Big Ten's Strategy For Defending Northwestern Star Nick Martinelli Revealed?

Despite his squad sinking further and further retired of postseason contention this year, elder Northwestern Wildcats mini guardant Nick Martinelli has been scoring astatine a much prolific clip than ever before.

The 6-foot-7 Glenbrook South alum is presently nan second-leading scorer successful nan nation, down only Tarleton State Texans inferior defender Dior Johnson. Martinelli paces Minnesota Golden Gophers elder defender Cade Tyson arsenic nan Big Ten's starring scorer by complete 2 points per.

Across 16 patient bouts this year, Martinelli has been averaging 23.8 points connected .573/.524/.789 shooting splits, 6.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 0.6 steals. His 1.4 made triples besides rank wrong nan conference's apical 40.

He's been a reliable screen defensively for nan remainder of nan NCAA.

Most recently, moreover during a sadistic 77-58 blowout astatine nan hands of Fred Hoiberg's undefeated Nebraska Cornhuskers connected Saturday, Martinelli managed to people 20 aliases much points for nan ninth consecutive crippled — and nan 11th crippled of his past 12.

"Martinelli was going to find a measurement to get his," Hoiberg conceded during his postgame remarks Saturday, per Inside NU. "He's truthful unsocial pinch nan measurement he's capable to propulsion successful shots pinch his correct and near hands. He's truthful elite."

The Cornhuskers managed to extremity beautiful overmuch everyone else, arsenic only 1 different Northwestern player, guardant Tre Singleton, scored much than six points. Hoiberg did what he could to astatine slightest make Martinelli unit up reliable takes.

"Our large connection to nan squad connected Martinelli was to make his shots arsenic difficult arsenic possible. And if he makes immoderate of them, you can't get deflated," Hoiberg added, again according to Inside NU. "He's nan champion scorer successful assemblage basketball, he leads nan federation successful that area."

The Specific Defensive Approach Rivals Take to Guarding Nick Martinelli

The Field Of 68's Mike LaTulip precocious unpacked really nan University of Illinois opted to defender Martinelli connected Wednesday. Granted, he still dropped 20 points connected nan Fighting Illini (on a bad-for-him 41.7 percent section extremity shooting), but he achieved a batch of that discourtesy astatine nan free propulsion line, wherever he went 8-for-8.

As The Daily Northwestern's Charlie Perlman opined, Illinois caput coach Brad Underwood's strategy (initially revealed by defender Kylan Boswell) is apt really nan remainder of nan convention intends to slow down nan elder sharpshooter.

"So Illinois' rule was to nonstop a 2nd assemblage if Martinelli went baseline, and Northwestern did a really bully occupation passim nan crippled of keeping him successful that mediate 3rd of nan floor, and allowing him to benignant of play successful pockets. That measurement he tin spot everything successful beforehand of him, and you don't want to nonstop to successful nan mediate 3rd of nan level — because everyone's benignant of 1 walk away."

LaTulip goes connected to observe that Boswell adjusted aft Martinelli successfully passed retired of double sum successful nan agelong post. As LaTulip breaks down (watch nan crippled time, it's beautiful instructional), Boswell stuck pinch Martinelli connected a thrust and advised guardant David Mirkovic to enactment location connected his man alternatively than supply thief for a trap. Boswell, knowing Martinelli's inclination to rotation backmost and to his near aft settling his weight connected his correct foot, managed to prime disconnected a bargain and punctual a turnover.

This could beryllium nan unfortunate blueprint to muddying up what Martinelli likes to do inside.

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