2010 NIU Basketball Open Thread: The Road to Cleveland

Patton, Storm and Nixon need to be given an opportunity to step it up and play with Silas, Anderson and Kowal. I feel those 3 deserve consistent minutes, Patton plays the best defense of our PGs and Nixon and Storm create the best match up’s for us on the outside. No need for a PG who is a trigger happy turnover machine when we have Anderson, Silas and Kowal on the court. The big three can score at will in the MAC. Storm has really started hitting his shots and I think Nixon would too if he continues to get minutes.

Put DiNunno with the second group, the group that consists of defense / rebound first guys Landers, Fisher, Fakaude, Ervin. With those guys, DiNunno can take as many shots as he wants.

DiNunno realizing he isn’t Ray Allen and driving to the hoop more would be a good help too. That off balance 3 point attempt against Buffalo with time left on the shot clock.. just awful. If someone could get through to the kid he could be fine, he has talent. I don’t know if he’s dumb, or just doesn’t care or what. It’s awful.

Anyone being able to play PF would be nice.. Fakaude, I’m going to assume is hurt until I hear otherwise, Fisher, too many fouls and although he’s an insane athlete is also undersized (which is probably the reason he has so many fouls, trying to guard much bigger guys) and Najul Ervin looks like he has given up. I guess you can go small with Storm and get some offensive production from the spot, but otherwise this will be our biggest hole.

What is your ideal depth chart for this stretch run? I’d go with:

PG: Anderson, Patton, Hall, DiNunno
SG: Silas, Anderson, Nixon, DiNunno
SF: Storm, Silas, Fisher
PF: Fisher, Fakaude, Storm, Ervin
C: Kowal, Fakaude, Dzpina, Ervin
6th Man – Patton, 7th – Nixon, 8th – Fakaude
If I need defense, Landers comes in at SG, Silas shifts to SF.

When Patton comes in, it’d usually be for Storm or Fisher, Silas to SF, Anderson to SG. I see Storm, Fisher, Nixon, Fakaude (if healthy), Patton all at about 20 min. a game, with Anderson, Silas at 30+, Kowal as many as he can go before getting tired or fouling out.

I could understand putting DiNunno over Nixon, I just feel Nixon makes less mistakes and at his size gives us more options on defense.

I like when landers is on the court he gives the team some energy. he is like the energizer bunny he never stops moving on defense. He brings the intensity up a level when he is on the court. He may not be a big offensive threat but he boosts the energy level. I want to see nixon get way more minutes. he has alot of talent but patton isnt letting him show it. yes he is a freshmen but i would rather see him make mistakes and get some time now and be ready for a big year next year.
Dinunno needs to drive and dish more i forget which game he was working the pic and roll with kowal and it worked great need more of that

We can’t play defense. All we do on the defensive end is foul guys and you wonder why Western Michigan got to the line 45 times in this past game. What does Patton do in his press conference? He goes ahead and blames the refs.