Patton wants Huskies to be 'snapping' pups

DEKALB -- Even if he didn't work for a school whose teams answer to the nickname "Huskies," Ricardo Patton has a perfect tale to capture the essence of his first mission at Northern Illinois.

In one of his several occupations prior to becoming a basketball coach, the 49-year-old Patton bred, raised and trained Rottweiler pups for use in law enforcement.

"Any time you're training a dog for police work, you go to a kennel," said Patton, who was hired to replace Rob Judson on March 19. "You might have a litter of six, and so you see how they interact.

"Then you pick out three or four pups, and then you go behind them and do what you call 'flanking.' You just grab that back leg and kind of flank him.

"Some puppies at six weeks will 'eh-eh-eh' and take off running. Some will 'grrrr' and snap. That's the one you want for protection work.

"And the theory is, if they won't snap as a young pup, they won't bite as a big dog. And we want our young guys snapping."

Goodness knows Patton has enough pups who need training as the former Colorado boss tries to lead Northern Illinois out of the Mid-American Conference cellar.

As Patton whittles his 17 eligible and healthy players down to a workable nine- or 10-man rotation for Friday's opener at Northern Iowa, here's what he will have:

• Either five or six guys who haven't played a lick of Division I ball, including a starting center who spent last year playing at the local Sports and Recreation Center.

• Three guys who didn't debut at the Division I level until last year.

• Fifth-year guard Ryan Paradise, the Naperville Central product who didn't start his first college game until last year.

Snap, pups, snap.

"Me and (fifth-year senior) Ben Rand, in particular, we're the fathers on the team," said Paradise, who'll start at shooting guard. "We've been around, so we try to help out the younger guys.

"Let 'em know what they can and can't do. When you've got to get your rest. Stuff like that."

In truth, though, even Paradise and Rand feel like rookies in Patton's up-tempo style, which the 10 holdovers and seven newcomers must learn together.

"We're sloppy right now," Paradise said Monday after the Huskies committed 20 turnovers in a 77-63 exhibition win over Division III Augustana. "But this is going to be the style. Very up and down. We're really trying to push the pace."

And really trying to get in opponents' faces on defense.

On Augustana's first possession Monday, Patton took a verbal chunk out of starting point guard Cody Yelder, who was standing right in front of him, for retreating two steps after his man passed the ball.

On Augustana's second possession, Patton hollered at junior Jarvis Nichols, one of the six first-time Division I guys, to "Pressure the ball!"

It's all part of Patton's plan to blast past the fact that most of his guys likely must take some lumps this season.

Take senior center Michael Hart, for example.

As a mere honorable mention all-SICA North pick from Bolingbrook High School, only Division III Carthage College showed any interest in his ability. Hart spent 2½ years at Carthage before transferring to NIU to pursue his Division I dream.

The 6-foot-7, 220-pound Hart was cut after walk-on tryouts last year. After working out ferociously, playing constantly and building a reputation at the local Rec center, Hart got another chance when Patton arrived.

It didn't hurt his cause when Hart unveiled his 40-inch vertical leap and ran a 5:34 mile before conditioning workouts began. Now the muscular walk-on, who scored 11 points in 15 minutes before fouling out against Augustana, should be jumping center when the officials throw it up Friday at Northern Iowa.

"All this is somewhat of a shock to me, but I'm really excited," Hart said, "I was shocked just by the way that things didn't happen last year, but it's been a huge turnaround."

Hart's effort may become a symbol of the program.

"He's a work in progress," Patton said. "He's got to be a quick study. I think he's going to be better and better the more games he gets under his belt.

"By the time January rolls around, I think he'll be ready to help us."

NIU at a glance

Coach: Ricardo Patton (first year at NIU; 184-160, 13th overall)

2006-07 record: 7-23 (4-12 MAC West, sixth); lost to Western Michigan in MAC tournament first-round game

Starters returning/lost: 2/3

Projected starters

• PF Shaun Logan * 6-7 206 Sr. Team's top returning rebounder (5.5 rpg) likes to pop 3-pointers from top of the key.

• C Michael Hart 6-7 220 Sr. Rec center star (and Bolingbrook alum) finally testing leaping ability and strength vs. the big boys.

• SG Jarvis Nichols 6-2 219 Jr. Glenbard North grad lost his scholarship this year but likely gained a starting job.

• SG Ryan Paradise 6-0 168 Sr. Shifting from the point to take advantage of his shooting eye (37 3s in 22 games last season).

• PG Cody Yelder 6-1 177 So. Rob Judson's last prized recruit (9.8 ppg last year) has ability to make big impact at both ends.

Reserves

• F Sean Smith 6-7 215 Jr. Junior-college transfer does a little bit of everything; could start instead of Nichols.

• C Bristan Kelley 6-6 244 So. Brings muscle into the post, where he can't be stopped from hitting the boards.

• SG Darion Anderson 6-2 200 r-Fr. Former Public League scoring champ regaining touch after no practice in nonqualifier year.

• PG Michael Patton 5-10 177 Fr. Coach's son will be No. 2 point guard with his solid handle and reliable pull-up jumper.

• SF Najul Ervin 6-5 207 So. Bad groin kept Kankakee CC transfer from suiting up for exhibitions, but he will play.

• C Egan Grafel 6-10 229 Sr. Tallest active Huskie will play minor post role off the bench (1.8 ppg, 1.5 rpg last year).

• F Ben Rand 6-7 205 Sr. Hasn't regained his explosiveness in his twice-repaired right knee; looks to be role player.

• G Jeremy Landers 6-2 184 Fr. Averaged 16 points and 7 assists at Mississippi prep school last winter; could redshirt.

• G Darrius Gaters 6-6 209 r-Fr. Dorothy Gaters' grandson still trying to find his niche.

• C Michael Fakuade 6-7 218 Fr. Public League stud at Von Steuben has strong credentials for a walk-on.

• G Richard Oruche 6-3 217 So. Fenton graduate stuck out the transition to remain a walk-on (0.8 ppg).

• F Lee Fisher 6-5 197 Fr. Walk-on averaged double-double at Thornridge; gives NIU a connection to Illinois Warriors AAU squad.

• G Zach Pancratz 6-4 199 Sr. Using his redshirt year to allow his surgically repaired left shoulder to heal.

• C Sean Kowal 6-11 240 So. Colorado transfer must sit out this year (0.7 ppg, 1.4 rpg for Buffs).

Huskies' 2007-08 schedule

BTI Tipoff Tourney (at Cedar Falls, Iowa)

Friday at Northern Iowa 8:15 p.m.

Saturday vs. Massachusetts 5:45 p.m.

Sunday vs. Cal-Poly 2 p.m.

Nov. 17 at Southern Illinois 7 p.m.

Nov. 20 at Indiana State 6 p.m.

Nov. 24 STEPHEN F. AUSTIN 7 p.m.

Dec. 1 LAMAR 1 p.m.

Dec. 4 AIR FORCE 7 p.m.

Dec. 8 at Notre Dame 6 p.m.

Dec. 15 at Loyola 7 p.m.

Dec. 22 at Wisconsin-Green Bay 2 p.m.

Dec. 29 ARKANSAS-LITTLE ROCK 12 p.m.

Jan. 5 at Western Michigan* 1 p.m.

Jan. 13 TOLEDO* 2 p.m.

Jan. 16 EASTERN MICHIGAN* 7 p.m.

Jan. 19 at Central Michigan* 5:30 p.m.

Jan. 22 BALL STATE* 7 p.m.

Jan. 27 at Bowling Green* 1 p.m.

Jan. 30 MIAMI (OHIO)* 7 p.m.

Feb. 2 OHIO* 2 p.m.

Feb. 5 BUFFALO* 7 p.m.

Feb. 9 at Kent State* 1 p.m.

Feb. 12 at Akron* 6 p.m.

Feb. 17 WESTERN MICHIGAN* 3 p.m.

Feb. 20 at Toledo* 6 p.m.

Feb. 24 BRACKET-BUSTER (TBA) 6 p.m.

March 1 CENTRAL MICHIGAN* 2 p.m.

March 4 at Ball State* 6 p.m.

March 9 at Eastern Michigan* 1 p.m.

March 12-15 MAC tournament (at Cleveland) TBA

*Mid-American Conference games

Home games in CAPS