Central Region

[NWHoops]

Thunder Pretty good breakdown. Just a few notes from the NW perspective. Hawkins can definitely score inside. They will take whatever they feel they have the best matchup.

Between Dreamer and Waters, Dreamer is the better shooter so that will make it tough on Fox to help if he is guarding Dreamer. Some teams have chosen to play a big on Bernard (Martin at Missouri Southern for instance) and force him to shoot from outside while playing help defense in the paint. You never know what type of shooting performance you'll get from Bernard but if he's hitting outside shots then NW is virtually impossible to beat because there is no one to help off of.

NW will rotate guys at Fox and they will work to get him agitated. My guess is Dreamer starts on him. If Hawkins doesn't have foul trouble then he may spend some time on him too. Hawkins was a defensive player of the year in the league for 2 straight years.

Only watched a couple NSU games this year but Stark scares me more than anyone else on the team. If he gets going he can be unconscious.

[Augieholic]

NWMo by 10ish

[Alfred33]

How do we know this? Northwest hasn't been an underdog for about 4 years. Lol
I'm just messing with you, but the statement made me laugh... I hope they come out angry and on a mission tonight after the outright disrespect of the 2 seed. ;) In all seriousness, I hope we didn't use it all up on Sunday and come out and play our best game again... if we do, I feel good about our chances against anybody.

[NWFanatic]

How do we know this? Northwest hasn't been an underdog for about 4 years. Lol
I'm just messing with you, but the statement made me laugh... I hope they come out angry and on a mission tonight after the outright disrespect of the 2 seed. ;) In all seriousness, I hope we didn't use it all up on Sunday and come out and play our best game again... if we do, I feel good about our chances against anybody.

[NWHoops]

How do we know this? Northwest hasn't been an underdog for about 4 years. Lol
I'm just messing with you, but the statement made me laugh... I hope they come out angry and on a mission tonight after the outright disrespect of the 2 seed. ;) In all seriousness, I hope we didn't use it all up on Sunday and come out and play our best game again... if we do, I feel good about our chances against anybody.

NW played very well against Washburn, there's no doubt based on the score. Their defense was the best it has been all year. The scary thing is, I think they played an average to slightly above average offensive game but we've seen them play much better on that end this season. We only shot 35% from 3. Hawkins had a good game and so did Dreamer but everyone else played below the expectations we have seen from them this year.

[Alfred33]

NW played very well against Washburn, there's no doubt based on the score. Their defense was the best it has been all year. The scary thing is, I think they played an average to slightly above average offensive game but we've seen them play much better on that end this season. We only shot 35% from 3. Hawkins had a good game and so did Dreamer but everyone else played below the expectations we have seen from them this year.

We may not have shot it as well as we are capable... that's going to happen, but when your assist to turnover is 19 to 2 you don't really have to. I'll take that offensive performance any day. Hudgins was 5-8 with 14 points... in a game that they were up 54 points, so I don't feel like he played below expectations even if he was 0-3 from 3. When Diego got to play, they were already up 30. Luke is a wild card when it comes to scoring. Alexander had to exceed expectations... I'm not sure who played below expectations. I definitely agree on the defensive side... they were absolutely great Sunday!

[simple as a $3 bill]

Close at halftime, maybe even tied, NSU crowd gets into it in the 2nd half, NSU extends to 7, then hits FT's at the end to win going away. Parker starts the 2nd half with 3 dunks and 4 blocks(3 of them followed by his Mutombo) that really gets the crowd going.

[Thunder]

Let's have a little fun and make some predictions. Kallman hits a three at the buzzer in regulation to send it to OT, where the Wolves jump out to a lead with a couple more threes and seal the deal at the line, 86-82 FINAL NSU.

[NWHoops]

We may not have shot it as well as we are capable... that's going to happen, but when your assist to turnover is 19 to 2 you don't really have to. I'll take that offensive performance any day. Hudgins was 5-8 with 14 points... in a game that they were up 54 points, so I don't feel like he played below expectations even if he was 0-3 from 3. When Diego got to play, they were already up 30. Luke is a wild card when it comes to scoring. Alexander had to exceed expectations... I'm not sure who played below expectations. I definitely agree on the defensive side... they were absolutely great Sunday!

Good points. With the score the way it was it wasn't necessary for them to push the pedal. Trevor didn't have those step back 3's that we're used to seeing (though he did have a number of assists mostly due to Hawkins shooting it so well), Luke is a wildcard as you mentioned and had an average to slightly below average game based on his season stats, Diego had a below average game (admittedly due to early foul trouble).

[NWHoops]

Prediction: NW 82-70. NW holds a 10 point lead for most of the game. NSU makes a run to get it within 4-5 points with about 5 minutes left but NW responds and then hit some FT's to close it out.

[Purple Mav Man]

[Btech#3]

We beat them twice, after Sun. night I have no idea how. Looking back at the three competitive games that we had with NWMS, I think the keys to beating them are you have to shoot a high percentage from the field. They force you to make shots from the perimeter. There is nothing easy in the lane. The other key is that in two of the games, we got 6'9" Jonny Clausing established on the inside. NWMS is playing without a traditional post player so there is an opportunity for some post presence on the inside. Also, in two of the games NWMS did not shoot very well from the perimeter. They are dependent on the 3 ball and they are the best 3 pt shooting team in our conference at 43%. You have to get out and challenge their perimeter shooting. Lastly, if they play close to how they played on Sunday, no one is beating them.

[Alfred33]

I'm going to go with a 10-12 point game... maybe a little lower scoring than expected. Northwest 74 Northern 62.

[Hornetfan]

How do we know this? Northwest hasn't been an underdog for about 4 years. Lol
I'm just messing with you, but the statement made me laugh... I hope they come out angry and on a mission tonight after the outright disrespect of the 2 seed. ;) In all seriousness, I hope we didn't use it all up on Sunday and come out and play our best game again... if we do, I feel good about our chances against anybody.

NW (or at least some of the media that follow them) made a big deal over a pregame hype video by the 8th place team in the MIAA. It doesn't take much for them to find motivation.

EZFwpwSXsAAFnlc.jpg

[Alfred33]

NW (or at least some of the media that follow them) made a big deal over a pregame hype video by the 8th place team in the MIAA. It doesn't take much for them to find motivation.

EZFwpwSXsAAFnlc.jpg

Definitely, and I'm sure they'll find their motivation for tonight... it was the "NW players relish being the underdog" part of the original comment that I thought was funny. These guys have never been the underdog.