The Big One: NW MO at MO Southern

[Bearcat97]

Justin who? Trevor Hudgins is a bad, bad dude!!! This program has been so fun to watch since Ben took over. Pure basketball the way it was meant to be played. #culturewins

Amazing what happens when you share the ball as a team and find the open guy. Southern is better when they aren't playing black hole basketball. Martin is a fantastic offensive player but he is a zero on the defensive end of the court. He was outscored by his freshman defensive assignment in the 2nd half. So much so he had to be taken off of him. Let that sink in. CPOY material?

Luke Waters' development this year has been tremendous.

A guy that dominant, you have to feed him. That being said, the other 4 standing around waiting to see him shoot isn't a system I would enjoy playing in.

[Brandon]

Embedded Tweet

[Taxman]

I was fully prepared to complain about forcing the last shot up thru a double-team, off balance and 1 foot.

Once he got thru the double team. He good.

[MisterWizard]

[NWFanatic]

[MIAAWeekly]

https://twitter.com/MIAAWeekly/statu...338351104?s=20

[Alfred33]

Terrific game last night with an even better finish! That was one of the better college basketball games I've seen in a while, and it's too bad someone had to lose. I hope Diego gave Trevor a big 'ole sloppy hug for erasing his goaltending gaff on Ryan Hawkins' basket. Cam Martin is a beast... he is unguardable. He was huge last night! He's so much stronger than he looks and when he can turn into a guy, bump him off his spot, and go up and throw it down... seriously, what can you do? Nothing, that's what! He's just such a physical presence and there haven't been too many guys in this league over the years that can do that the way he can. I'm proud of Luke for battling with him, Dreamer too... He's just so much bigger and stronger... those guys are probably living in the ice tubs today! Enough about him though.... Trevor Freaking Hudgins! Wow... he is so good! 2 more years of this guy Bearcat fans!

Side note: I really don't want to play Southern anymore this year. lol

[Alfred33]

A guy that dominant, you have to feed him. That being said, the other 4 standing around waiting to see him shoot isn't a system I would enjoy playing in.

The defense determines some of that. If we would have sent more double teams, he would have passed out of it to the three point shooters. I was surprised we didn't double more, but I think we were of the mindset to limit the others and say that one guy can't beat us... He almost did! I do agree that watching the way Northwest shares the ball is pure joy, but I'm sure if I was a MoSo fan, I'd find some joy in watching our stud throw down 5 or 6 dunks a night.

[Alfred33]

I didn't think the officiating was bad. The one call that really got the crowd going was when Martin got away with a travel, and as the play continued, Waters picked up his second foul and went to the bench for the rest of the half. It was really only one "missed" call, but it compounded into something worse for the home team. That may have actually been a blessing in disguise as Dreamer came in and hit 4 3's in the first half. Outside of that one play, which happens, I didn't feel like there was anything egregious... It was consistent and they let them play, Martin is just hard to handle. But seriously, don't even try to act like there aren't idiot Missouri Southern fans too... There are people in every crowd, from elementary age teams to the highest levels that are always getting screwed.

[Taxman]

The defense determines some of that. If we would have sent more double teams, he would have passed out of it to the three point shooters. I was surprised we didn't double more, but I think we were of the mindset to limit the others and say that one guy can't beat us... He almost did! I do agree that watching the way Northwest shares the ball is pure joy, but I'm sure if I was a MoSo fan, I'd find some joy in watching our stud throw down 5 or 6 dunks a night.

I feel like NW defends the same no matter the opponent. They really only help on drives. NW has typically played the post 1v1 with good positioning and strength. With the occassional double depending on situation. MoSo is basically going NBA iso with Martin. Giving him the ball to go 1v1 even far away from the basket. Martin had 7 turnovers and 0 assists.

Down there NW had the advantage in offensive rebounds and turnovers and those additional opportunities turned indirectly into 5 more made 3s. Most of the difference in score.

This time those additional posssessions offset. Shooting was similar. And thus a close game.

If Martin ever actually defends in a game Southern will be very difficult to beat.

[Taxman]

I didn't think the officiating was bad. The one call that really got the crowd going was when Martin got away with a travel, and as the play continued, Waters picked up his second foul and went to the bench for the rest of the half. It was really only one "missed" call, but it compounded into something worse for the home team. That may have actually been a blessing in disguise as Dreamer came in and hit 4 3's in the first half. Outside of that one play, which happens, I didn't feel like there was anything egregious... It was consistent and they let them play, Martin is just hard to handle. But seriously, don't even try to act like there aren't idiot Missouri Southern fans too... There are people in every crowd, from elementary age teams to the highest levels that are always getting screwed.

Yeah, I didn't think the officiating was that bad either. You can't chest bump/hip thrust into a driver even with your hands up and NW was doing that in the 1st half to Martin. I did think the foul on the arm entanglement outside the 3 pt. line should have been on Martin as he caused that.

[NWHoops]

I didn't think the officiating was bad. The one call that really got the crowd going was when Martin got away with a travel, and as the play continued, Waters picked up his second foul and went to the bench for the rest of the half. It was really only one "missed" call, but it compounded into something worse for the home team. That may have actually been a blessing in disguise as Dreamer came in and hit 4 3's in the first half. Outside of that one play, which happens, I didn't feel like there was anything egregious... It was consistent and they let them play, Martin is just hard to handle. But seriously, don't even try to act like there aren't idiot Missouri Southern fans too... There are people in every crowd, from elementary age teams to the highest levels that are always getting screwed.

Wanted to follow up on my thoughts from last night. I felt the officiating was pretty poor in the first half and NW had the lead. I felt it was much better in the second half and Southern overcame the deficit and had every opportunity to win the game. I wanted to make sure to clarify that because some people believe fans only criticize the officiating when their team is losing and my perspective from last night is the exact opposite.

My source of frustration in the first half was that NW was FRONTING Martin. However, every time down the floor, Martin would push the defender out to the three point line (he needed the space because they couldn't lob him the ball due to the help side defense) and then once they got there the officials would call a pushing or holding foul on NW. How is it both players made it from the block to the three point line while the defender was fronting the post player the entire time? The NW players fouled but how can Martin draw 5 fouls in the first half with that going on and not have a single foul of his own.

Within the first couple minutes of the second half they called Martin for an offensive push, which had not been called in the first half and the second half automatically became much better to watch as there was no longer a sumo wrestling match going on at one end of the floor every time with NW being called for the foul each time. That was my only issue with the officiating as I referenced in my earlier post about the refs letting Martin be physical (which Southern fans have mentioned has been an issue for him in getting into foul trouble) and not letting NW return the favor since they were getting called for the foul each time.

It was a great game either way and if Southern would have won I would tip my cap and say great win because the officiating was much better in the second half and had no impact on the winner of the game. If it had continued as it did in the first half, Martin would have finished with no fouls and I'm not sure NW would have had enough players to finish the game, lol.

[Alfred33]

If Martin ever actually defends in a game Southern will be very difficult to beat.

It really is quite amazing how quick his feet are when he spins and is working for position, and when he has the ball in his hands. I mean he really does move well, but then on the defensive end, sometimes it looks like his feet weight about 40 lbs each.

[Alfred33]

Wanted to follow up on my thoughts from last night. I felt the officiating was pretty poor in the first half and NW had the lead. I felt it was much better in the second half and Southern overcame the deficit and had every opportunity to win the game. I wanted to make sure to clarify that because some people believe fans only criticize the officiating when their team is losing and my perspective from last night is the exact opposite.

My source of frustration in the first half was that NW was FRONTING Martin. However, every time down the floor, Martin would push the defender out to the three point line (he needed the space because they couldn't lob him the ball due to the help side defense) and then once they got there the officials would call a pushing or holding foul on NW. How is it both players made it from the block to the three point line while the defender was fronting the post player the entire time? The NW players fouled but how can Martin draw 5 fouls in the first half with that going on and not have a single foul of his own.

Within the first couple minutes of the second half they called Martin for an offensive push, which had not been called in the first half and the second half automatically became much better to watch as there was no longer a sumo wrestling match going on at one end of the floor every time with NW being called for the foul each time. That was my only issue with the officiating as I referenced in my earlier post about the refs letting Martin be physical (which Southern fans have mentioned has been an issue for him in getting into foul trouble) and not letting NW return the favor since they were getting called for the foul each time.

It was a great game either way and if Southern would have won I would tip my cap and say great win because the officiating was much better in the second half and had no impact on the winner of the game. If it had continued as it did in the first half, Martin would have finished with no fouls and I'm not sure NW would have had enough players to finish the game, lol.

I'm not completely disagreeing with your assessment, but there was pushing/jockeying for that position both ways, and as Martin and Waters/Dreamer/Hawkins are fighting to gain that front position they end up at the 3 point line. Martin was trying just as hard to gain that front position as the defenders were trying to hold it.

Really, if all that jockeying ends with Martin catching the ball at or near the 3 point line, that's a win for the defense. And honestly, if they would have called that stuff tight, they could have called fouls on the offense and the defense probably every possession. I think the game is officiated differently and probably should be when players are bodying for position then it is when players have the ball in their hands trying to go score. Hawkins worked Lambert pretty good a few times to get the ball, and then Lambert picked up the foul when Hawk went to score. It's the same thing, albeit Hawkins isn't nearly as physical every trip down the court as Martin.

Games with Martin are going to be physical and hard to officiate. Through all that physicality, I believe Northwest had only 6 fouls called on them the first half. They weren't even in the bonus.

[NWHoops]

I'm not completely disagreeing with your assessment, but there was pushing/jockeying for that position both ways, and as Martin and Waters/Dreamer/Hawkins are fighting to gain that front position they end up at the 3 point line. Martin was trying just as hard to gain that front position as the defenders were trying to hold it.

Really, if all that jockeying ends with Martin catching the ball at or near the 3 point line, that's a win for the defense. And honestly, if they would have called that stuff tight, they could have called fouls on the offense and the defense probably every possession. I think the game is officiated differently and probably should be when players are bodying for position then it is when players have the ball in their hands trying to go score. Hawkins worked Lambert pretty good a few times to get the ball, and then Lambert picked up the foul when Hawk went to score. It's the same thing, albeit Hawkins isn't nearly as physical every trip down the court as Martin.

Games with Martin are going to be physical and hard to officiate. Through all that physicality, I believe Northwest had only 6 fouls called on them the first half. They weren't even in the bonus.

Agree with virtually all of this. As you mention, they were jockeying for position on both sides however Martin drew 5 fouls in the first half and was not called for one. If both sides are fighting for position then there have to be fouls on both sides, not just one as it was being called. I think 1 or 2 were shooting fouls and the rest were positioning fouls. As soon as they called the foul on Martin in the 2nd half it completely changed the game back to basketball rather than whatever that fighting for position all over the court in the first half was. The ones that caused me frustration were the pushing for position on both sides all the way to the 3pt line and then calling the foul on NW before Martin ever caught the ball. Refs just let them do that back and forth for 5-10 seconds then call the foul out there. Either let it all go or call the foul early and not let it get to that point. Refs obviously changed the way they called it in 2nd half and there was not nearly the same amount of that stuff for the rest of the game.

The only part I disagree with is that Martin catching the ball at the 3pt line is win for NW. It's a win if 3 of our 4 players who guard him don't have 2 fouls a piece in the first half but that's not what happened.