uneblinst's postgame chatter: vol 16; ed 19 - Northwestern

[AuroranHusker]

8 hours ago, 89Husker said:

Yeah, I kinda think that maybe Brice is just a very quiet, introverted guy.  He doesn't celebrate after made shots like other guys, and he's not a talker either.  Don't see him being the "alpha" that JPJ was.  I don't think that Brice can go get his own shot at the end of the clock, but I certainly trust him taking and hitting an open shot if he has one. 

 

The first comment is probably true, he seems cerebral to me; and the last 'un-highlighted' comment is reassuring, he's a baller in my eyes. But, the other part of the commentary doesn't make a lot of sense, because I feel like not celebrating too much could actually be more of a sign of maturity, poise, and a duty to the task at hand. I see that Brice can certainly become more of a cocky no-holds-barred kind of a guy like JPJ, from what I can tell of his potential.

 

Watching every game, Brice has already made plenty of crucial buckets thus far this season, including the more recent big-time games against Purdue & NW. He drained threes in the opponents' faces when our team needed it, and with no hesitation or second guessing. So I must not be seeing the 'picture' the same way, I suppose. Admittedly, I am a fan of the potential of Brice at NU, which makes me personally think he may just be scratching the surface of his full potential. Maybe that potential is just that, and remain unrealized, but let's wait & see until next season for that part. I look at his Charlotte background more in line as a JUCO guy who maybe didn't have to try as hard to be the man & this HUGE step-up to the B1G style of play is daunting, at least that's what it feels like from what I can see.

 

[cornfed24-7]

6 minutes ago, AuroranHusker said:

 

 

Brice had 6 shots yesterday. He loses focus and intensity occasionally, I agree with that notion. But let's not call him a ball hog. He basically leads the entire team in assists. That's really unfair to say he doesn't play within "the team concept."

 

 

That's fair. But I see the same thing. Maybe call it hero ball or whatever you like. There are times he decides, damned everything else, this next shot is mine. 

And it's frustrating because you can see how he could take his talent to another levels if he can figure out how not to do that. 

It's not unlike Tominaga.  You can tell when he's shot hunting. It was really pronounced earlier in the season with him when all these guys were trying to figure out their roles within the team. 

[AuroranHusker]

4 minutes ago, cornfed24-7 said:

That's fair. But I see the same thing. Maybe call it hero ball or whatever you like. There are times he decides, damned everything else, this next shot is mine. 

And it's frustrating because you can see how he could take his talent to another levels if he can figure out how not to do that. 

It's not unlike Tominaga.  You can tell when he's shot hunting. It was really pronounced earlier in the season with him when all these guys were trying to figure out their roles within the team. 

 

Yeah, that's all true. It will get better with Brice, trust the process! He played at a much different Div. 1 environment than the B1G for several years. I think Brice will be significantly better next season. He already has a fairly giant toolbox, now he needs to hone his skillset to have all his tools become more useful in 2024-25.

 

[KZRider]

18 hours ago, AuroranHusker said:

 

I think Brice Williams could become a JPJ clone before he's all said & done at NU. He needs to ramp up the intensity and focus, it's a big step up from Charlotte to compete in the B1G night-in and night-out.

 

Brice brings quite a lot to the team but, IMO, there is a mindset that JPJ brought that Brice doesn't have. If Brice had what JPJ had we would not have gone 10 minutes without a basket at Rutgers because James would have willed himself to go get one and win us that game. Brice is not JPJ but he is a good - sometimes very good - player that I am glad is on our side.

Edited January 21 by KZRider

[AuroranHusker]

2 minutes ago, KZRider said:

Brice brings quite a lot to the team but, IMO, there is a mindset that JPJ brought that Brice doesn't have. If Brice has what JPJ had we would not have gone 10 minutes without a basket at Rutgers because James would have willed himself to go get one and win us the Rutgers game. Brice is not JPJ but he is a good - sometimes very good - player that I am glad is on our side.

 

No one said he's the same, but he did try to go to the bucket at RU, Brice was mauled when he did it. I think the refs let RU get away with a ton of fouls, but that's another story... Just saying that he's not JPJ doesn't mean Brice can not become a go-to guy before he's all said & done at NU. I think Brice is a primary scorer next year.

 

Edited January 21 by AuroranHusker

[throwback]

 

[AuroranHusker]

9 minutes ago, throwback said:

 

 

Love the way they do these. Very nice cinematography.

 

[49r]

"Never too high, never too low" is the team's mantra it seems.

[Art Vandalay]

1 hour ago, AuroranHusker said:

 

 

Brice had 6 shots yesterday. He loses focus and intensity occasionally, I agree with that notion. But let's not call him a ball hog. He basically leads the entire team in assists. That's really unfair to say he doesn't play within "the team concept."

 

 

Agree with you, never thought he was a ball hog at all. He could be shooting more and I’d be good with that. I’m fine with him and Keisei hunting shots when they are feeling good.

 

Speaking of feeling good. Anyone check CJ’s shooting numbers these days? 50-44-93 is pretty incredible at this point in the season. Kid is balling.

 

[AuroranHusker]

1 minute ago, Art Vandalay said:

Agree with you, never thought he was a ball hog at all. He could be shooting more and I’d be good with that. I’m fine with him and Keisei hunting shots when they are feeling good.

 

Speaking of feeling good. Anyone check CJ’s shooting numbers these days? 50-44-93 is pretty incredible at this point in the season. Kid is balling.

 

 

CJ went from an apparent Zilcher (at times) to a ballin' Wilcher. Much needed production off of the bench. ironic that his minutes are drastically less than his prior season, yet with fairly similar if not better production this year.

 

 

 

[Jugular]

3 hours ago, cornfed24-7 said:

That's fair. But I see the same thing. Maybe call it hero ball or whatever you like. There are times he decides, damned everything else, this next shot is mine. 

And it's frustrating because you can see how he could take his talent to another levels if he can figure out how not to do that. 

It's not unlike Tominaga.  You can tell when he's shot hunting. It was really pronounced earlier in the season with him when all these guys were trying to figure out their roles within the team. 

There are numerous times every game where KT decides that it’s going up no matter what. Typically when he hasn’t  touched the ball or got a shot in 4 or 5 possessions 

Edited January 22 by Jugular

[roscoe]

6 hours ago, hskr4life said:

TBF, Pfeiffer doing B10 games and I see him in the NCAA’s as well.  So he must be graded fairly well to get those gigs.

 

I actually think Brooks Wells does a decent job in the games I see him in… but he probably can’t do our games.

Been waiting for Brooks to do a game to reintroduce myself. Had just parked at horse races at Fonner Park back in spring of 2022. Was grabbing stuff to go in and all of a sudden my drivers side mirror pops and gets knocked forward. Guy stops and is making hand signals but then he pulls forward. I get out to go talk to him as mirror isn't busted. Well lo and behold Brooks rolls down his window to apologize for hitting my mirror. Said he was actually trying to fold his mirrors in and wasn't paying attention. I told him it's fine just a little scratch and not going to holler at him as have done it several times at basketball games over the years and didn't seem to do any good. 

[AuroranHusker]

1 minute ago, roscoe said:

Been waiting for Brooks to do a game to reintroduce myself. Had just parked at horse races at Fonner Park back in spring of 2022. Was grabbing stuff to go in and all of a sudden my drivers side mirror pops and gets knocked forward. Guy stops and is making hand signals but then he pulls forward. I get out to go talk to him as mirror isn't busted. Well lo and behold Brooks rolls down his window to apologize for hitting my mirror. Said he was actually trying to fold his mirrors in and wasn't paying attention. I told him it's fine just a little scratch and not going to holler at him as have done it several times at basketball games over the years and didn't seem to do any good. 

 

 

That seemed like a situation where having a mobile eye chart would have been super handy.