Northwestern loses to Merrimack

[KnightTerrors]

Their first division 1 win. Almost as bad as a close win against Bryant, right?

 

[Mr_Twister]

Merrimack’s roster include St. Anthony’s (3) and Linden HS (2) and Manasquan HS (1) players.

https://merrimackathletics.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster

 

[Knights 1212]

The two Linden players, Crawford & Watkins both scored over 1,000 points while at Linden.

 

[RU-ROCS]

They didn’t just squeak by NW either. Won by 10!

 

[BigEastPhil]

When does the seat get hot for Collins?

 

[NickRU714]

Didn’t see the game but a quick look at the box score:

3pt shooting
NU: 2/16 12%
Merrim: 9/29 31%

2pt shooting
NW: 18/37 49%
Merrim: 13/20 65%

overall
NW: 20/53 38%
Merrim: 22/49 45%

Another instance of an underdog team putting up a high volume of 3s and pulling off a major upset.......

 

[RUsojo]

Big Ten basketball is on the decline. Ripe with opportunity.

 

[ru66]

Their first division 1 win. Almost as bad as a close win against Bryant, right?

what??--we won but a loss is better are you for real

 

[RU-Choppin-Ohio]

They like Jersey guys....8 in the Merrimack roster.

 

[SirPerceval]

Their first division 1 win. Almost as bad as a close win against Bryant, right?

what??--we won but a loss is better are you for real

Sarcasm

 

[ScarletKid2008]

Where is Merrimack!? D1?

 

[ruhoopscrazy]

It’s in Massachusetts and they are new to D-1. Was just their second game in D-1 and their first win.

 

[NewJerseyHawk]

The fans on the Northwestern boards are overly concerned and ultimately it comes down to how fortunate NW was to recruit about 6 to 7 really good kids over a span of 4 years and a couple of solid role players.

The role players decided to take the transfer route as the last batch of starters (Pardon, Law etc) graduated.

There's no way they should lose to Merrimack but it comes down to recruiting at least 1 or 2 starting caliber players a year. I know Northwestern recruited Paul Mulcahy like a good amount of high majors.

RU landed Mulcahy and ultimately provided enough of a boost off the bench to help an overall bad game by some starters. If Mulcahy went to Northwestern like many speculated he would, maybe he bails out NW.....they don't have a lead guard and their 2018 Top 150 guard, somehow got denied admission 2 months before HS graduation.

If NW had either the 2018 recruit or Mulcahy, they avoid the embarrassment of losing to Merrimack...maybe they win 3 to 4 more overall games with another guard.

RU should continue to climb out of the bottom 4 of the B1G, by making sure they don't hiccup in recruiting and continue to add pieces.

It doesn't necessarily mean NW and their season is over, but it's a horrible loss, no question.....I also would be cautious of writing off the B1G as in "decline", based off Northwestern or Nebraska early. Both teams are young and sorting.out new pieces.

We are complaining about being picked 11th or 12th in preseason. Fans don't respect RUs youth or improving product. I wouldn't write off Northwestern just yet and wouldn't go overboard about Bryant either.

Long season to go, just getting started folks.

 

[RUJMM78]

The quick response to the games being cited is that the 3 point shot is the equalizer allowing lower level schools to upset or nearly defeat power conference teams.I'm very happy Rutgers received a commitment from the Sweden recruit who is a shooter.

 

[Dpgru]

Where is Merrimack!? D1?

They also play in the NEC with Bryant, FDU, LIU, Wagner etc.

 

[RUich]

Didn't Merrimack lose to Monitor? :WideSmile:

 

[anon_0k9zlfz6lz9oy]

Big Ten basketball is on the decline. Ripe with opportunity.

This. Nebraska lost by 20 to uc irvine as well. Pikes gotta get us to AT LEAST #9 in the conference this year or his seat warmers deserved to be put on low

 

[ScarletDave]

The quick response to the games being cited is that the 3 point shot is the equalizer allowing lower level schools to upset or nearly defeat power conference teams.I'm very happy Rutgers received a commitment from the Sweden recruit who is a shooter.

Would you imagine that. Recruiting guys who can put the ball in the basket win games in basketball. It’s almost like guys who can throw and catch footballs for touchdowns wins you the game of football. Seems like a foreign concept sometimes

 

[RUsojo]

This. Nebraska lost by 20 to uc irvine as well. Pikes gotta get us to AT LEAST #9 in the conference this year or his seat warmers deserved to be put on low

That should be doable. Conference strength is cyclical.

 

[bac2therac]

Nebraska and Northwestern are clearly on paper the two worst programs but the rest of the league is a bear. While Minny suffered some losses i think they are an unknown as is Indiana. Its such a tough slog up the ladder and you have to strike when you see and opening. I think next year is the key year

 

[HeavenUniv.]

This. Nebraska lost by 20 to uc irvine as well. Pikes gotta get us to AT LEAST #9 in the conference this year or his seat warmers deserved to be put on low

Kyk, it was not even the Anteaters of Cal-Irvine, it was Cal-Riverside.

 

[blockm2]

I wouldn't write off Northwestern just yet and wouldn't go overboard about Bryant either.

Northwestern was projected to be terrible this year and looked terrible in their opener. I don't think it's crazy to continue to expect them to be terrible this season. I mean they will probably find a way to win a couple games in conference play (they play Nebraska twice and also get Minnesota at home), but it will be a long season in Evanston and Collins is going to be on the hot seat.

 

[Mr_Twister]

The quick response to the games being cited is that the 3 point shot is the equalizer allowing lower level schools to upset or nearly defeat power conference teams.I'm very happy Rutgers received a commitment from the Sweden recruit who is a shooter.

Now we need another 2 or 3. And have whoever the new Tom Amberry is stop by to deliver a free throw clinic to the team.

 

[hoquat63]

Didn't Merrimack lose to Monitor? :WideSmile:

No, it was a draw

 

[HeavenUniv.]

Merrimack has been Division 1 for hockey for quite a while. Not sure why a school like this is going Division 1 in all sports. I still think at some point, the Division 1-A football schools are going to break away and form their own association. The big schools do not want to share the NCAA basketball tournament money with the nearing 400 basketball schools. Just recently, Tarleton and Dixie announced they are going Division 1.

 

[blockm2]

Merrimack has been Division 1 for hockey for quite a while. Not sure why a school like this is going Division 1 in all sports. I still think at some point, the Division 1-A football schools are going to break away and form their own association. The big schools do not want to share the NCAA basketball tournament money with the nearing 400 basketball schools. Just recently, Tarleton and Dixie announced they are going Division 1.

not much money from the hoops tourney is shared. I think most of it is based on total wins in the tourney for each conference. Most single bid conferences are not winning many games.

 

[angmo]

My old boss went there. He used to sing the school's alma mater.

"Merrimack oh Merrimack. Give me my money back. Oh Merrimack."

 

[TDIrish27]

Nebby 0-2 with yesterdays home loss to Southern Utah .

 

[Degaz-RU]

Pretty clear that the top 4 are MSU, OSU, MD, and Purdue, and the bottom 2 are NW and Nebraska.

5 through 12 is a total crapshoot.

 

[goru7]

This. Nebraska lost by 20 to uc irvine as well. Pikes gotta get us to AT LEAST #9 in the conference this year or his seat warmers deserved to be put on low

They lost to Cal- Riverside not Uc- Irvine who is and was Real good team last year. This just shows how down Nebraska is, since they lost everybody and brought in 7-8 transfers or Juco’s.

The early games have told us that Nebraska and Northwestern are at the bottom. It appears Minnesota is better than originally thought considering what they lost. Penn State is looking like they have a chance for the top half. Illinois will get better as the year goes on. Where I think we have a chance to really jump teams are the teams that are rated higher but are not deserving of their ranking, Wisconsin, Indiana, Iowa fit the bill. We have equal to better talent to those teams but will our sophomores improve enough to get us past them. If so, we have a chance for the top half, if not 10th or 11th place will be our landing spot. I think we have enough to get there but really wish Geo takes his game up 2 notches now that he is the junior leader. He cannot have 3 points with 5 minutes left in a game. He should be at 15 points a game steadily with an occasional 20 point game and a very rare 10 point game. No more nights off.

 

[Mr. Magoo1]

Big Ten basketball is on the decline. Ripe with opportunity.

Very much so. It reminds me of two years ago. If the league lays an egg against the ACC like
It did then, I wouldn’t expect the typical number of teams in the NCAAs. Purdue lost a tough one at home against Texas last night. Illinois play at Arizona tonight in what would be a nice win if they can get it.

 

[e5fdny]

That’s a hockey school.

 

[blockm2]

Where I think we have a chance to really jump teams are the teams that are rated higher but are not deserving of their ranking, Wisconsin, Indiana, Iowa fit the bill. We have equal to better talent to those teams but will our sophomores improve enough to get us past them.

Wisconsin, Indiana, and Iowa have a lot of talent on their teams.

Wisconsin has 3 former top 100 recruits (Pritzl, Reuvers, Davison) plus a few other good players.

Indiana has a bunch of former highly rated recruits although they obviously lost their best 2 players from last season. This season will be decided if those high end talents finally start living up to it.

Iowa probably can't defend but has plenty of scoring talent with guys like Wieskamp, Garza, and freshman Pat McCaffery.

I mean not to bemoan Rutgers which is obviously an improving program, but Wisconsin, Indiana, and Iowa all have multiple players that were more highly rated recruits than anybody on the Rutgers roster. Now recruiting rankings aren't everything, but I certainly would not be pretending like there aren't some very good players and future pros on those teams.

 

[WhichReligionIsRight]

They also play in the NEC with Bryant, FDU, LIU, Wagner etc.

As an aside, I'm wondering why the NEC would add them, but not NJIT. NJIT plays in the Atlantic Sun, a Southern conference. Also, the NEC now has 11 schools. Weird.

 

[RU MAN]

Didn't Merrimack lose to Monitor? :WideSmile:

Now you're talking LOL! But seriously, the battle was inconclusive--1862.

 

[kcg88]

As an aside, I'm wondering why the NEC would add them, but not NJIT. NJIT plays in the Atlantic Sun, a Southern conference. Also, the NEC now has 11 schools. Weird.

The America East has 11 teams too. I don't get why neither will take NJIT. I assume it has to do with non-basketball stuff.

 

[czxqa]

Where is Merrimack!? D1?

 

[e5fdny]

Big fan.

 

[NewJerseyHawk]

If Bryant makes the 3 from the corner, RU would be included in discussion with the Nebraska and Northwestern. That could still in theory be the case, but I would probably wait another couple of weeks and see how rosters shake out.

I think Nebraska has ONE player from last year on the team last year. They shouldn't lose to Riverside or S Utah in OT, but there are at least 6 newcomers recruited that were sought out JUCOs or newcomers. Fred Hoiberg has a lengthy track record of winning and recruiting.

I would be very hesitant to write off Nebraska this early, knowing how many new faces. NW....by most standards has cratered and I would think, would need a boost of athletes in the next 2 classes before I bury Chris Collins. We all had Pat Chambers obituary written last December and that was off winning the NIT.....

Let's not guess too early.....PSU started 0-9 in the B1G last year...finished 7-13....and had Minnesota and Wisconsin on the road in 1 possession games under a minute left. They easily could have finished 9-11 last year.

It's 6 days into the season....way too early to have things figured out or cemented.

 

[cubuffsdoug_rivals]

Wisconsin, Indiana, and Iowa have a lot of talent on their teams.

Wisconsin has 3 former top 100 recruits (Pritzl, Reuvers, Davison) plus a few other good players.

Indiana has a bunch of former highly rated recruits although they obviously lost their best 2 players from last season. This season will be decided if those high end talents finally start living up to it.

Iowa probably can't defend but has plenty of scoring talent with guys like Wieskamp, Garza, and freshman Pat McCaffery.

I mean not to bemoan Rutgers which is obviously an improving program, but Wisconsin, Indiana, and Iowa all have multiple players that were more highly rated recruits than anybody on the Rutgers roster. Now recruiting rankings aren't everything, but I certainly would not be pretending like there aren't some very good players and future pros on those teams.

The question is how well are these top 100 players have developed? We have had quality players who never developed. We've had player develop beyond our wildest dreams like Eugene.