Northwestern Virginia Tech basketball preview

#79 R.P.I. Northwestern @ #136 R.P.I. Virginia Tech:

5 up and 1 down Northwestern comes a calling on Tuesday night down in the New River Valley; and this is the Wildcats first true Roadie of the year. This off of a 15-16 middleocore Big Ten campaign last season.NU hoops logo

Only North Carolina has tamed these ‘cats thus far (69-80), as the generalized pre-season magazine consensus forecast is improved to pretty good for this private research university from Chicago and/or Evanston Illinois with a satellite campus in… Quata; of all places.

Charlton Heston U has been trending upwards, slowly yet surely in Revenue Sports for the past couple of years and they do have all 5 starters back.

Plus one familiar face…

 

Northwestern at a glance:

  • 20th in 3-point makes per game (12)
  • 33rd in Assist:Turnover ration +1.52
  • 44th in 3-point percentage (40.1%)
  • 69th in FG percentage (47.8%)
  • 77th in Blocks (5.7 bpg)
  • injuries=1, F, Vic Law (left shoulder, labrum tear) out for the season, 44% 3-point shooter and former starter with 7.7 ppg and 4.7 rpg last season) Godspeed!

Returning Starters=all* (* one is injured, however)

N.W. Strengths:

  • Alex Olah, #22, 7′ 280 lbs. of senior year Timisoara’n, which is in Timisoara, which is in western Romania. Monsta sized wide body with really really broad shoulders connected to a strong back. 2nd in the Big Ten in blocks (1.7 bpg) and 5th in rebounding (7.2 rpg) as a legit space-eating Center goes. Emotional hard trying player who leaves a lotta sweat and effort out on the floor. Classic overachiever who nobody wants to check down in the paint. Can score on the low-block and has decent imported mid-range elbow game. 10.3 ppg with a very improved 40% thus far from distance.

    May St.Alex bless a baller games-on like this.
    May St.Alex bless a baller games-on like this.
  • Bryant McIntosh: a soph., 6’3” 177 lb. Pt-G in his and leading the ‘cats with 17.3 ppg and with 6.2 apg and with 1.4 spg as well. Now mix in 89% from the FT-line and 52% on his 3-ball and you’d better not leave McIntosh open. Said to have a knack for making the smart play at the right time as Pt.Guards go. Penetrates the lane and can create his own shot when he wants too. Pretty good Pro Style Qb in high school, had pigskin offers before going to a basketball Community College. Has a certain acuity to his game that strikes me as a system based overseas pro’.  LOVES the left-hand side of the court. Almost shoots 200% better on the Koufax side. Honor roll student to boot. 2 time high school hoops happy Indy State champ’.

    Joey nor-by-Northwest
    Joey nor-by-Northwest
  • Tre Demps: #14 with 16 ppg and with basketballs in his blood as he is the son of the N.O. N.b.a. franchise General Manager. Enjoys a rep’ for being a cold-blooded shooter/closer in the clutch. A.B.C. Always Be Closing. Does  have a history of left-shoulder issues including one surgery –coach God Bless. All-Academic team Big Ten honoree. Already married and settled down and already has his u.grad’ degree; currently in N.W. grad-school. Had modest seasonal norms in high school; has done a lot with his Gifts’.
  • Joey van Zegren: yes, the very one who was whispered to have at least swung on our very own Coach Buzz at practice last year! 3.8 ppg and 3.7 rpg as a back-up on 64% shooting later and here he is all over again. Be real applied sports psych interesting to see how cordial -or not- this one goes as Joey has had a tag as a hothead for a while.

Wildcat Weaknesses:

  • some health concerns, see the Law injury above for benching one of the better Big Ten pure shooters.
  • Northwestern dropped a buncha close contests last year! Leaving some to question the courage of these ‘cats.

‘cat Bench: ( depth= ~5 guys, no real stars, all specialists, with a lotta rebounding or shooting. As  high energy P/F Skelly and gutty Swing Lumpkin both average 5+ rpg off the pine. Whereas S/F Falzon and lean looking P/F Taphon both shoot 38% on 3’s as sub’s)

North western match ups

The most improved part of coach Buzz's squad thus far ... is???

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Illation, conclusion (s) and OPT digits:

the takeaway:
The takeaway here is… clearly this is a 3-point happy hoops team from the Big Ten. And he who liveith by the 3-point sword can parish by the same.

Coach Collins=middle. His dad=Doug. His pedigree=A+++.
Coach Collins=middle. His dad=Doug. His pedigree=A+++.

Unless they get new gym hawt from range that is. As the Wildcats hold noticeable edges in 3 point shooing (12%) and in FT-shooting (8%). Both teams defense just about the same across the board and they score within 2 ppg of each other as well.

That said Northwestern was taken to overtime by Ivy League Columbia and only beat nobody Fairfield by a couple of shots for a reason. Still these ‘cats do present some match-up issues with Chris Collins favoring a true-C with 3 G’s and a stretch 4 line-up. Which very very narrowly makes me wanna favor Northwestern, although they can be tamed as well. Make no mistake, this Big Ten is not outta our league.

If this game were @Northwestern I’d prolly be picking them up there. In our very own Cassell we do have a shot at this one. Vegas has this dead Even or pick ’em as the opening line goes and so do I. Tough call here. Looks like about a 5 point or 2 shot game to me; either way.

(45% confidence interval)
Virginia Tech
=7o, Northwestern=74

LETS GO!

Hokies!

 bourbonstreet**