Dave Sobolewski gets lots of minutes, accolades for Northwestern
By Tina Akouris takouris@suntimes.com February 8, 2012 8:26PM
Northwestern guard Dave Sobolewski (3) drives to the basket against Nebraska guard Bo Spencer (23) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Evanston, Ill., Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012. (AP photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Updated: March 11, 2012 8:39AM
Northwestern guard Dave Sobolewski shrugged off the praise that came with his Big Ten Freshman of the Week honor, either because he shared it with Iowa’s Aaron White or because he knows the Wildcats still have a lot of work to do.
Sobolewski is going to play against White when the Wildcats host Iowa on Thursday at Welsh-Ryan Arena (8, ESPNU, 720-AM). The Wildcats (14-8, 4-6) will vie for a third consecutive victory after beating Nebraska and Illinois.
“It was a big honor, especially it being my first one,” Sobolewski said. “But the thing I was most happy about was getting two conference wins and getting back in the mix for the middle of the conference [season].”
Iowa (13-11, 5-6) also is on a two-game winning streak, and White averaged 13 points and eight rebounds in the two victories.
If the Wildcats can beat Iowa, they will move ahead of the Hawkeyes in the standings.
Coach Bill Carmody has had success the last two games using a six-man rotation.
Against Illinois, a 74-70 victory Sunday in Champaign, Sobolewski played all 40 minutes, scored 14 points and didn’t commit a turnover.
The rotation of three guards and three forwards seems to be working well, but that could change if senior center Luka Mirkovic returns from a left ankle sprain.
Mirkovic’s play has been sporadic since Carmody benched him in favor of Davide Curletti in the Jan. 14 victory against Michigan State. Guard JerShon Cobb also has been out most of the season with discomfort in his left leg.
“I’m hoping Luka will be available,” Carmody said. “He was coming on in the last practice we had before Illinois and JerShon was also, but he just wasn’t quite ready.
‘‘If we bring Luka back, that might change things, but we started the last two that way. Just because you start smaller, doesn’t mean you stay that way.’’
