Bryant McIntosh is Northwestern basketball’s most important player this season.
By the time his career is over, people will look back and say that he was the best player on this specific roster.
Alex Olah might be the team’s best player right now, and that argument gained strength with his performance at Michigan. He also looked very good versus Illinois; although Maverick Morgan’s cluelessness on defense had a lot to do with that.
For now, let’s focus on Bryant McIntosh and the long view. Remember that’s where NU basketball is at now. What matters this season is only how it will affect next season; and the season after that, and the season after that.
McIntosh, like Juice Thompson, the greatest point guard in school history, had the ball in his hands since day one. So did Dave Sobolewski, but injuries took their tool on Sobo, and he’s had a very downward trajectory during his college basketball career. So now the offense runs through McIntosh, and it’s thought that the New Castle, Indiana product will possibly be a four year starter, providing a steady presence in the early years of Collins’ tenure.
Bryant didn’t score at all yesterday, but he took over the game in a different way: 8 assists, 0 turnovers.
“He’s not afraid of the moment, and no one is harder on him than he is on himself,” said NU Coach Chris Collins of McIntosh.
“He’s the real deal. There’s no question about it.”
Ok, so if B-Mac does indeed become your Juice Thompson, or maybe even better, who is your future Drew Crawford?
Who is your future John Shurna?
Will Jordan Ash grow into the Jershon Cobb/Tre Demps kind of role?
A core of Thompson-Shurna-Crawford was good enough, playing within Bill Carmody’s systems, to reach four straight NITs, but never get over the hump. Will a McIntosh-Falzon-Law trio be as good as they were?
Can they become even better and finally lead the program to the promised land?
Do you believe the systems and strategies of Chris Collins are superior to those of Bill Carmody?
New NUera is just a marketing slogan; but is it something you truly believe is coming?
Last season was way too early to ask any of these big picture questions. Right now it’s still a bit early.
Or maybe not? Until you see some results you do have just cause in being skeptical.
Right now, all the optimism rests on blind faith.
With three very “close but no cigar” outings in their last three (at Michigan State, Illinois, at Michigan), I think they’re going to take out Ohio State on Thursday. The Buckeyes never should have been ranked this year, and their 3-3 start in league plays verifies that.
Look for Bryant McIntosh and company to handle Ohio St this week. In the final minute, they had their chances to win their past three. This time they should pull it out.
“It’s nice that we’ve shown some progress, but losing is unacceptable. that’s all there is to it,” said McIntosh after the Illini game.
And next year, legitimate, tangible progress should occur, or at least be expected.
What we know as of now is that Bryant McIntosh is a great piece. He’s coming along. Vic Law doesn’t seem to be. Defensively, he’s there of course. However, his offensive game doesn’t seem to be improving as of yet.
“Everyone’s talking about Russell and Trimble, and all these freshmen guards and he has to do more,” said Collins of Bryant McIntosh, referring to OSU freshmen D’Angelo Russell and Maryland’s Melo Trimble.
“I don’t know why he’s not getting mentioned as one of the best freshmen in the league.”
“He’s delivering, obviously he’s going to make some mistakes, but I feel good with him on my team. you’re going to have a lot more good than bad.”
Well, we’re talking about Bryant McIntosh. We believe he should make the Freshmen All-Big Ten team.
Paul M. Banks owns, operates and writes The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with Fox Sports Digital, eBay, Google News and CBS Interactive Inc.
You can read Banks’ feature stories in the Chicago Tribune RedEye newspaper and listen to him on KOZN 1620 The Zone. Follow him on Twitter (@paulmbanks)