NU is in North Carolina for the TowneBank Holiday Classic where today they face the host East Carolina.

The game is on ESPN+ at 2 pm.

This could be another game NU could possibly win if they get some balance offensively, but I worry about them on the defense end.

I say another game NU comes up short...

NU picks up a nice road win, beating ECU 82-76.

Doherty led the scoring with 18 pts (10 rbs). All 5 starters were in double figures.

NU takes on Kennesaw St. tomorrow afternoon at 3 pm on ESPN+.

NU-ECU highlights…

http://www.espn.com/video/clip/_/id/38937830

NU-ECU highlights…

http://www.espn.com/video/clip/_/id/38937830

A couple of thoughts.........

Troutman did a great job on Felton. After two thirty plus games Troutman shut him down with a little help from Woods and King. Troutman held him to four two pointers and blocked a three after a clean steal.

Turner continues to hit threes and make plays. Tonight he looked nothing like last year's lost soul.

In crunch time the team showed poise that I haven't seen in two years, especially against ECU's late trapping defense.

I never want to get too high after a road win or too low after a road loss but I like what I saw tonight.

(11-19-2023 11:39 PM)NUGUY Wrote:  A couple of thoughts.........

Troutman did a great job on Felton. After two thirty plus games Troutman shut him down with a little help from Woods and King. Troutman held him to four two pointers and blocked a three after a clean steal.

Turner continues to hit threes and make plays. Tonight he looked nothing like last year's lost soul.

In crunch time the team showed poise that I haven't seen in two years, especially against ECU's late trapping defense.

I never want to get too high after a road win or too low after a road loss but I like what I saw tonight.

Not much to add other than when we get a sizable lead, we seem to give it right back. That has to stop.

I’m really starting to love Troutman’s motor. He’s the only one who seems to get to the FT line and he’s starting to hit some 3’s. Also, I think we have some depth and we’ll need it the next few days.

NU will take face Kennesaw State, who beat in-state rival Georgia Southern tonight.

I liked the competitiveness yesterday. Good contributions from a lot of different folks. We would have coughed that game up over the last few years for sure. Just turning the ball over a "normal" amount of times this year has made a big difference. Couple of opportunities the next few days.

Couple of opportunities the next few days.

I see that we are a "pick em" against K State today. That surprised me having watched them beat Georgia Southern yesterday. A win against them would be nice but, for me, the preseason is all about improving and getting better as a team at both ends of the court. Yesterday was a good building block. I want to see more of the same.

PS. Woods didn't wear glasses last year, did he?

No, he didn't wear glasses last year I don't believe.

Agreed on the wins/losses. I meant opportunities to play well against comparable teams. I worry the following 2 games (Princeton/SH), we will be in a little over our skis.

Another tough one because of us being us late game. We have to be among the worst in the country in late game situations. We throw the ball into the band on our last possession. And then, we chase their player for some unknown reason all the way to the other baseline. Let him catch it there and good luck going the whole floor in that amount of time with no running start. Instead, he cuts and gets down the court at 100 mph. Unreal. I do wonder how much emphasis and practicing we do on these specific situations. We aren't bad, we are awful.

Games that went down to the last possession. Correct me if I am missing any. 5-13 in the last 18.

21-22
BU W by 1 (BU wisely shot a 2 at the buzzer)
WM L by 1 (maybe the worst loss of all)
Towson L by 3
Delaware L by 6 (OT)
Hofstra L by 3

22-23
Harvard L by 1
Manhattan W by 2
Princeton L by 2
HC W by 1
Davidson W by 3
S Brook L by 4
WM L by 3
Del W by 1
Del L by 3
Elon L by 1 (horrific loss)
Del L by 3 (OT)

23-24:
LaSalle - L by 3
Kennesaw - L by 2

(11-20-2023 05:38 PM)NUFan35 Wrote:  Games that went down to the last possession. Correct me if I am missing any. 5-13 in the last 18.

21-22
BU W by 1 (BU wisely shot a 2 at the buzzer)
WM L by 1 (maybe the worst loss of all)
Towson L by 3
Delaware L by 6 (OT)
Hofstra L by 3

22-23
Harvard L by 1
Manhattan W by 2
Princeton L by 2
HC W by 1
Davidson W by 3
S Brook L by 4
WM L by 3
Del W by 1
Del L by 3
Elon L by 1 (horrific loss)
Del L by 3 (OT)

23-24:
LaSalle - L by 3
Kennesaw - L by 2

We were terrible in close games for two years. We didn't have a point guard and had two turnover machines. It might be too early to lump this year in with those two. We'll see.

That's very fair. Today just really bothered me in that I hated the approach on both our last offensive and defensive possessions.

(11-20-2023 06:34 PM)NUFan35 Wrote:  That's very fair. Today just really bothered me in that I hated the approach on both our last offensive and defensive possessions.

And I was dissapointed because of all but the last few seconds I thought maybe we had a third player making the "sophomore leap." King has never looked like a scored before. He has looked like a younger McClintock. I hope this blunder doesn't stunt his growth.