Northwestern University Athletics
The Skip Report: Illinois Preview
2/7/2017 12:36:00 PM | Men's Basketball
By Skip Myslenski
NUsports.com Special Contributor
FAST BREAK POINTS AS THE 'CATS PREPARE TO HOST ILLINOIS TUESDAY AT WELSH-RYAN. . . .
SCOTTIE LINDSEY, who missed their loss last Wednesday at Purdue, will sit this one out as well. "That's the only update I have right now," Chris Collins said early Monday afternoon. "Like I said, when he's ready to get back out there he'll get back out there. He's chomping at the bit. But unfortunately tomorrow he won't be able to go."
BUT NATE TAPHORN, who also missed their game with the Boilers after tweaking an ankle against Indiana, should be good to go against the Illini. "He's been doing some stuff in practice, so barring any setbacks I think he'll be available," Collins said of him. "I've been encouraged by his response and I think he'll be ready tomorrow, which is certainly going to help us."
THE 'CATS, riding a six-game winning streak and a recent addition to the national rankings, fell in West Lafayette, losing by 29. But stuff happens, so that is not the issue here. "What you have to eliminate is extended losing streaks," said Collins.
"Most likely you're not going to run the table in the Big Ten. But when you do get beat, which is going to happen, you have to stop the bleeding. You have to find a way (in) the next game."
THIS IS NOT UNFAMILIAR TERRITORY to the 'Cats, who earlier this season traveled to Nebraska after losing at Michigan State and at home to Minnesota. "We knew the urgency (then) of staying away from extended losing streaks, which can really hurt you," continued Collins, thinking back to their mindset as they handed the Huskers their first league loss of the year. "So (now) playing at home, coming off a loss, there's got to be a little bit extra urgency to take care of business and get back on the winning track."
How can he guarantee that urgency is there?
"I believe in the guys in our locker room. I believe that the urgency will be there," he said. "Very few times in this season have I felt we haven't had that kind of urgency or effort. We had the effort against Purdue. I watched that film. We were playing hard. It was not because of lack of effort. It was not because of the lack of anything. Purdue was just better than us (that night). So I feel really good about our guys. Our effort's going to be there. We're going to play hard. We're going to have a sense of urgency. The thing now is, will we be good enough over 40 minutes to outplay Illinois? That's going to be the story of the game."
OFTEN THIS SEASON Collins has praised his 'Cats for taking ownership of their team, which is a boon to any coach. Vic Law is one of the leaders who catalyzed that move and so, on this Monday, he too was asked how he could guarantee there would be a sense of urgency against the Illini. "You can never make guarantees," he said. "But I just think, especially what we're trying to achieve this year, we've already had our little patch of losing two games in a row. We know every team in this league is good. Going into tomorrow, we're not going to underestimate Illinois by any stretch. Obviously everyone knows to do what we're trying to accomplish, we've got to come out and play well."
EARN THE PROGRAM'S FIRST INVITE TO THE NCAA TOURNEY. That, obviously, is what these 'Cats are trying to accomplish. "Being 18-5, it feels so real, it feels so close. But in actuality it's so far away," Law said Monday, referring to that goal. "We've still got four weeks left. We've still a long journey to go through. A lot of us know, in the back of our heads, that everyone's talking about the tournament and the Big Ten championship and all of that. But we just need to take it one game at a time, like I've been saying all year. If we come in here thinking about the tournament, we'll get blown out by Illinois because they're a real good team too. So we just need to take it one game at a time, one step at a time, to keep pounding, chipping away at the rock, and we'll get there."
LAW, the 'Cats second-leading scorer, struggled against the Boilermakers, who limited him to just seven shots and one point. This was not unrelated to the absence of Lindsey, their leading scorer. "Certainly his shooting is something we miss. His ability to put it in the basket and stretch the defense," Collins said of the latter. "What it does too, when a really good player is taken off the scouting report, the other guys move up the scouting report. All of a sudden, where Scottie's going to see the other team's best defender, now maybe they're going to put that guy on Vic. So we've got to find ways to get Vic easier shots, which I can do a better job of. That's something I didn't think I did a good job of in the Purdue game— getting Vic some opportunities to get cleaner shots and get him going a little bit."
"Purdue really tried to deny, really tried to limit my touches and shots," Law himself said what asked about his coach's observation. "Looking forward, I just know I've got to work a lot harder for my shots, and take a lot more effective and efficient shots."
THE SIX-FOOT-FIVE LINDSEY is replaced by the six-foot-two freshman Isiah Brown and the six-foot-three sophomore Jordan Ash, and so his absence also effects the 'Cat defense, which has been their calling card this season. "With his length and wingspan we could cover some areas of the court" that they can't with the smaller Ash and Brown, noted Collins. Then there is the question of the communication needed to play the team defense utilized by the 'Cats. "You maybe lose it for two or three games, but I don't think we've really lost it," demurred Law, minimizing that concern. "Scott's still helping in practice. You see him over there. And Isiah's done a fine job of playing hard and doing what he needs to do when he's out there."
NOT ONLY DID the 'Cats dress just eight scholarship players on their trip to Purdue. They also managed to make just two of their 14 three-point attempts against the Boilers. The expected return of Taphorn, a noted sniper, will certainly help them against Illinois.
AND FINALLY, Collins, on that rivalry game: "You're talking about guys that have played against each other since they were kids. So forget about Illinois, Northwestern, all that stuff. Now, with the rise of AAU, these kids see each other all the time. So you're playing against guys you've been playing against since you're 10, 11 years old. So there's always that extra little something to want to win."
NUsports.com Special Contributor
FAST BREAK POINTS AS THE 'CATS PREPARE TO HOST ILLINOIS TUESDAY AT WELSH-RYAN. . . .
SCOTTIE LINDSEY, who missed their loss last Wednesday at Purdue, will sit this one out as well. "That's the only update I have right now," Chris Collins said early Monday afternoon. "Like I said, when he's ready to get back out there he'll get back out there. He's chomping at the bit. But unfortunately tomorrow he won't be able to go."
BUT NATE TAPHORN, who also missed their game with the Boilers after tweaking an ankle against Indiana, should be good to go against the Illini. "He's been doing some stuff in practice, so barring any setbacks I think he'll be available," Collins said of him. "I've been encouraged by his response and I think he'll be ready tomorrow, which is certainly going to help us."
THE 'CATS, riding a six-game winning streak and a recent addition to the national rankings, fell in West Lafayette, losing by 29. But stuff happens, so that is not the issue here. "What you have to eliminate is extended losing streaks," said Collins.
"Most likely you're not going to run the table in the Big Ten. But when you do get beat, which is going to happen, you have to stop the bleeding. You have to find a way (in) the next game."
THIS IS NOT UNFAMILIAR TERRITORY to the 'Cats, who earlier this season traveled to Nebraska after losing at Michigan State and at home to Minnesota. "We knew the urgency (then) of staying away from extended losing streaks, which can really hurt you," continued Collins, thinking back to their mindset as they handed the Huskers their first league loss of the year. "So (now) playing at home, coming off a loss, there's got to be a little bit extra urgency to take care of business and get back on the winning track."
How can he guarantee that urgency is there?
"I believe in the guys in our locker room. I believe that the urgency will be there," he said. "Very few times in this season have I felt we haven't had that kind of urgency or effort. We had the effort against Purdue. I watched that film. We were playing hard. It was not because of lack of effort. It was not because of the lack of anything. Purdue was just better than us (that night). So I feel really good about our guys. Our effort's going to be there. We're going to play hard. We're going to have a sense of urgency. The thing now is, will we be good enough over 40 minutes to outplay Illinois? That's going to be the story of the game."
OFTEN THIS SEASON Collins has praised his 'Cats for taking ownership of their team, which is a boon to any coach. Vic Law is one of the leaders who catalyzed that move and so, on this Monday, he too was asked how he could guarantee there would be a sense of urgency against the Illini. "You can never make guarantees," he said. "But I just think, especially what we're trying to achieve this year, we've already had our little patch of losing two games in a row. We know every team in this league is good. Going into tomorrow, we're not going to underestimate Illinois by any stretch. Obviously everyone knows to do what we're trying to accomplish, we've got to come out and play well."
EARN THE PROGRAM'S FIRST INVITE TO THE NCAA TOURNEY. That, obviously, is what these 'Cats are trying to accomplish. "Being 18-5, it feels so real, it feels so close. But in actuality it's so far away," Law said Monday, referring to that goal. "We've still got four weeks left. We've still a long journey to go through. A lot of us know, in the back of our heads, that everyone's talking about the tournament and the Big Ten championship and all of that. But we just need to take it one game at a time, like I've been saying all year. If we come in here thinking about the tournament, we'll get blown out by Illinois because they're a real good team too. So we just need to take it one game at a time, one step at a time, to keep pounding, chipping away at the rock, and we'll get there."
LAW, the 'Cats second-leading scorer, struggled against the Boilermakers, who limited him to just seven shots and one point. This was not unrelated to the absence of Lindsey, their leading scorer. "Certainly his shooting is something we miss. His ability to put it in the basket and stretch the defense," Collins said of the latter. "What it does too, when a really good player is taken off the scouting report, the other guys move up the scouting report. All of a sudden, where Scottie's going to see the other team's best defender, now maybe they're going to put that guy on Vic. So we've got to find ways to get Vic easier shots, which I can do a better job of. That's something I didn't think I did a good job of in the Purdue game— getting Vic some opportunities to get cleaner shots and get him going a little bit."
"Purdue really tried to deny, really tried to limit my touches and shots," Law himself said what asked about his coach's observation. "Looking forward, I just know I've got to work a lot harder for my shots, and take a lot more effective and efficient shots."
THE SIX-FOOT-FIVE LINDSEY is replaced by the six-foot-two freshman Isiah Brown and the six-foot-three sophomore Jordan Ash, and so his absence also effects the 'Cat defense, which has been their calling card this season. "With his length and wingspan we could cover some areas of the court" that they can't with the smaller Ash and Brown, noted Collins. Then there is the question of the communication needed to play the team defense utilized by the 'Cats. "You maybe lose it for two or three games, but I don't think we've really lost it," demurred Law, minimizing that concern. "Scott's still helping in practice. You see him over there. And Isiah's done a fine job of playing hard and doing what he needs to do when he's out there."
NOT ONLY DID the 'Cats dress just eight scholarship players on their trip to Purdue. They also managed to make just two of their 14 three-point attempts against the Boilers. The expected return of Taphorn, a noted sniper, will certainly help them against Illinois.
AND FINALLY, Collins, on that rivalry game: "You're talking about guys that have played against each other since they were kids. So forget about Illinois, Northwestern, all that stuff. Now, with the rise of AAU, these kids see each other all the time. So you're playing against guys you've been playing against since you're 10, 11 years old. So there's always that extra little something to want to win."
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Players Mentioned
Men's Basketball - Purdue Postgame Press Conference (3/12/26)
Friday, March 13
Men's Basketball - Wildcats Fall to Boilermakers in Big Ten Tournament (3/12/26)
Friday, March 13
Men's Basketball - 'Cats Advance in Big Ten Tournament with 74-61 Win Over Indiana (3/11/26)
Thursday, March 12
Men's Basketball - Indiana Postgame Press Conference (3/11/26)
Thursday, March 12
