By Andrew SimonThe Daily Northwestern
During Wednesday’s loss to Minnesota, freshmen Kevin Coble and Jeff Ryan combined to play 59 minutes and score 22 points.
Meanwhile, fellow freshman and prized recruit Jeremy Nash sat on the bench. And sat. And then he sat some more. The 6-foot-3 guard hasn’t received consistent minutes all season, but this was the second consecutive game in which he hadn’t played at all.
“It’s hard, but you can’t let it stop you,” Nash said. “You’ve just got to do what you do to help the team while you’re in there.”
Although coach Bill Carmody didn’t realize he hadn’t given Nash any playing time in the last two contests, he said the freshman’s lack of minutes is reflective of what he’s shown on the court.
“I play the guys who I think are going to help us win,” Carmody said. “He’s been doing ok in practice, but nothing spectacular.”
While Coble has started the whole season and Ryan has taken sophomore Sterling Williams’ spot in the lineup, Nash seems stuck behind sophomore Craig Moore and junior Jason Okrzesik on the depth chart.
The Chicago native also had some back luck, straining his groin in one of the first preseason practices, forcing him to sit out for two weeks.
“That really held me back,” Nash said. “It slowed me down a little bit, but I’m not going to let that be an excuse, because I should still be up there playing with the best.”
When Nash has gotten on the court this season, the results have been modest. He is averaging 2.5 points in 8.7 minutes per game and has more turnovers (8) than assists (6).
He has shown flashes. Nash posted 10 points and three steals in 17 minutes against Penn State on Jan. 3 and seven points and four rebounds in 14 minutes against Ohio State on Jan. 17.
“He’s pretty good at a lot of things, but he doesn’t stand out at anything,” Carmody said. “He’s just got to buckle down and get to work now and in the spring, and potentially, he can be pretty good.”
Nash knows he must work to improve his 34-percent shooting percentage, his ball-handling and defense if he wants to earn himself more playing time.
While he still has a long ways to go, Nash has made an impression on his teammates. Senior Tim Doyle believes Nash has the necessary athleticism and length to become a shut-down defender. He’s also impressed with how the freshman has handled his lack of minutes.
“It definitely affects him, but it would probably bother me more,” Doyle said. “He’s a better teammate than me. I’d be ready to rip somebody’s head off.”
Reach Andrew Simon at [email protected].
