Game 9: Michigan at Northwestern Preview

So I figure Teske will get in foul trouble and M will struggle mightily from 3 enabling NW to stay close in Evanston and maybe shock the world!!! That’s just how things work for M in Evanston.

Austin Davis MVP tonight!!!

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True. Whoever guards Gaines better be careful about fouling him. That’s probably my biggest concern in this game, overall. Not giving them FTs and making ours.

9:00 pm starting time? Who do they think watch these games, 18-year-olds on ecstasy? People in my neck of the woods like to get a little sleep at night.

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8 local time in Evanston, but the good news is that there is only one more 9 pm tip this year (OSU).

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Would you start X on Taylor and Poole on Gaines?

Gaines hasn’t been starting for them. Koop has been the fifth starter even with Gaines playing more minutes.

I also predict this game will be more like the 2013 game.

I don’t think we have to worry about Z not being the pit bull he always is.

As always, rooting for the hometown kid to do well in front of family and friends. Given the location of the B1G tournament, I would love to see Matthews shine in Chicagoland.

It will be interesting to watch how Northwestern defends the ball screen - with so many wings, they may be tempted to switch everything, but I doubt Collins wants to see Pardon guarding Simpson on the perimeter.

My defensive guesses would probably be:

Teske/Pardon (obvious)
Matthews/Law (fairly straight-forward)
Simpson/Taylor (can score, but key is slowing his shooting)

Then it’s a bit of a wild card with Turner/Kopp vs. Poole/Iggy. I’d guess Poole/Turner and Iggy/Kopp, given how well Poole’s been doing lately on defense and how Turner has struggled from outside. Kopp can shoot too, though, and make life tough on Iggy if he doesn’t close-out well.

I think this is the game that Johns Jr. fans have been waiting for. I can see him getting more minutes than he has in past games.

ain’t nobody watching sports on ecstasy, friend

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Called it.