B1G Game 14: Gophers Host Northwestern: Rescheduled (2-11-22)

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Ignatius L Hoops

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BLIZZARD TRACK UNCERTAIN

Veronica Burton is Northwestern’s (9-3) beating heart. The senior point guard and reigning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year leads the team in nearly every game stat category: points (17.6), minutes (35.1), assists (5.9) and steals (3.7) to name four. Burton is second in rebounding and blocks and isn’t bad at connecting on threes knocking them down at a .358 clip. For good measure, Burton has three double doubles this season. Only Joe Mckeown, who inked a four-year extension before the season, is a more reliable presence in Evanston-and that’s debatable.

Currently, the Wildcat’s are under a covid pause and there’s been no indication of whether the Northwestern/Minnesota game will occur on New Year’s Eve. In addition to covid, the Wildcat’s lineup has been beset by injuries and illness. While Burton, 6’3” freshman Caileigh Walsh and 6’1” senior Courtney Shaw have started every game, the other two starting positions have been shared by five players. Jillian Brown has 9 starts, Mel Daley 4, Lauryn Satterwhite 4, Sydney Wood 3 and Jasmine McWilliams 3.

The great unknown is whether veteran Sydney Wood, a Big Ten All-Defensive Team member last season, will see the Williams Arena court. She was injured in the season’s fourth game and has yet to return. There was a note that she would be available versus Oregon; but, of course, that game was canceled. Without Wood, the ‘Cats are missing three of last season’s leading scorers: Lindsey Pulliam graduated, and Jordan Hamilton decided to take her plus one year at Stanford.

Other than Wood, the players who missed games have returned. Those include 6’3” forward Anna Morris from whom much was expected and little returned. Morris has only played 18 minutes in 5 games. And graduate guard Lauryn Satterwhite is back after an ankle injury and is averaging 5.2 points and 1.4 rebounds in 17.8 minutes/game.

Like the Gophers, Northwestern tends to struggle out of the gate. Finishing inside has been a particular problem. And the lineup changes, especially Wood’s absence, seemed to have curtailed deployment of McKeown’s “blizzard” defense. The ‘Cats will still double when given the opportunity; but they have yet to issue a full “blizzard” warning.

Unfortunately, for the Gophers, the ‘Cats are not buried in a drift. Freshmen are helping to find a way forward. Joining Veronica Burton in the starting lineup are:

Caileigh Walsh: the 6’3” freshman forward has slipped right into the starting lineup by averaging 10.3 points and 4.7 rebounds in 25.6 minutes of play. She’s a Joe Mckeown type big; she’ll mix it up inside and step out for a three (15-48).

Melannie Daley: the 5’11” freshman guard is averaging 7 points and 2 rebounds in 18.4 minutes of play. Daley had 15 points, 4 rebounds and 3 steals in the loss to Texas A&M.

Courtney Shaw: the 6’0” senior forward had a strong game against the Gophers last season with 10 points, 6 rebounds, 2 steals and 2 blocks. This season she’s averaging 10 points and 9.9 rebounds in 29.7 minutes of play. And she’s topped Burton with five double doubles in 12 games. Shaw is a force inside and capable of guarding outside.

Jillian Brown: is another freshman who has stepped into the starting lineup with 9 starts. The 5’10” guard is averaging 7.6 points and 2.7 rebounds in 27.8 minutes/game. Brown is 14-45 from three.

Off the bench:

There are a couple of bench players of note; although McKeown has sort of stirred and mixed the reserves during the non-conference season. And of course, if Sydney Wood returns to the line-up, then the Wildcats of this season will begin to resemble the Wildcats of last season.

Laya Hartman is averaging 6.4 points and 3.6 rebounds in 16.8 minutes/game. She’s also 6-12 from three.

Paige Mott is averaging 5.2 points and 3.9 rebounds in 18.9 minutes/game. As a power post player, the sophomore will likely see minutes versus the Gophers.

LAST MEETING

Last season, the Wildcats finished 11-7 in the B1G and made it to the Big Dance where they defeated Central Florida 62-51 before falling to Louisville 53-62. Northwestern had kicked off the Big Ten Season by rolling the Gophers in Evanston 80-51. A 17-0 1st quarter scoring run gave the Wildcats a comfort zone they never relinquished. Veronica Burton led all scorers with 20 points while dishing 10 assists. Sydney Wood dropped 19 points and grabbed 8 rebounds. Lindsey Pulliam scored 13 and Jordan Hamilton contributed 6 points and 8 assists.

The starters for Minnesota were Powell with 15 points, Sissoko 14, Hubbard 7, Scalia 6 and Sconiers (remember her?) 1. Northwestern’s game recap had a concise summation:

… the blizzard defense shut Minnesota's offense down, holding the Golden Gophers to 32% shooting from the floor with 41 missed shots and 21 turnovers.


Will it be snow squalls or a full on blizzard? Stay tuned to your local forecast.



NORTHWESTERN RECORD (9-3):

Wins: UIC 70-58, UCSB 72-46, Loyola 63-47, (N) South Dakota 73-57, @ Clemson 72-61, Wisconsin 61-49, Delaware 76-53, Milwaukee 55-46 and Temple 68-58

Losses: @ DePaul 75-78, (N) Pitt 60-72 and (N) Texas A&M 68-78



Veronica Burton Last Six Games:

TeamPtsRebAsstMinFoul
Texas A&M1282393
Clemson3254371
Wisconsin1936302
Delaware1756331
Milwaukee965373
Temple12810350


Cailiegh Walsh Last Six Games:

TeamPtsRebAsstMinFoul
Texas A&M63030
Clemson104130
Wisconsin143118
Delaware185227
Milwaukee175031
Temple65022




Probable Starters:

HGTPOSYRPLAYERMINAVGREB
5’9”PGSrVeronica Burton35.117.65.3
6’3”FFrCaileigh Walsh25.610.34.7
6’1”FSrCourtney Shaw19.79.09.9
5’10”GFrJillian Brown27.87.62.7
5’11”GFrMelanie Daley18.37.02.0


Others:

HGTPOSYRPLAYERMINAVGREB
5’11”GSoJasmine McWilliams5.80.71.2
5’11”GJrLaya Hartman16.86.43.6
6’1”FSoPaige Mott18.95.23.0
5’11”G/FSrSydney Wood28.83.55.3
5’7”GGLauryn Satterwhite17.85.21.4
Click to expand...
 

What are the chances this game is played? Northwestern is an interesting team, terrible shooting team but really good defense with that unique zone they use.
 

Last edited:

Game rescheduled for Friday, February 11 at 3:30.
 

OUT OF THE WOOD (S)

It’s been a slow start (5-5 in the B1G) for Northwestern. However, the Wildcats have recently shown some signs of life as head coach Joe Mckeown tinkers with the lineup.

The defense-oriented Wildcats are led by two-time reigning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, Veronica Burton. The senior point guard is producing another outstanding all-around season, (17.9 points, 6.3 assists and 4.5 steals per conference game). Burton is at the top of Big Ten and NCAA leaderboards. Just about her only weakness is shooting from the three-point line.

Burton was supposed to be joined in the back court by All Big Ten Defensive Team member Sydney Wood. The senior guard put up excellent numbers last season: 12 points and almost 6 rebounds a game. Plus, she scooped up any steals that Burton couldn’t intercept. Wood was Northwestern’s third leading scorer. Unfortunately, four games into this season, Wood suffered an injury that has sidelined her until…who knows?

Wood’s absence has put a crimp in McKeown’s famed Blizzard defense. Defensively, Northwestern is sixth in the Big Ten holding opponents to 68.1 points per game while scoring 65.6 (10th). McKeown is addressing the offensive piece of the puzzle by recently stabilizing his lineup with Burton joined by ,5’10” freshman guard Julian Brown, 5’11” junior guard Laya Hartman, 5’7” guard Lauryn Satterwhite and 6’0” senior forward Courtney Shaw. In their last three games, Northwestern has lost to Iowa in OT 67-72 and then went on the road to defeat Purdue 80-67 and Penn State 78-72.

Early in the conference season, Northwestern outlasted the Hawkeyes in Iowa City 77-69; so, battling Iowa down to the wire in Evanston was not a surprise. In the most recent meeting, the Wildcat “Blizzard” defense forced 25 Hawkeye turnovers while the Wildcats only turned the ball over 12 times. Caitlin Clark (28) and Monika Czinano (24) were the only Hawkeyes in double figures.

Northwestern was led by Burton with 19, Laya Hartman 14 and Melannie Daley 13. Hartman has started her last five games and has dropped 14, 13 and 13 points in her last three. Daley, a starter earlier in the season, is a freshman who now brings some quickness off the bench.

The regulation ending to the Iowa game was a bit unusual. With the score tied at 61, Clark missed a driving layup. The Wildcats grabbed the rebound with 3.9 seconds remaining and raced up court hitting a layup with 1.8 remaining. Yes, the clock had stopped for several seconds. The referees noticed and waved off the bucket before determining that time expired before the shot. Overtime ensued. Joe McKeown threw a little tantrum about not returning the play to 3.9 seconds; but rules are rules.

Traveling to West Lafayette, Northwestern used a 41-28 rebound advantage to defeat the Boilers. Courtney Shaw, a season long starter, grabbed 13 of those. She has double digit rebounds in the last five games. Burton’s 26 points and 6 steals provided the horsepower for one of the Wildcat’s easiest wins.

In Happy Valley, the Wildcats, perhaps, added, one of their missing offensive pieces-three pointers. Northwestern shot threes like a team from this decade. They went 10-21 from behind arc. Before then, they were 50-167. They needed them. Penn State led at the end of one 28-18. The win wasn’t secured until Northwestern outscored PSU 23-10 in the last quarter. Five Wildcats finished in double figures. Burton with 22 points (4 steals and 8 assists), Jillian Brown 14, Hartman 13, Lauryn Satterwhire 12 and Daley 10. Defeating Purdue and Penn State isn’t much; but the Wildcats are .500 in the Big Ten and Minnesota is 4-9.



WILL THE WILDCATS TURN INTO THREE POINT BOMBERS?

Mckeown has changed his lineup to get more three-point shooters on the court. It had become way too easy for their opponents to drop into a zone cutting off Wildcat drives and daring them to shoot.

If they do start launching, here are the suspects:

Hartman 14-30 (.467), Satterwhite 12-31 (.381), Walsh 11-33 (.333) and Burton 13-41 (.317)



MISCELLANIOUS

Caileigh Walsh, the 6’3” freshman forward, had slipped right into the starting lineup before the postponed game. She’s been useful averaging 8.2 game in 20 minutes a game. She had 11 points and 4 rebounds versus Purdue and will mix it up inside and step out for a three (15-48).

Melannie Daley: the 5’11” freshman guard, is averaging 8 points and 2 rebounds in 20 minutes of play. Daley scored 13 versus Iowa and 10 at Penn State.



NORTHWESTERN BIG TEN RECORD (5-5):

Wins: Wisconsin 61-49, @ Iowa 77-69, Rutgers 68-53, @ Purdue 80-67, and @ Penn State 78-72

Losses: Ohio State 61-74, @ Michigan State 46-65, Penn State 59-63, @ Maryland 59-87 and @ Iowa 67-72 OT

Veronica Burton Last Six Games:

TeamPtsRebAsstMinFoul
Michigan State985374
Penn State1637392
Maryland966334
Iowa1967454
Purdue2663353
Penn State2238271


Courtney Shaw Last Six Games:

TeamPtsRebAsstMinFoul
Michigan State280272
Penn State4141312
Maryland9100293
Iowa3124414
Purdue9132302
Penn State4101321




Probable Starters with Big Ten Stats:

HGTPOSYRPLAYERMINAVGREB
5’9”PGSrVeronica Burton36.817.95.2
5’11”GJrLaya Hartman25.29.22.6
5’7”GGLauryn Satterwhite20.86.91.9
5’10”GFrJillian Brown27.36.23.8
6’1”FSrCourtney Shaw32.06.210.1


Others with Big Ten Stats:

HGTPOSYRPLAYERMINAVGREB
5’11”GFrMelanie Daley21.88.71.6
6’3”FFrCaileigh Walsh20.18.22.9
6’1”FSoPaige Mott15.42.82.4
Click to expand...
 


Burton is just ridiculous defensively. Decent 1st half but should be up more than 7 here.
 

Some rare first half PT for Strande. Hubbard with a quick start offensively with four 3's. LBK with a solid first half. Scalia and Smith also contributing offensively. Gophers allowing too many O rebounds to NW, especially Shaw. NW not much of a threat from beyond the arc. Only one 3 in first half.
 

Did anyone elses btn+ go out or just mine?
 

Good team effort from our Gophers. I thought LBK was terrific with 12 boards and 19 points. Hubbard also with 19 points and Scalia with 18. Gophers have shown a lot more effort and energy recently. LBK has been a big part of that. NW's Burton is a terrific player on both sides of the court.
 



Alot of huge plays by LBK and DIva today, good to get this win. The team is definitely playing with more energy and more like a team lately.
 

Best game of the year for Gophers. They played together as a team with balanced scoring and ladies making the extra pass to each other. Great game by Laura B and to glad see Caroline Strande get some minutes as well.
 

whalenfan said:
Alot of huge plays by LBK and DIva today, good to get this win. The team is definitely playing with more energy and more like a team lately.
Click to expand...
Team is playing much better with no Powell and far less Sissoko.
 

Gophers were more physical today-Burton hit the court five or six times and the Gopher zone clogged the paint. It helped that Shaw isn't much of an offensive threat and that the Wildcats have no three point attack. LBK great from start to finish.

One annoyance: when screamer guy fills in for the regular announcer, do we really have to rush the opponents introductions...is it really that cool?
 



REALLY have been impressed with LBK the last couple games.. 19/12 today and hustling all over the place.. she forced at least 3 or 4jumpballs.. and got some right place right time rebounds and lay ups..

Diva with her best game of the season.. for a bit the scoreboard had Diva with 9 points but she did in fact have 12.. they must of given Deja one of Hubbard's early 3's

Scalia kind of quite but still finished with 18 points and reached 1k (with her 7 points in the 1st half)

Winters with only 8 but she might have had one of the bigger 3's late in the 4th.

3 straight wins at home.. and this was a BIG one.. puts up 2 wins ahead of Penn State, and pretty much 3 of Wisconsin since we have the tie breaker.
 

My big ten plus paused about 5 times. It didn't buffer but I lost 5 to 10 seconds of play each time. I've watched all the games on big 10 plus and never had trouble. Usually if you have trouble with big 10 plus it's because of your internet.
 


Yes, it seems that LBK is bringing the energy and effort that this team needed. Against Northwestern, she was able to get jump balls or fouls almost entirely due to her effort. And I like the fact that she doesn't treat the ball like a hot potato when she touches is. She's not afraid to shoot it and she's hit some 8 to 12 foot jumpers. Hubbard has also stepped it up with the additional PT she's received since the departure of Powell and Smith is starting to show more confidence as well. For the most part, the Gophers played solid D against NW and the ball movement was much better than it's normally been. The Gophers have some winnable games before the BIG tourney and it would be nice to see them go on a nice run to finish out the regular season.
 

Ignatius L Hoops said:
Gophers were more physical today-Burton hit the court five or six times and the Gopher zone clogged the paint. It helped that Shaw isn't much of an offensive threat and that the Wildcats have no three point attack. LBK great from start to finish.

One annoyance: when screamer guy fills in for the regular announcer, do we really have to rush the opponents introductions...is it really that cool?
Click to expand...
the fill in.. ouch
 


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