madness. In fact, the mere symbol of playing on a court with the bracket iconography itself is hallowed ground for nearly any competitor, a level that few can lay claim to have reached.</p>
<p id="nMy5f9">Another element to the NCAA Tournament stage, which can easily manifest itself as a physical presence: knowing that players could be putting on their school’s uniforms for the final time.</p>
<p id="gr6Rj2">For Northwestern grad students Boo Buie, Ryan Langborg and Blake Preston, all will have to confront that reality for every game the rest of the way, starting with a matchup against No. 8-seed Florida Atlantic Friday afternoon — balancing nerves of postseason play in front of a national audience with their own bittersweet realities. In many ways, that finality serves as a motivator to have no holds barred.</p>
<p id="elKYGW">“I’m gonna leave everything I’ve got on the floor 100%,” Buie said. “I just want to go out with no regrets. I would like to say that I had a pretty good college career, but it’s not done yet. I would definitely like to end it with a bang.”</p>
<p id="XkfS2H">In fact, one could even dub this last stretch for Northwestern’s 2023-24 team — which reached consecutive NCAA Tournaments for the first time ever, took down two top-10 opponents and tied a school record with 12 Big Ten wins — Evanston’s Last Dance.</p>
<p id="WsTDhm">Maybe there’s no finality at head coach, with Chris Collins remaining in his stead for quite a while (unlike Phil Jackson). But Buie’s NBA Draft entry-turned-return akin to Michael Jordan’s “I’m back” letter; a stellar role player (Langborg, like Scottie Pippen) having one last go-round with a star; and pursuing what could be the final dash to a championship for an elongated period certainly evoke memories of the Bulls’ famed 1997-1998 season. This year’s Wildcats could have a retrospective documentary made, too.</p>
<p id="LeSBIF">The sentiment of an upcoming changing of the guard without Buie and Langborg was palpable in Northwestern’s locker room Thursday morning. But what was also apparent was the team’s intention to strain every last fiber to prepare for NU’s matchup with the Owls — particularly for elder statesmen.</p>
<p id="lhdVKK">“I feel like everybody has to have an extra battery in their back right now,” sophomore guard Justin Mullins said. “Just try to give it their all for these guys. They give us so much. They’ve given a lot in their careers. We’re just trying to give it back to them now.”</p>
<p id="rsTpSx">Buie — delivering fist-bump-worthy Jordan-esque moments in Chicago some 25 years later — noted trying not to think about what could be his final time sinking threes or drilling floaters in purple and white.</p>
<p id="BDUNPs">“Then, I start to get a little sad,” he quipped.</p>
<p id="WfIATg">Instead, the selfless star on and off the court wants to have the Wildcats’ team effort culminate when the stakes are the highest, cementing the legacy of the 2023-24 season rather than his own gaudy achievements.</p>
<p id="P98oti">“I try to think outside of myself and think more about the last opportunity with this team,” Buie said. “This team is the team that was able to accomplish everything. We owe it to ourselves to just go out there and leave it all on the line.”</p>
<p id="Aro9ev">When Buie announced his decision to return for a fifth year in May, the date of his last game would inevitably come, even if it was a challenging one to circle on the calendar. Across the cinematics of heat check triples and cross-defender passes, other Wildcats internalized cherishing every moment with Buie and other outgoing players, culminating in this last stretch.</p>
<p id="PlRKHc">“We started to understand that every game, the time is getting shorter and shorter,” sophomore forward Nick Martinelli said. “I think that’s something that we’ve been good at: just playing with your heart out every game.”</p>
<p id="JGkZOd">Weighing an immediate opponent with long-term outlook is difficult for anyone. But Northwestern’s coaches are stressing remaining focused on controllables rather than unknowns.</p>
<p id="rBk0Kd">“It’s hard for everybody running out of eligibility. One thing you can do is just stay present; focus on what’s ahead of you,” assistant Talor Battle said. “When the dust settles, it settles."</p>
<p id="tf5HGL">In fact, Battle — Buie’s older brother and a fellow Big Ten leading scorer — thinks his younger sibling may have benefitted from his previous decision to stay or go.</p>
<p id="uJeecr">“Boo wasn’t positive that he was going to come back to school, so I think he’s kind of already gone through it, which has helped him a little bit,” Battle said.</p>
<p id="ByMXaG">Seasoned veterans like Buie and Langborg may only have one game left as parts of Northwestern’s program, but they’re intent on imbuing lessons that last beyond a box score in Brooklyn.</p>
<p id="xGkT5b">Langborg, part of Princeton’s Cinderella run last tournament, recalled a timeout during the Tigers’ eventual win over No. 2-seed Arizona — a moment which endured across schools.</p>
<p id="nUFnH4">“The whole bench is calm, collected; we weren’t nervous,” Langborg said. “That’s kind of one lesson I want to hopefully give to these guys. Like, ‘Hey, no matter what situation we’re in, just take a deep breath. We always have a chance to win, no matter what’s going on.’”</p>
<p id="J4BJEB">Younger players, such as Mullins and Martinelli, have started to incorporate such tidbits into their everyday routines. Both cited watching grad students lead through actions, namely through consistent, straining reps in practice.</p>
<p id="3SUMOA">Northwestern’s March Madness projections, of course, still take the sizeable impacts of No. 0 and 5 on the court into account. Yet with the sunlight starting to dim on the 2023-24 team, those who will still be Wildcats next year and beyond have already begun to consider how to maintain this level of success.</p>
<p id="zWxBpy">“I think it starts as soon as the spring workouts start,” Martinelli said. “It starts with the core group of guys. As soon as the season’s over, we’re going to have to set the standard. We’re going to have to obviously pick up our leadership... Next year, just play the same way.”</p>
<p id="FyeV2J">His mentors would tend to think that’s a promising sign of where the Wildcats will be even in their absences.</p>
<p id="H6pBwx">“Having that team chemistry, that togetherness,” Buie said about program goals without him. “It’s just a standard of winning and toughness moving forward. Anyone’s individual egos have to go. It’s all about the team, all about Northwestern and making it back to the tournament.”</p>
<p id="gOV64L">“I think Northwestern deserves to continually have a tournament team,” Langborg echoed. “What we’ve done this year, what they did last year, is special. I don’t think the fans will forget it. Hopefully that NU Wildside will pull up to every game, like they have in the past.</p>
<p id="D4vJs8">"That legacy will be something for all these guys, and the new guys who come in next year, will be like, 'This is now the new standard; anything below that is a failure, I guess.'”</p>
<p id="al6OuZ">The send-offs of Buie, Langborg and Preston inescapably loom above the Wildcats’ trek to potentially unchartered territory, through one or more Final Four teams from last year. But all that presently matters for Northwestern and its three grad students is continued advancement in the postseason — hoping to catalyze a deep playoff run in the home of the Nets, just like the ‘98 Bulls did.</p>
<p id="lCpAfW">“It’s definitely crossed my mind: I’m done after this tournament,” Langborg reflected. “What I think that helps us with is playing with no regard for human life, almost. Leave everything on the court. Blood, sweat, tears. Last ride, so no regrets.”</p>
https://www.insidenu.com/2024/3/21/24108153/leave-it-all-line-northwestern-focused-on-ending-boo-buie-era-with-last-dance-type-march-madness-runBradley Locker2024-03-15T15:41:56-05:002024-03-15T15:41:56-05:00Rapid Reaction: Northwestern comes up short in Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals, losing 70-61 to Wisconsin
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<img alt="NCAA Basketball: Big Ten Conference Tournament Quarterfinal-Wisconsin vs Northwestern" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/VQ0tizcRARKn1uHjPrN3unQcxDA=/0x0:2738x1825/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73210550/usa_today_22783722.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Another year of an early exit on a big stage.</p> <p id="XBzu8j">MINNEAPOLIS — Maybe the double bye is a bad omen after all.</p>
<p id="RNnPUA">No. 4-seeded Northwestern (21-11, 12-8 B1G) lost for the second time this season to No. 5-seeded Wisconsin (21-12, 11-9 B1G), bowing out in the Big Ten Tournament’s quarterfinal round for the second consecutive season with a 70-61 defeat.</p>
<p id="j0w0oO">Boo Buie tried his best for a solo act, contributing 29 points on seven threes; meanwhile, all of Ryan Langborg, Nick Martinelli and Brooks Barnhizer were all held under 13 points. A.J. Storr accumulated 30 points for the Badgers, while Steven Crowl (19 points, seven rebounds) and Max Klesmit (10 points, seven assists) also chipped in.</p>
<p id="bqVIpO">Both sides started o-fer, missing their first seven shots. A goaltend on Blake Preston gave Crowl the first points at 17:33 of the first half, but Martinelli answered with a soaring two-hand jam. A great rip by Barnhizer sparked two made free throws from Buie. At the under-16, the score sat 4-2 on the heels of consecutive offensive fouls.</p>
<p id="8LygAs">A steal by Klesmit out of the break led to his first bucket: a made three. Yet, Buie responded with a trey of his own from the far side. Following an early miss from Northwestern’s floor general, Storr raced in and finished an and-one to make it 8-7 Wisconsin with 14:13 remaining in the first half.</p>
<p id="DHVnZr">Buie cashed in from the far wing again, giving him eight points in the first six minutes of action. A heat check from No. 0 was good with another straightaway triple, and those donning purple cheered as Greg Gard called timeout down 13-8.</p>
<p id="NCrhQE">The momentum stayed with the Wildcats, as Barnhizer converted a jumper and added the free throw. A layup from Storr finally quelled a 9-0 run, but Buie banked in an improbable floater and followed it up with a stepback three for 16 (!) points before the halfway point of the period, extending NU’s lead to 21-10.</p>
<p id="535lu2">Storr converted two of three from the stripe at the under-12, but Langborg got on the board with a straight-arrow jumper. From there, Crowl backed down Luke Hunger for a spinning layup and responded with a straightaway triple, which injected life into a silent Wisconsin crowd. Wisco snowballed its run to 8-0, trimming the lead to just three as Klesmit drilled one from downtown. Chris Collins called for a break as Buie got up slowly after getting tangled up with Tyler Wahl, grabbing his left knee.</p>
<p id="La8nGH">John Blackwell raced past Jordan Clayton to extend the stretch to 10-0, and those donning red got in full roar. An airballed three from Blake Smith turned into a UW 2-for-1 with Storr finishing an impressive deuce, giving Wisconsin the lead back. Then, an errant feed from Barnhizer gave two free throws to Markus Iver, who was fouled by Smith on the other end. It was 24-23 Wisconsin with 6:46 left in the half.</p>
<p id="QG5kOL">The Badger gave his team a three-point cushion and extended an unbelievable 14-0 run. A patented Martinelli hook mercifully ended the extended NU drought. After missing a dunk, Storr made two from the stripe after the second foul on Preston, while Smith came up empty at his own free throw trip. Storr continued to prove too much, muscling in for a layup to reach 13 points. It was 30-25 Wisconsin at the under-4, with the Badgers coasting on an 18-2 run.</p>
<p id="9bUbRU">Two foul shots from Barnhizer ended a scoring drought of over two minutes and cut the Wisconsin lead to three, but Gard’s team stayed out of closing distance with another Crowl trey. The Wildcats went over four minutes without a made field goal until Hunger got a deep two to rattle in to cap off the half with Wisconsin up 33-29.</p>
<p id="VEq3v9">At the break, Buie posted 16 but did not score in the period’s final eight minutes. Even then, he was responsible for over half of the team’s total output, as the rest of Northwestern shot 5-of-19. For the Badgers, Storr accrued 14 in the first 20 minutes.</p>
<p id="7O54nv">To begin the second half, Barnhizer scooped in a tough hook shot, but Crowl stayed hot with a putback layup. The Wildcats proceeded to miss two straight jumpers, at which point Klesmit rained in his third three to push the lead to seven. Subsequently, a Martinelli floater and a quick two from Buie gave NU a 4-0 spurt. No. 0 and Storr swapped threes, and the latter drew two free throws. At the under-16, it was 41-38 Wisconsin.</p>
<p id="TMdIJu">Storr got up to 18 with two additional points from the line, but Langborg drained a three courtesy of great screening action. However, Wisconsin remained loud via a Crowl roll and throwdown, keeping its five-point lead.</p>
<p id="vnFeFL">A Barnhizer giveaway fostered an acrobatic, one-handed Storr lob, but Buie — the silencer, as usual — rallied with his sixth triple. Kamari McGhee finished a high-arcing bank layup, and Collins was hot as he signaled for a timeout with the Wildcats down 49-44.</p>
<p id="pINKCq">Out of the huddle, Hunger finished a cutting layup, but Nolan Winter sank two free throws after the under-12. Martinelli then missed a close-range floater, and Langborg’s fourth foul led to zero from the line for McGhee. Two phenomenal defensive possessions from Smith culminated in nothing offensively, though, as Storr drilled a wing three to expand the lead to eight with 8:55 left.</p>
<p id="FlOYX3">Barnhizer redeemed multiple misses with a second-chance and-one, but Storr diced right through the heart of NU’s defense for two more. A pair of Smith free throws did little in light of Crowl’s third trey.</p>
<p id="JnueLK">Storr punctuated his scintillating day with a deep three. A roll-in from Hunger was effectively matched by one from the line from Klesmit, who drew the fifth foul on Langborg. Wisconsin’s star guard denied Barnhizer, then got the layup in to reach 30.</p>
<p id="y9z7Uw">Buie’s seventh three kept things a six-point game, but the Wildcats’ shaky defense kept the game out of reach. A dunk from Crowl put Badger fans on their feet with their team leading 67-59 at the under-4.</p>
<p id="fJXI2G">A Justin Mullins miss on the first leg of a one-and-one and a Blackwell three effectively put the game to bed with Wisconsin up 11 on the maligned ‘Cats with 2:14 to go.</p>
<p id="j7jT8b">Northwestern will await its March Madness destination and opponent on Sunday, where it will hold a watch party from Welsh-Ryan Arena at 2:30 p.m. CT. The Wildcats could play March 21 or 22 assuming they reach the NCAA Tournament, where they’re expected to be a No. 8, 9 or 10-seed.</p>
https://www.insidenu.com/2024/3/15/24102190/rapid-reaction-northwestern-comes-up-short-big-ten-tournament-quarterfinals-losing-70-61-wisconsinBradley Locker2024-03-08T14:10:03-06:002024-03-08T14:10:03-06:00Northwestern draft hopefuls display abilities at 2024 Pro Day, David Braun speaks for first time this spring
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<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/xGJp7XohOYmmmO8cS5vOoFd5Y40=/0x11:712x486/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73192575/Screenshot_2024_03_08_020104.0.png" />
<figcaption>Henry Frieman/@friemanreporting on Instagram.</figcaption>
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<p>It felt like fall in Evanston for the first time in over two months.</p> <p id="KMayQ3">Following an upstart 8-5 bowl-winning season anchored by some regular contributors, Northwestern football’s top talent moving on to the pro level had the chance to showcase its skills at its 2024 Pro Day.</p>
<p id="yjQrIo">Quarterback Ben Bryant, receiver Cam Johnson and inside linebacker Bryce Gallagher were the Wildcats’ three participants at Wednesday’s outing — a number that likely would have been higher if not for multiple transfers to bigger Power Five schools. For context, 10 ‘Cats took to the Ryan Fieldhouse turf for last year’s Pro Day.</p>
<p id="F13mnD">Although there wasn’t as much fanfare this year with no projected high picks — none of the three were invited to the Combine or Senior Bowl — 29 of 32 NFL franchises still ventured to Evanston, including the likes of some top personnel such as Pittsburgh Steelers Director of Player Scouting Mark Sadowski and Baltimore Ravens Director of Player Personnel George Kokinis.</p>
<p id="tnA9wD">To little surprise, Johnson appeared the best athlete of the bunch. His 10-foot-4 broad jump and 37-inch vertical jump both ranked in the 69<sup>th</sup> percentile of receivers since 1999. On top of that, his 40-yard dash was measured in the range of 4.46 to 4.53, he said.</p>
<p id="DMtNcI">Bryant’s measurables (27-inch vertical, 9-foot-1 broad) weren’t eye-popping, but his on-field workout generally mirrored what he put on tape during an injury-limited 2023 season. With quarterback coach Tony Racioppi (who also coaches Steelers QB Kenny Pickett and others) calling out plays, the sixth-year displayed clean footwork and dropback mechanics and shined on deep balls, putting good air and life on the ball and allowing his <a href="https://x.com/Bradley_Locker/status/1765421722709225666?s=20">receivers</a> to track them over the shoulder. At times, though, Bryant’s accuracy was spotty, with some throws over the middle behind and/or necessitating the target to slow down.</p>
<p id="bmxue9">Gallagher also put forward more explosiveness than possibly anticipated with a 33-inch vertical (49<sup>th</sup> percentile) and 9-foot-8 broad (61<sup>st</sup> percentile) and partook in linebacker drills.</p>
<p id="u2NRHw">As of now, it appears that all three former Northwestern players face an uphill battle in hearing their names called between April 25-27. Per source, Gallagher has visits with the New England Patriots and Chicago Bears scheduled for early April. On top of that, Johnson will attend the Bears’ and Tennessee Titans’ Local Days, per Justin Melo of The Draft Network. However, Bryant does not yet have any visits slated, per source.</p>
<p id="fbDMsw">However, don’t be surprised if Johnson or Bryant also end up visiting with the nearby Bears, who had multiple reps present as part of their usual prominence in Evanston. Additionally, one scout said that “all these guys will get a shot” to prove themselves, whether in minicamp or another invite, simply because of having played at a Big Ten school like Northwestern. Two scouts noted that firm grades were not yet assigned.</p>
<p id="0CbR7Q">Speaking of, outside attendees were generally very impressed by NU in terms of its lakeside facilities and trajectory. One scout noted what a good job head coach David Braun did in terms of leading the program amid difficult circumstances, asserting, “I think the future’s bright.”</p>
<p id="7ReJ2P">Wednesday also marked the first time media or fans had the chance to hear from Braun since the Wildcats’ Dec. 26 win over Utah in Allegiant Stadium. The incoming second-year head coach talked about the team’s upcoming transfer portal approach, specifying offensive line depth and competition at quarterback and nickel as possible positions of need. Some other brief notes:</p>
<ul>
<li id="JDXSSw">Braun called the idea of using Martin Stadium as NU’s home venue for 2024-25, as has been floated on social media, “awesome,” but didn’t have any more clarity about venues for next year.</li>
<li id="6Xh14H">WR Bryce Kirtz and S Coco Azema will indeed be among the returners to the Wildcats, joining ILB Xander Mueller, EDGE Jaylen Pate, WR A.J. Henning, RB Cam Porter, EDGE Richie Hagarty, TEs Thomas Gordon/Marshall Lang and others.</li>
<li id="2SCPwL">Fielding a litany of NIL-related questions, Braun made it clear that Northwestern does not want to leverage NIL foremost, but instead as a “tool to retain” players who are inherently education- and team-oriented.</li>
<li id="QuXIre">Although the ‘Cats went above and beyond expectations in 2023, the focus is only on 2024. “Every team is a new team,” Braun said. “In these team meetings, these position meetings, spring ball, we’re not talking about last season. This is a brand new group.”</li>
</ul>
<p id="3Xb2Ds">The Wildcats, who started spring ball on Monday, will maintain practices as they start to usher in two new coordinators (Zach Lujan, Tim McGarigle) and three other added position coaches (Bill O’Boyle, Paul Creighton, Harlon Barnett). In the meantime, expect an announcement about where all home games will be played in the somewhat near future.</p>
https://www.insidenu.com/2024/3/8/24094147/northwestern-draft-hopefuls-display-abilities-2024-pro-day-david-braun-speaks-for-first-time-springBradley Locker2024-03-07T12:32:25-06:002024-03-07T12:32:25-06:00Northwestern basketball needs a stylistic adjustment before it’s too late
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<img alt="NCAA Basketball: Northwestern at Michigan State" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/OkKUz9SKExjR7VCcLavlO00EzZ4=/0x265:2508x1937/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73189677/usa_today_22709773.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Dale Young-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Wildcats’ leaky inside defense means more scoring is necessary.</p> <p id="72aZQM">Northwestern’s clash with Michigan State in the Breslin Center looked on paper like another patented low-scoring, what-am-I-watching-here Big Ten affair. After all, the teams had hardly exceeded the 30-point mark with 15 minutes left in the game.</p>
<p id="yhNNNC">In a lot of ways, though, Wednesday’s contest in East Lansing represented something grander than that — and something more fundamentally disconcerting for the Wildcats in a world without center Matthew Nicholson. The team cannot count on winning many, if any, games mirroring its last.</p>
<p id="xrGkib">In allowing only 53 points and shooting 32% — not to mention a hideous 12% from deep — it may look like the Wildcats’ defense was outstanding. At times, the ‘Cats slowed down the Spartans, namely top scorers like Tyson Walker and Malik Hall, with good switches and contests. However, it was more that Michigan State simply could not make a shot because of its own inability to put the ball in the hoop, rather than because of excellent play by NU.</p>
<p id="TXiH85">MSU made just over 50% of its layups (<em>layups!</em>) and still got to 26 points in the paint, because Northwestern’s interior defense did not meet its tall task sans the 7-footer Nicholson. Luke Hunger and Blake Preston combined to make just two defensive stops (as defined by StatBroadcast) all night while racking up -4.6 net points (i.e., points scored minus allowed). On top of that, Hunger’s four fouls reduced his capacity to contest that much further.</p>
<p id="VIZZu0">The other glaring issue? Rebounding. NU was -11 on the glass and particularly cataclysmic in securing defensive boards, surrendering nine more offensive recoveries for the home side. In a total of 24 minutes played, Hunger and Preston had just four rebounds, and two defensively.</p>
<p id="bL4SxM">The reality is that that defensive drop-off was fully expected with Nicholson sidelined because of a foot injury. The senior’s re-emergence as a rim protector and rebounder were why he became Northwestern’s primary center in the second half of Big Ten play, and why the minutes share for Hunger and Preston diminished.</p>
<p id="77AUmu">It may seem blunt, but Chris Collins can’t expect to snap his fingers and see his backup big men make significant strides with only two guaranteed games remaining, and one in the regular season. As a result, Northwestern must compensate for defensive deficiencies with greater offensive output.</p>
<p id="JeQK6C">For much of the 2023-24 season, the Wildcats have not had tremendous success when Boo Buie and Ryan Langborg have both had off nights. But without Ty Berry as well as weakened paint D, the pressure grows that much more for the two standout guards to score at will, which they did not do enough of in East Lansing.</p>
<p id="R7a65R">In his return from an ankle injury playing at less than 100%, Langborg shot just 2-of-12. Buie had 15 points, a modest output for the likely All-American, and committed several backbreaking mistakes in the final two minutes — a foul that gave MSU two free throws, a double-dribble and two missed looks. Altogether, that’s not going to cut it given how shorthanded the Wildcats are.</p>
<p id="RnRnYW">Following the ‘Cats’ loss to Iowa, I <a href="https://www.insidenu.com/2024/3/3/24089244/in-order-to-its-maintain-trajectory-northwestern-needs-more-secondary-contribution">wrote about</a> how others besides Buie needed to emerge as actual scoring options. That largely didn’t manifest in the Breslin Center, with Brooks Barnhizer and Nick Martinelli making nine of 23 shots and posting 10 combined second-half points. In fact, only four Northwestern players scored more than two points.</p>
<p id="O7NCiw">With Nicholson <a href="https://x.com/insidenu/status/1765536960255303739?s=20">out against Minnesota</a> and possibly longer, we know this: the Wildcats are not in a good position to handle big men who can wreck a game. Against the Golden Gophers, that very well could spell trouble against Dawson Garcia and Pharrel Payne, both of whom are averaging over 9.9 points and 6.1 rebounds per game.</p>
<p id="3Az3IK">Yet, Northwestern can’t play bad defense <em>and</em> not be able to score. The onus on the latter becomes that much greater to overcome for the former. The most plausible solution appears to be playing shootouts in the 70s and 80s rather than in the 40s and 50s, where NU’s defense now seems destined to falter in game-defining moments — such as Walker converting two layups to give Michigan State a five-point lead with 1:44 left.</p>
<p id="CNSdOi">If Buie converts more drives, Langborg gets back to his spot-up stroke and Barnhizer anchors his low-post game, the Wildcats will look more like an offense ranking in the top 30 in KenPom rating. Collectively, if the ‘Cats score more like they did against Michigan in the second half or Iowa in the first half, a win against Minnesota — stopping this slide and effectively punching an NCAA Tournament ticket — could be in order.</p>
<p id="P14xvn">Maybe it’s all moot, and the injuries are simply too much to overcome for a team that relied immensely on its starters before the MRI and X-ray machines became backed up. However, more well-rounded scoring at a better clip is really the only way that Collins’ bunch can salvage an impressive season turning wayward — where March Madness is no longer a guarantee, in which the sand of hope is quickly crossing over.</p>
https://www.insidenu.com/2024/3/7/24093303/northwestern-basketball-needs-a-stylistic-adjustment-before-its-too-lateBradley Locker2024-03-03T12:51:52-06:002024-03-03T12:51:52-06:00In order to maintain its trajectory, Northwestern needs more secondary contribution
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<img alt="NCAA Basketball: Iowa at Northwestern" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/WvzsTKXo0fxW7T3R1Ny9l14cZ0g=/0x0:4875x3250/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73179669/usa_today_22675785.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>David Banks-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Saturday against Iowa showed it can’t all fall on Boo Buie, even with one healthy wrist.</p> <p id="KgUA1w">When Northwestern marched into the Xfinity Center without shooting guard Ryan Langborg active, many felt it a foregone conclusion that the Wildcats were destined for another road loss — especially in an awfully tough venue. Instead, the ‘Cats eked out a 68-61 win on the back of sophomore Nick Martinelli, who poured in 27 points.</p>
<p id="MmcQLO">However, to end this week, NU fell 87-80 to Iowa, dropping its first home game in 80 days and second in the 2023-24 year. The main reason? Not enough on either side from players who were once reserves.</p>
<p id="TGmvaV">Granted, there are multiple prefaces necessary. For most of the second half, the Wildcats were playing with two of their five Game 1 starters in Boo Buie and Brooks Barnhizer. After center Matthew Nicholson suffered a foot injury with 17:17 to go, it felt as if the basketball gods’ wrath would never end.</p>
<p id="0zhZOV">On top of that, Iowa was innately a poor stylistic matchup for a Ty Berry-less Northwestern, which certainly has less offensive firepower and shooting sans No. 3. If Langborg had been able to go, Chris Collins’ side would have been able to better go toe-to-toe with a lights-out scoring team, although a win against the surging Hawkeyes would have been a toss-up regardless.</p>
<p id="evg0EH">It can be possible to recognize those elements of Saturday’s game and also this: that, despite the circumstances, Northwestern’s now-crucial playmakers — aside from Buie — did not step up enough in a game that firmly hung in the balance, particularly in its final moments.</p>
<p id="Ak9ZYF">For the majority of the final 10 minutes, Buie seemed the only person donning a gothic uniform capable of scoring, the lone player inciting fear in Fran McCaffery and Iowa. No. 0 largely did all he could to will his side back, hitting three triples in the last 10 minutes of the game despite having a wrap on his left wrist and hand, which he injured in the second half.</p>
<p id="DgLPOT">In fact, NU’s scoring distribution in the final 10 looked like this: 14 for Buie, five for Barnhizer, five for Martinelli, four for Blake Smith. It’s true that Barnhizer and Martinelli combined for 37 points, including 21 in the second half, and that the pair did sink some big shots. But not enough was done to create another offensive threat when the matchup mattered most.</p>
<p id="O96Adq">That sentiment also applies to Northwestern’s defense, which definitely suffered sans Nicholson against Iowa’s size (which also made this game a poor matchup for the home side on paper). The Hawkeyes converted eight of their final nine shots, including a Josh Dix jumper, Payton Sandfort layup and a Patrick McCaffery dagger three that progressively dug the Wildcats’ grave. Collins referred to all three as breakdowns postgame, citing poor communication and rotation.</p>
<p id="WCf3CL">One can’t expect players like Martinelli, Smith and Luke Hunger to fully mimic those previously occupying starting slots. However, the ‘Cats have to confront that they likely will only go so far as those other than Buie take them.</p>
<p id="0DFhFs">For the rest of the season, the status of Nicholson is unclear, though Collins seemed somewhat concerned postgame — and it’s never a good sign when a player gets ruled out with over 11 minutes remaining. Northwestern’s three-pronged big man rotation had been somewhat of a turnstile from the get-go until Nicholson began to round into form in the last month. Now, that contingent seems that much thinner, necessitating both Hunger and Blake Preston to make strides and fill the 7-footer’s possible void.</p>
<p id="FeDN1V">Whether Malik Hall or Dawson Garcia in the Wildcats’ final regular-season games or their eventual opponent in the Big Ten Tournament, pretty much every team in the conference boasts at least one impactful big. That means that Hunger/Preston must avoid pointless fouls and serve as rim protectors, especially because NU’s interior defense has been very liable at points this year. Offensively, that translates to corralling inbound sets, setting sound screens and being a threat in the post and on lobs.</p>
<p id="5g0q9q">Thus far, neither Hunger nor Preston has shown the regular capabilities of Nicholson, which is why the latter’s minutes have stayed elevated in the back half of Big Ten play. Suddenly, those two will need to collectively parallel what Nicholson offered — if not, it’s hard to see NU reaching its lofty ambitions.</p>
<p id="2TAnE4">The news wasn’t all doomsday for the ‘Cats, though. It seems that Langborg will return from his injured ankle in short order, possibly even against Michigan State on Wednesday. That would go a long way in terms of pressuring defenses and raising NU’s ceiling and floor because of the transfer’s all-around playmaking.</p>
<p id="BSiLvK">Northwestern’s headspace remains strong after being defeated by a conference opponent for the first time at home, too. There’s a deep-seated understanding that the ‘Cats won’t earn pity points in the NCAA Selection Committee’s eyes, and that they can’t feel sorry for their injuries.</p>
<p id="74NgbC">“Yes, it’s unfortunate that we’ve got a couple guys out. Our standard is winning,” Barnhizer said. “We’ve got to figure it out. We have to still win.”</p>
<p id="9eGQo6">With 11 conference victories, the Wildcats are still in a strong position to both land a double-bye in the Big Ten Tournament and make the NCAA Tournament. But, facing Michigan State on the road and Minnesota at home isn’t an easy stretch, nor can Northwestern assume it’s already in. Dropping both games isn’t out of the realm of possibility, which would probably force Collins’ team to win at least one in Minneapolis.</p>
<p id="6ynoTG">Without others complementing Buie’s every-game heroics, Northwestern’s season could rapidly shift from a fairytale to horror story — a cataclysmic collapse after four magnificent months. But if Barnhizer, Martinelli, Smith, Hunger and others can perform crucially down the stretch, especially against high-scoring teams, then the Wildcats remain formidable against anyone.</p>
https://www.insidenu.com/2024/3/3/24089244/in-order-to-its-maintain-trajectory-northwestern-needs-more-secondary-contributionBradley Locker2024-02-28T16:48:29-06:002024-02-28T16:48:29-06:002024 Northwestern football transfer/decision tracker
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<img alt="COLLEGE FOOTBALL: NOV 25 Northwestern at Illinois" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/_pVNPrmqOYo4kTbPG4w1Do3HWac=/1x0:7009x4672/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73007438/1802696294.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Keep up with the latest moves throughout the offseason.</p> <p id="cylcb2"><em>Let the frenzy begin. </em></p>
<p id="PuPzuZ"><em>With the 2023 season officially over, all the attention turns to the offseason, more specifically the transfer portal. Throughout the offseason, Inside NU will keep you updated on all things regarding the portal. This story will continue to be updated throughout the winter and spring.</em></p>
<h2 id="qJHXQt"><strong>Incoming Transfers</strong></h2>
<p id="0bQzSd"><strong>OL Matt Keeler (Texas Tech)</strong></p>
<p id="dvQGh4">On Feb. 19, Keeler tweeted that he has committed to Northwestern. The grad transfer appeared in each of Texas Tech’s last 26 games over 2022 and 2023, and made a few spot starts at tackle along the way. He should provide some versatility for a Northwestern offensive line that will be without Josh Priebe and Dom D’Antonio in 2024.</p>
<h2 id="edCMpY"><strong>Outgoing Transfers</strong></h2>
<p id="Z0JV9Y"><strong>LG Josh Priebe — Committed to Michigan</strong></p>
<p id="TcmiCQ">Priebe was the first starter to enter his name in the transfer portal, announcing his departure from Evanston before the Las Vegas Bowl. Priebe played in all 12 regular season games in 2023 after missing time in 2022 with a torn ACL, and he earned Third Team All-Big Ten honors. In a statement <a href="https://twitter.com/PriebeJosh/status/1733169809758581205">posted</a> to Twitter, Priebe cited uncertainty regarding OL coach Kurt Anderson’s job security as a reason for leaving Northwestern. On Dec. 28, Priebe — a native Michigan resident — announced his commitment to U of M.</p>
<p id="nU3nZS"><strong>DB Rod Heard II — Committed to Notre Dame</strong></p>
<p id="T7DQBK">Heard became Northwestern’s second major transfer exit, <a href="https://x.com/rod_heard/status/1740503762127753485?s=20">announcing the move</a> on Dec. 28. The grad transfer was a linchpin of the Wildcats’ defense for several years as a nickel/slot cornerback, earning a team-best 82.3 Pro Football Focus grade and accumulating four TFLs, an interception, a sack, four pass deflections, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and 85 tackles this year.</p>
<p id="pacxRa">Heard announced on Twitter on Jan. 10 that he will head to South Bend, picking the Fighting Irish over the likes of Ohio State, USC and Louisville.</p>
<p id="Jd3qyS"><strong>CB Garnett Hollis Jr. — Committed to West Virginia</strong></p>
<p id="yUb1rq">Hollis, the Wildcats’ top corner from 2023, announced he would enter the portal as a grad transfer on Feb. 13. Last season, Hollis allowed an 85.4 passer rating against and tallied an interception, fumble recovery and three pass deflections. Thus far, Hollis has accrued offers from West Virginia and Georgia Tech.</p>
<p id="fRZN2o">Without Hollis and Heard in the fold, Northwestern’s cornerback room features returner Theran Johnson, plus Ore Adeyi and Evan Smith. It’s expected that NU will add at least one CB this spring.</p>
<p id="xo0XeB">Hollis followed Joseph’s footsteps, as he committed to the Mountaineers a few days after his secondary partner did.</p>
<p id="fIBGDa"><strong>S Jaheem Joseph — Committed to West Virginia</strong></p>
<p id="2hn7HV">Joseph entered his name in the portal on Feb. 5, departing Northwestern as a grad transfer with two years of eligibility remaining. Joseph was part of a three-headed monster in the backend but saw an increase in snaps when Coco Azema went down with an injury. In his bigger role, Joseph hauled in three interceptions in the final two games, including two picks during the Las Vegas Bowl.</p>
<p id="gZxSdN"><strong>RB Anthony Tyus III — Committed to Ohio</strong></p>
<p id="ll5wrm">Per Rivals, Tyus entered the portal on Dec. 30. The junior rushed for 238 yards and a touchdown on 50 carries in 2023. He shared that he will suit up for Ohio next fall on Jan. 26.</p>
<p id="TiRcI0"><strong>DT Matt Lawson</strong></p>
<p id="IYVjce">Lawson played only 16 snaps in NU’s opener at Rutgers after suffering a season-ending knee injury. Otherwise, he would’ve figured to be a starter on the inside of Christian Smith’s revamped defensive line. Now, he’ll hit the portal for a second straight offseason.</p>
<p id="aITVP8"><strong>OL Alexander Doost — Committed to Arizona</strong></p>
<p id="mGBlGg">The first-year offensive lineman announced on Dec. 27 via Twitter that he would be entering the portal. The Arizona native announced his commitment to the western Wildcats on Dec. 30.</p>
<p id="y0IfXz"><strong>DB Nigel Williams</strong></p>
<p id="MotiUQ">Williams entered the portal at the end of November. With two years of eligibility, the Virginia native will look for a new home after playing four games in 2023. </p>
<p id="fQRVGr"><strong>QB Cole Freeman — Committed to Columbia</strong></p>
<p id="91IE8p">Freeman entered the portal on Dec. 4, per On3. He’ll look for a chance at more playing time after providing depth at the back of the quarterback room during his three seasons in Evanston. The junior QB started the final two games of the 2022 season against Purdue and Illinois.</p>
<p id="EfrD5l"><strong>OL Zachary Franks — Committed to Duke</strong></p>
<p id="qrC5V8">Per Rivals, Franks entered the transfer portal on Jan. 16. After playing 24 games in five seasons for the ‘Cats, the grad transfer will look to finish off his career elsewhere. He opened the 2023 season as Northwestern’s starting right tackle before Josh Thompson took the role during the second half of NU’s blowout win over UTEP. He announced his commitment to Duke on Feb. 28.</p>
<h2 id="8IehEU"><strong>Players Staying</strong></h2>
<p id="1q5Zif"><strong>ILB Xander Mueller</strong></p>
<p id="DIyBbn">So far, Mueller is the only Wildcat to announce his intentions to stay for his fifth season, which he did Thursday afternoon <a href="https://x.com/insidenu/status/1740468297135784203?s=20">on Instagram</a>. Mueller was the centerpiece of Northwestern’s upstart defense this past season, earning Third Team All-Big Ten plaudits by posting three interceptions, 10.5 tackles for loss, five sacks, 110 tackles and a forced fumble. His NFL stock was already on the upswing, but Mueller will look to (if it’s even possible) have an even better 2024 in purple and white.</p>
<p id="p4Hw2k"><strong>WR A.J. Henning</strong></p>
<p id="8FNJ3x">After Henning responded to and liked tweets to indicate that he’ll be back in 2024, he <a href="https://twitter.com/AJHenning3/status/1740823835404870088">announced </a>on Twitter that he would return to Evanston in 2024 on Dec. 29. Without Cam Johnson and possibly Kirtz, he’ll have the chance to have a more feature role as potentially the ‘Cats’ top pass-catcher next year.</p>
<p id="GxHo30"><strong>EDGE Richie Hagarty</strong></p>
<p id="hZlvhi">Hagarty posted on Twitter that he’ll be suiting up as a Wildcat for one final year in 2024. The Southern Illinois native posted 14 pressures, 2.5 sacks, four tackles for loss and a fumble recovery in 2023.</p>
<h2 id="HJr4a9"><strong>Turning Pro</strong></h2>
<p id="KxDKtp"><strong>ILB Bryce Gallagher </strong></p>
<p id="3ZmMQA">Gallagher announced on Jan. 3 that he would forgo his final year of eligibility and enter his name in the NFL Draft. The ‘Cats’ two-year captain had 120 tackles, an interception and two forced fumbles — earning a spot Second-Team All-Big Ten team.</p>
<p id="awGgN8"><strong>RG Dom D’Antonio</strong></p>
<p id="Db7DvI">D’Antonio is turning pro — but as a coach in Italy, that is. It was announced on Jan. 22 that D’Antonio will become the offensive line coach of the Lazio Marines, who are in the Italian Football League’s First Division and are based in Rome.</p>
<h2 id="uVM1bf"><strong>To Be Determined</strong></h2>
<p id="JHwcP8"><strong>WR Bryce Kirtz</strong></p>
<p id="fyEoHI">Despite being a fifth-year in 2023, Kirtz possesses an extra year of eligibility awarded to players on rosters of teams playing during the COVID-19 pandemic (both redshirted in 2019). However, he could decide to turn pro after a relatively solid season and career.</p>
<p id="lSNhBb"><strong>S Coco Azema</strong></p>
<p id="HkOOeC">Azema redshirted his first season in 2019 and spent five total seasons in Evanston. He has one more year left due to COVID.</p>
<p id="ofSjJ7"><strong>EDGE Jaylen Pate</strong></p>
<p id="iXBYFF">Pate has a year of eligibility left on the docket, according to his Twitter page. In becoming the Wildcats’ top regular EDGE player last year, Pate posted a team-best 21 pressures, not to mention three sacks, three TFLs and a forced fumble. It would certainly provide a critical add to a deeper group if he joins Hagarty in coming back.</p>
<p id="BGuAOA"><strong>RB Cam Porter</strong></p>
<p id="kFySSP">Porter has two years left of eligibility due to COVID and a medical redshirt when he tore his ACL in fall camp in 2021. In 2023, Porter served as the bell cow for the Wildcats, racking up 651 rushing yards and four touchdowns, adding 121 and a score in the passing game. No. 4 started to find his groove in the back half of the season, having strong performances against Wisconsin and Purdue. In 2024, the ‘Cats may take a back-by-committee approach with Joseph Himon II, Tre Tyus II, and Caleb Komolafe showing flashes in 2023.</p>
<p id="Ndg171"><strong>EDGE Sean McLaughlin</strong></p>
<p id="zO6CpS"><strong>OC Ben Wrather</strong></p>
<h2 id="D8egka"><strong>Players Out of Eligibility</strong></h2>
<p id="w7F1KZ"><strong>QB Ben Bryant</strong></p>
<p id="LCeXBn"><strong>WR Cam Johnson</strong></p>
<p id="8XgEO8"><strong>TE Charlie Mangieri</strong></p>
<p id="oAFXFb"></p>
<h2 id="jt4ym3"></h2>
https://www.insidenu.com/2023/12/29/24018443/2023-northwestern-football-transfer-decision-trackerBradley LockerDavid GoldIgnacio Dowling2024-02-20T14:00:35-06:002024-02-20T14:00:35-06:00Northwestern basketball Director of Operations Chris Lauten talks logistics, personal and program growth
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<p>The Wildcats’ organizer in behind-the-scenes operations opens up about his duties, relationship with Chris Collins, expectations and more.</p> <p id="wZuDrN">Chris Lauten doesn’t attend Northwestern basketball’s on-court practice sessions and openly refers to himself as the seventh and final member of the Wildcats’ coaching staff. And yet, he still hears his name announced before every home game — because he’s played arguably as crucial a role as anyone affiliated with the team’s resurgence the last two seasons.</p>
<p id="MyWdZP">Lauten, who arrived in Evanston before the 2013 season, wears more hats than could realistically fit on one’s head. From travel coordination to determining food selections for players to helping craft NU’s schedule, the team’s director of operations has his fingers involved in virtually every area of the program — a responsibility he approaches meticulously.</p>
<p id="dkH5yF">“In my role, I’m always sort of looking one day, one week, one month, six months ahead,” Lauten told Inside NU.</p>
<p id="6HrKGn">Every morning at 10 a.m., Lauten convenes with head coach Chris Collins and the remainder of the team’s staff to outline the day’s schedule. On top of that, Lauten tries to be intentional about communicating with Collins — whom he called the program’s “CEO” multiple times — amid the intricacies of a hectic conference slate.</p>
<p id="PTF1N1">“Try and take advantage of when our off days are, meet with Coach and go through maybe some of the non-game prep items,” Lauten said, adding that he avoids those conversations either on gameday or the days sandwiching a matchup. “Strategically using our off days to work through program logistics, program operations, administration. Things that might be a couple days, weeks or months ahead for him.”</p>
<p id="Xs7elY">A major component of Lauten’s duties is the aforementioned nutrition. Working with Assistant Director of Performance Nutrition Lindsay Esposito, Lauten said the structure of sports performance is “night and day” relative to when he arrived. In terms of specifics, Lauten mentioned a pregame meal for games at Welsh-Ryan Arena, not to mention coordinating with other Big Ten operations officials to gauge top vendors. All in all, that’s determining ketchup or mustard for some 40-50 people, including Collins and Boo Buie, almost twice a week.</p>
<p id="WxYwjr">What specific restaurants are fueling the Wildcats’ third-place Big Ten standing? Per Lauten, Northwestern’s go-tos tend to be Bat 17, 10Q Chicken, Lou Malnati’s, Chick-fil-A and California Pizza Kitchen, plus Tropical Smoothie Cafe. Epic Burger, with which Buie has a “Boo Burger” NIL partnership, is “in the queue.”</p>
<p id="VqTySQ">Having witnessed seasons of under 10 total wins and continued disappointment, Lauten savors NU’s recent stint of success, calling the team’s NCAA Tournament trips in 2017 and 2023 the most special experiences of his career. While hesitant to attribute praise for his own work in turning around Northwestern basketball, Lauten believes that development in his role has helped overall results.</p>
<p id="XIu8Xd">“When I first started, I was young, and I was inexperienced. Eleven years in now, I’m able to bring a level of experience and perspective into the conversation,” Lauten said. “I’ve been able to go through a personal level of growth. In its own ways, [it] reflects in different parts of our program — of our organization, how we run things, how we operate, what we stand for.”</p>
<p id="xGG7Ot">It’s not a coincidence that Lauten ventured to Chicagoland as Collins did. Lauten worked as a student manager for Duke from 2003 until his graduation in 2008, the same frame in which Collins was an assistant on Mike Krzyzewski’s staff in Durham. Lauten, who knows Collins as well as almost anyone, stressed “great growth and evolution” for the reigning Big Ten Coach of the Year.</p>
<p id="eDNIVu">As an observer of Northwestern’s activity year-round, Lauten is especially attuned to years that have been formative in catalyzing the ‘Cats’ achievements, even if there were plenty of troughs.</p>
<p id="zEMmhR">“It’s not just something that happens on the hundredth blow of the rock. It’s all that goes before,” Lauten said, mentioning the COVID-19 pandemic and 2020-21, when Northwestern finished tied for 12<sup>th</sup> in the Big Ten.</p>
<p id="IweHc9">Why have the Wildcats put themselves in the rarefied position of making consecutive trips to March Madness? For Lauten, the journeys of Buie, Ty Berry, Matthew Nicholson and other veterans mirrors those of Bryant McIntosh, Scottie Lindsey and players before — with an extra emphasis on unwavering loyalty and dedication.</p>
<p id="qdtDuf">“This most recent core, they have gutted it out,” Lauten said. “There is an ability, during tough times, to jump. I put so much credit at the feet of our players; working through the challenging times and staying committed to the mission.</p>
<p id="WErkle">“Those guys have done it the right way. To see, over these last two years, the crowd’s response to them, and their commitment to the process — that’s what I take incredible pride in.”</p>
<p id="BLD2iX">When Berry suffered a torn meniscus against Nebraska on Feb. 7, some shifted their expectations for the Wildcats in both their remaining regular-season slate and postseason aspirations. Without No. 3 — who will still be at home games and in the practice facility “shortly” — on the court, Northwestern has gone 2-1, something that isn’t a surprise to Lauten.</p>
<p id="g7Z8nK">“When there have been doubts casted, we’ve almost been at our best,” Lauten said. “I fully expect our players, our staff, everyone in our program — from Coach through our managers — to be galvanized, and to do it for Ty.”</p>
<p id="e978ut">More fundamental questions loom for figures like Lauten about sustaining Northwestern’s winning. Lauten referred to playing in Allstate Arena in 2017-18 as “as taxing a puzzle” as he’s endured, but noted it wasn’t an excuse for a downturn. He feels that factors such as roster retention, the team’s coaching staff and raucous Welsh-Ryan atmospheres will be pivotal in avoiding another lengthy playoff absence.</p>
<p id="xeZ8UK">For now, though, the focus for Lauten is squarely on what the final month of 2023-24 has to offer — especially on closing out a second straight year of meaningful late-season basketball being played in Evanston.</p>
<p id="Q4BAis">“Once February hits, there’s a different gear to the season. There’s an urgency that comes with the remaining weeks,” Lauten said. “We’re in a position to really make a special end to this year.”</p>
https://www.insidenu.com/2024/2/20/24078486/northwestern-basketball-director-operations-chris-lauten-talks-logistics-personal-and-program-growthBradley Locker