It was ’80s night at Welsh-Ryan Arena on Saturday, and the Wildcats tried a lot harder than the Northwestern fans, only a few of whom actually donned decade-appropriate garb for the occasion.

Trailing by as many as 26 points to Michigan in the second half, NU kept at it and made the final score a respectable 78-68 by closing on a 23-7 run.

But NU’s effort on the floor is the only commendable thing about its play. The Cats gave it their all but were simply overmatched by a Wolverines squad that had lost nine of its last 10 and looked bad doing it.

With the exception of Kevin Coble, who scored 34 points, a record for the Bill Carmody era, and earned a Larry Bird comparison from Michigan coach John Beilein, NU struggled throughout the contest.

In the post-game press conference, Carmody harped on his veteran players’ lack of defensive intensity. But the veterans also failed to contribute much offensively. The team’s only three upperclassmen who see any playing time – senior Jason Okrzesik and juniors Craig Moore and Sterling Williams – combined to score only eight points on 4-of-18 shooting in 79 minutes.

This brings up an important question: With NU obviously in over its head against Big Ten competition, why not give more minutes to the younger players?

In Saturday’s loss, sophomore Jeremy Nash, freshmen Nikola Baran and Mike Capocci combined for only 25 total minutes.

Nash scored six points in just three minutes. Capocci made the highlight play of the game with his high-flying dunk over Anthony Wright but was inconsistent. Baran was mostly invisible offensively but grabbed three rebounds in 11 minutes.

While none of these performances seems inspiring, Baran, Capocci and Nash hold one advantage over Moore, Okrzesik and Williams that should propel them into bigger roles. They have potential.

At this point, it’s pretty clear what you can expect to get from the veterans. Each could be a useful role player, but none has shown the ability to consistently put up solid numbers. On a team that appears to be hurtling inevitably toward another finish at the bottom of the conference, there is no reason to continue to put guys like that on the floor for 25 to 30 minutes per game.

This doesn’t mean they shouldn’t play at all – just that some of their time should go to the younger guys, who need to develop their skills in a game setting.

Baran could provide the rebounding force the team desperately needs. Capocci could bring athleticism to a team with a dire lack of it. Nash’s toughness and quick hands could bolster what has been a porous defense.

“They can help a lot,” Coble said of the young players. “We need everybody to come along because it’s tough to play six or seven (players) deep when the other team’s out there with 10 or 11.”

Their success isn’t guaranteed. But we’ll never know if Carmody keeps them on the bench most of the time.

After the game, the coach expressed his intention to give Nash more opportunities and explore more lineup options, saying, “We haven’t won a game in conference, so everything’s on the table.”

Let’s hope Carmody follows through on his intentions and makes a commitment to a youth movement. If he does, the Cats will have a better chance to be competitive next season and beyond.

Then maybe all the effort won’t go for naught.

Sports Editor Andrew Simon is a Medill junior. Reach him at [email protected].