Column: New season, new defense, new result?
After years of losing and one of the worst seasons in team history last year, it seems like it is going to be quite a task.
After all, all five starters and all but one of the key players returned from last year’s team. That fact may not be the best omen for this year’s team – even with the addition of five freshmen who figure to contribute heavily to this year’s team.
But with another year, comes another year’s worth of experience, I guess. Because something has changed with this team.
It might start with the added presence of big men Kyle Rowley, John Shurna and Davide Curletti. But it might finish with a new attitude for the team on offense and defense.
On Sunday afternoon, gone was the 1-3-1 zone – at least for day. In was an aggressive full court pressure defense and man to man. Gone was the passive stand-around-the-perimeter Princeton offense. In was the aggressive, attacking and cutting the Princeton offense is meant to have.
These weren’t your freshman year Wildcats anymore. Or at least you hope Sunday’s 81-39 win over Central Arkansas was not a mirage.
Northwestern took the game to Central Arkansas early and often. Both teams struggled to put the ball in the hole early – only six total points were scored in the first five minutes of the game – but it was the aggressive things the Cats did that would set up a 15-0 run that more or less put the Bears away early in the first half.
It was the drives to the hoop that forced Central Arkansas into seven team fouls in the first seven minutes of the game, leading to a parade to the free throw line. It was a newfound level of offensive aggression.
In the first half, it was the post ups for freshman Kyle Rowley and junior Kevin Coble that set the tone as the team attacked the basket with unseen furor.
In the second half when Central Arkansas tried desperately to make a comeback, it was Michael Thompson’s dribble penetration that stemmed the tide and created holes in the defense which enabled clear cuts to the basket and open threes for senior Craig Moore.
The defense put the pressure on and got after the Bears. The Cats forced 23 total turnovers and 16 in the first half. Carmody said the team’s added depth allowed him to use a full court press.
It was an aggressiveness that was missing last season.
NU’s infamous 1-3-1 zone was scrapped for the time being – Carmody said he has not had the time to install it yet and that he used it too much last season. The difference was clear.
“I want to keep working on our press,” Carmody said. “We’re not real fast, but we are pretty long. I think we have the potential to be pretty decent at that, fall back into matchup and even take 10-12 seconds off the clock. That might help the defense.”
The Bears could not create any offense against this new pressing Cats defense, shooting 25 percent in the game and 3 for 15 from beyond the arc. Central Arkansas had no answer for an aggressive NU team.
And the Cats had no reason to stop pressing and playing man-to-man.
When the defense is aggressive and the Princeton is attacking in the way it was Sunday afternoon, this is a pretty good team.
It was clear the attitude and aggression level on this team is changing. And for one game, it was a move in the right direction.
If the team continues to attack its opponents with that much energy and aggression once January starts rolling around, then this season will turn out much different than last.
prossmanreich@u.northwestern.edu
