GT vs. Northwestern Preview Thread

[Connell62]

@ChasonBaller ...feel free to bring some fire on the preview like you did the two previous games. Just speaking personally, but I thought they were good stuff.

Honestly, I know very little about NW other than their coach is a former Dookie, and they return a number of players from last years squad...lots of experience. Hopefully the ThrillerDome is rocking for the first time this year tomorrow night.

ETA: Saw the opening line as NW - 1

Vegas expecting a close one?

 

[ChasonBaller]

Thanks dude
And it should be up soon. I got distracted by finals and forgot to submit it.

 

[Peacone36]

I took us in a squeaker. I think Northwestern was a tad over valued coming into the season. Scottie Lindsay is the player we need to shut down. CGB gonna have his hands full.

 

[AUFC]

Had this one circled on the non-conference schedule since it came out. Gonna be a long work day.

Really hope the students turn out. We're gonna need their energy.

 

[Connell62]

Had this one circled on the non-conference schedule since it came out. Gonna be a long work day.

Really hope the students turn out. We're gonna need their energy.

+ 1

All kidding aside, this could be the biggest key to victory tonight!! If the crowd (i.e. students) can provide some additional energy, then I think that we are very capable of hitting another level.

Unfortunately, that has been missing so far this season. I've only missed Faulkner and Rio Grande Valley, and thus far, the crowd's haven't been very good. It even felt like we were outnumbered at the GSU exhibition.

Ben, AD, and the freshmen have to really hit the boards hard tonight. Hopefully we can get some production from one of them aside from Ben.

 

[collegeballfan]

Is Lammers healthy?

 

[YlJacket]

I haven't seen NW play this year but they are the epitome of the get old stay old strategy. And a pretty big team too. Start 3 Jrs and 2 Srs. Smallest player is 6'3" and everyone is over 200 lbs. Interestingly they haven't dominated the boards and are essentially even on the boards so far. They are a guard oriented offensive team and the 3 starters shoot 3's reasonably well 35-40%. Plus one of the bigs shoots 3's pretty well too but he doesn't look to score a ton.

As they start 2 6'8" guys I expect us to start AD today and generally play 2 bigs. Line is even without Okogie so we should have a good shot at this. All the things being mentioned have to click. Rebound, Haywood has to continue to improve and Jose can't get into foul trouble.

 

[okiemon]

I got distracted by finals and forgot to submit it.

Get your priorities straight!

 

[ESPNjacket]

Looking at Kenpom's stats the thing that stands out about NW is their FG% defense is really poor (eFG% allowed is 55.1%). GT needs to take advantage of that.

 

[slugboy]

I'm not sure if the KenPom numbers mean much yet, but if they do we've got a better chance than we did against UCLA, and we'd be underdogs.

 

[orientalnc]

NW is a 2 point favorite when I checked at 4 PM. This could be a really good game.

 

[Peacone36]

I'm not sure if the KenPom numbers mean much yet, but if they do we've got a better chance than we did against UCLA, and we'd be underdogs.

According to College Basketball Reference they rank 309th in opponents fg% at 48.2% on the season. So the stat holds up. It's a small sample size but when youre a power 5 team playing the competition they have played, and your defensive numbers are still that poor, it says something IMHO.

 

[Jmonty71]

Hope we can play well and beat NW tonight. Its a ESPN 2 nationally televised game. This is where GT needs to start shining. I think we win 64-58. The team clamps down and plays some serious defense.

 

[Jacketman1]

Will be close. I'm afraid NW will pull it out.

 

[NorthGeorgiaJacket]

Tom Crean has been fantastic to listen to, incredibly insightful.

 

[Enuratique]

Tom Crean has been fantastic to listen to, incredibly insightful.

A bit of a B1G homer, but otherwise agree.

 

[OldJacketFan]

Nice win for the Jackets!

 

[gtpi]

i didnt know we were playing given the commentary. looks like we were LUCKY to be a playing a GOOD team that will have a SPECIAL season this year.

the most attention they gave us it seemed was when they talked about our troubles.... 3 players and a coach suspended. after that it was pretty much all the nw show. im sorry our 3 freshman and understaffed team didnt do better than beat them by just 1 point.

for a few minutes during the last 5 minutes i thought to myself. oh no. not another one of those 5 point phew-ett / brian gregory moral victories er losses. ive had enough moral victories to last a life time as a jacket.

great game. i enjoyed watching it. i like the idea of us winning the close one for a change. i like our point guard. i like our coach. I LIKE THIS TEAM. and as coach said. LAMMERS IS A STUD.

my inaugural most improved player of the game goes to..... our very own Abdoulaye Gueye. while i still shake my head at his poor 3 points shots. the rest of his game tonight looked a lot better. i was pleased for him. he did very well playing in place of the foul plagued lammenator.

 

[gtpi]

how about them BLACK CURLY WIGS.

last year towards the end of the season i actually looked at black curly wigs thinking it would be a nice touch for our new COACH.

was it just me or did the crowd look .... meh? lots of empty seats.

 

[AUFC]

+1 AD please stop shooting 3s thx.