It's Election Day. Don't forget to vote!
Anyway, two big thoughts from yesterday before we get to the recaps and today's game/stress watch election returns while drinking heavily.
The first is a wonderful little outburst from the down but not out wildcat.
MNW: One of the many joys of NyQuil, such that they are, is that when I wake up from it, I am UP. That doesn't matter if it's 10am the next day off a 14-hour sleep bender or, as I did last night, 2:55am after finally passing out around 10:30.
All that meant, as I tossed and turned in my cold sweat-soaked sheets, cursing my elder daughter, that I got to watch more of Northern Illinois-Grambling LIVE! from Rock Hill, SC, that I'd ever have possibly wanted to.
And what a game.
NIU is, historically, dogshit. They have crested .500 four times since the new millennium; they have ten seasons of single-digit win totals in that same timespan. In 2010 I willingly drove with a friend to watch the 'Cats play the Huskies IN DEKALB (one of TWO ridiculous roadies NU played that year under Bill Carmody; this was actually the first of a TWO-LEGGED ROAD TRIP to open the year, with the other game being the aforementioned donnybrook at UT-Pan American). Northwestern dog-walked the Huskies, 97-78, calling off the dogs as the 100+ Northwestern fans remaining in attendance at the aptly-named NIU Convocation Center brayed for Austin Nichols, Nick Freundt, and Reggie Hearn to hit the garbage time century mark.
My point is, I watched Grambling-NIU so you didn't have to. Because if you want to watch two teams going through the motions of a half-court offense when they KNOW neither of them have players good enough to create their own shots...friend, this was the game for you. Grambling did not trail for any meaningful part of the game, and yet they decided that late was the right time to clang their game-sealing free throws. NIU, knowing Grambling would foul up 3, tried a desperation three right after that foul and, on a different night, would've been rewarded with three shots. It was cynical, terrible basketball that somehow put on an entertaining show because, damnit, it was on TV (or YouTube, whatever) and we're BACK, baby.
Secondly, I need to share this photo:
Big Ten Recaps
Michigan Wolverines 84, Oakland Golden Grizzlies 68
BoilerUp89: True to form, Oakland made Michigan work for this win. The Golden Grizzlies outrebounded Michigan by two but couldn't shoot straight. Something to watch for Michigan going forward. If you can't outrebound Oakland, what happens in conference play? One game aberration or start of a trend?
MaximumSam: No Moustapha Thiam for Michigan due to illness. He could probably help on the boards.
glass: Kampe, you beautiful son of a bitch. Anyone who is reading this: Oakland should be your second favorite team.
Michigan State Spartans 95, Quinnipiac Bobcats 59
BoilerUp89: Six Spartans scored in double figures, Jeremy Fears had 11 assists, and Bonke started at center before earning a double -double with 13 rebounds. I'm not sure we learned much.
MaximumSam: That's BONK with a double double.
Maryland Terrapins 96, Bucknell Bison 67
BoilerUp89: Bucknell is bad bad. The Terrapins weren't particularly proficient at shooting the ball but thanks to a 54-22 rebounding advantage this one was never in doubt.
Indiana Hoosiers 91, Eastern Illinois Panthers 57
BoilerUp89: Burton had 19 points in just 24 minutes and Indiana's defense (or Eastern Illinois' offense) generated 22 turnovers. Level of competition concerns aside, Hoosiers fans have to be happy with 38% shooting from three.
glass: The Hoosiers sold out Assembly Hall during football season. Impressive for a non-basketball school.
Gonzaga Bulldogs 78, Purdue Boilermakers 72
BoilerUp89: I don't think Gonzaga looked like a top 10 team, and Purdue had plenty of issues, but they kept this a game against a better team. Daniel Jacobsen had a coming out party with 22 points and 7 rebounds on 9 of 11 shooting. He had some issues with dumb fouls in the second half, but still played 27 minutes and I don't think his conditioning right now lets him go for more than 30 a game. Whenever Jacobsen or PF Caden Pierce came off the floor, Purdue's defense struggled to deal with Gonzaga's height. Enzo Shahrvin had a particularly bad night with 4 turnovers in just 8 minutes before ceding backup center minutes to Raleigh Burgess in the second half. More worryingly for Purdue fans was a 2 of 11 shooting performance from Omer Mayer as his shot selection left something to be desired. Still - Purdue lost by just six while shooting 24% from three. There were some encouraging signs, especially for believers in the two year plan.
glass: Expected to get clobbered so I will take a competitive loss. Did not think we'd do as well as we did guarding Huff (who finished with 10 points on 4/11 shooting). We can also live with letting Davis Fogle go for 22 when it takes 18 shots to get there. Purdue gave up 34 free throws so the foul situation was concerning. DJ played better than expected and Mayer played much much worse. The sooner Painter starts Cox/Harris/West and bring Omer off the bench with the directive to pass first and only shoot if he is wide open the better because he seems to be trying to earn an NBA contract with every shot.
Wisconsin Badgers 75, Denver Pioneers 68
BoilerUp89: The Badgers led by 14 at the half but appear to have let off the gas too early. The 7 of 18 free throwing shooting is especially concerning. The game never got within one possession in the second half, but Wisconsin needs Nolan Winter to be more efficient (6 points on 3 of 10 shooting).
Kind of...: Ugly. Owen Foxwell isn't going to heedlessly throw himself at the rim with the same frequency of John Tonje or Nick Boyd. But I still like that Wisconsin has a pass-first point guard (7 assists last night) and, theoretically, more of an interior presence. BoilerUp89 gave UW a B+ for their non-conference schedule, but it's not quite was recent years have been, especially in November. That's probably by design. This team needs time to gel.
glass: A Greg Gard led team has a sluggish game or 4 in the non-con. Film at 11. They'll be fine.
Nebraska Cornhuskers 106, Le Moyne Dolphins 64
BoilerUp89: Why play this game? Serious question. Nebraska let it rain from three going 14 of 30 from behind the arc.
Penn State Nittany Lions 97, Canisius Golden Griffins 57
BoilerUp89: Penn State wins a game! Roko Prkacin (no I can't pronounce that) had 28 points off the bench.
Illinois Fighting Illini 120, Fairleigh Dickinson 45
BoilerUp89: Moving on.
Northwestern Wildcats 86, Binghamton Bearcats 60
BoilerUp89: Jack Karasinski made seven 3s for the Wildcats, Jake West had 20 points and 12 assists, and LA Pratt chipped in 19 points. The bench was non-existent (which is concerning), but the stars did what they need to do for Northwestern.
MNW: Northwestern won the PTI Bowl over Binghamton. Suck it, Kornheiser.
There is nothing to take from this, though Bellarmine transfer F Jack Karasinski hitting 7 threes and holdover-turned-sophomore captain G Jake West having a double-double felt good. Onward.
Brigham Young Cougars 94, The Ohio State Buckeyes 83
BoilerUp89: OSU led early (and were hanging onto a small lead at the half), but were outgunned in the second half. Rob Wright III scored 33 points for BYU and the Cougars had 60 second half points! That's SIX ZERO in a half. The offense was fine for the Buckeyes but that swiss cheese defense needs to get fixed even if they won't face many teams as athletic as the Cougars.
MaximumSam: Love it when both your starting guards foul out. Five Star Freshman Anthony Thompson got stuffed into a locker with two points in twenty minutes.
Minnesota Golden Gophers 85, North Dakota Fightin' Hawks 50
BoilerUp89: Solid bullying by the Gophers who held UND to 11% shooting from three.
UCLA Bruins 84, Arizona Wildcats 75
MaximumSam: Look at them Fightin' Cronins! UCLA led the whole way and survived an Arizona rally in the second half to grab the win. Super Serb Nikola Kusturica did not light up the box score with just nine points, but he did play 39 minutes. Maybe Cronin really will let him fly.
glass: The Big 10 had 3 big games last night and I'd wager almost none of us picked UCLA to be the only team that won. I fell asleep before halftime.
BoilerUp89: For a bit it looked like UCLA might throw the game away as they had trouble with the press, but they withstood the late Arizona run. Very impressive win for the Bruins. Booker stepped up on multiple occasions and finally looked like the player many of us thought he could be as a freshman (and to be frank had given up on ever seeing).
Oregon Ducks 87, Montana Grizzlies 69
MaximumSam: This game was tied in the second half before the Ducks pulled away. Tony Stubblefield needs two more wins to match his 2024 total.
Washington Huskies 90, Colgate Raiders 76
MaximumSam: Nikola Dzepina dropped 27, notable to me because I didn't even mention him in the team preview. Good job me.
Southern Cal Trojans 95, Milwaukee Panthers 63
BoilerUp89: We have too many teams in this conference.
Big Ten Previews
#231 Lipscomb Bison at #48 Iowa Hawkeyes
8 pm ET, BTN
MaximumSam: The post-Stirtz era begins. Someone else will have to pass, shoot, and dribble for the Hawkeyes. Lipscomb already sports a loss to Southeast Missouri State, but they do have Old Friend Takai Simpkins, formerly of Oregon. They also have a freshman named Luke Jack.
glass; Lipscomb played last night in Cape Girardeau, Missourah. 360 miles from Iowa City. Gonna have some tired legs during a game where they were already horrible over matched. Back to backs are weird.
BoilerUp89: I thought Lipscomb might be decent this year but the back-to-back game and fact they would have focused more on SEMO means Iowa should roll.
Other Games of Not
BoilerUp89: Game of the night is probably Northern Arizona at UNLV or Cal St Fullerton at San Diego St. Neither of which is super exciting. I guess the blue team faces the red team.
glass: Games of Not is actually pretty apt. I got nothing.
BoilerUp89: Fine, I'll leave the spelling error
