This is the last game all year NIU will be favored, sad statement (Right now EMU should be a pick'em game or EMU 1 pt favorites in DeKalb). Massey says line should open as NIU -5. However, Im not picking this team to win anymore, I fear this game could be the season low point.
Ball State 66
NIU 59
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1) dekalb222 4
2t) NIU007 3
2t) Frisky Biscuit 3
3t) Dekalb098 2
3t) Enaiu 2
3t) Michael James 2
3t) MaddDawgz02 2
4t) NIU77 1
4t) HuskieFamily 1
4t) Dogfan 1
Illinois University-DeKalb 68
State, Ball 65
BSU 70
NIU 52
Baker back to his old shooting ways (1-9 from the field)
8 straight losses for the Cardinals....and NIU still has to win this game to stay out of last.
2 more wins to avoid 20 losses this year. Please win.
Both teams can rebound and.....uh....show up.
NIU 67, Guys without a bronze stalk 61.
I'm not brave enough to make a prediction. I'll be there, as usual, trying to not be glum. After Saturday, it is going to be difficult.
Oh, ye of little faith...
NIU 72
Ball State 59
Offense plays under control and moves the ball well. 75+% FTs and fewer missed layups.
NIU 69-60. If each guy can score their season avg they will win almost every game! The problem is someone always misses the game. Huskie players avg over 70 pts a game combined, but how many games have they scored 70? (Few if any).
(02-10-2015 05:26 PM)dekalb222 Wrote: [ -> ]NIU 69-60. If each guy can score their season avg they will win almost every game! The problem is someone always misses the game. Huskie players avg over 70 pts a game combined, but how many games have they scored 70? (Few if any).
That 70 points a game is irrelevant since it's based on 220.2 minutes per game for the entire roster. There are only 200 minutes available for players in a game that doesn't go into overtime. They're averaging 64.5 ppg which is right at the 30 percentile mark in the country. They're not good offensively.
And are you seriously implying that injuries are still hampering this team? IMO NIU has been pretty damn healthy in the grand scheme of things. Bowie missed five games, AJ missed three, and Aaric missed two, and there wasn't a ton of overlap with those games. The excuses being made for this team are incredible.
No excuses, just throwing out stats! That's why I picked 69-60 as a score. At this point in the season you most likely are who you are. And lately they have been right around that 69 pt mark. Actually, if they had Pete's four pts they would've been there three games in a row.
Also, the 3 guys you mentioned missing games are all double figure scores. As we all know they have trouble scoring so yes every point from every player seems to matter. No excuse but they've lost so many close games, so for this team every point is needed.
Yeah but throwing out incorrect stats, like NIU is averaging 70+ ppg, is ridiculous. Also, those guys average double digit points but someone else got their 20-28 minutes for the games that they were out. I agree that it's not easy to replace those points but you got at least some offensive contribution in those minutes. The fact that missing ONE 10 point scorer is a death sentence for the team is just sad. None of these guys produce enough that the team's success or failure should be tied to them so heavily.
Injuries are hampering this team. Rak...Bowie..and highsmith. Bowie is playing at about 50% effectiveness. It's not an excuse it's a fact. It's not the difference between a Mac champion contender but it's at least the difference between a 3-7 team and a 6-4 team
(02-10-2015 06:13 PM)armour248 Wrote: [ -> ]Yeah but throwing out incorrect stats, like NIU is averaging 70+ ppg, is ridiculous. Also, those guys average double digit points but someone else got their 20-28 minutes for the games that they were out. I agree that it's not easy to replace those points but you got at least some offensive contribution in those minutes. The fact that missing ONE 10 point scorer is a death sentence for the team is just sad. None of these guys produce enough that the team's success or failure should be tied to them so heavily.
Bowie is at 50%? I doubt that. The Highsmith injury sucks but anything he provided this year should've been a bonus anyway.
Also threloff and maric better do something tonight with no ball state starters over 6'6
Some bad defense by both teams. Tons of layups. NIU has missed a few and ball state hasn't.