Northwestern basketball is 11-1 on the season. Statistical models indicate that they have a 94% chance of entering Big Ten play at 12-1. Their lone remaining non-conference game is home versus Loyola of Maryland on December 27th. Many of you might ask “Maryland has a Loyola?”
Illinois has a Loyola too, although everyone here has pretty much forgotten that program still exists. The Loyola Ramblers, just like UIC, DePaul and Chicago St, are invisible these days.
Northwestern basketball, on the flip side, has been receiving votes in the AP poll for four straight weeks.
If someone above them in the polls stumbles between now and New Year’s, then the battle of NUs in Lincoln will feature a nationally ranked team, and it won’t be Nebraska.
Last night, Northwestern basketball reached 103 points for the first time since 1991. In that contest 24 years ago, versus Dartmouth, they needed two overtimes to get there. Last night they reached the mark in regulation. Yes, it was against a team you’ve literally never heard of (Sacred Heart), but they still drew 2,000 more people for this game than the Illini-UIC contest at the United Center did.
Last night’s demolition of SHU was just like the rest of the Northwestern basketball home pre-conference slate. It reminds one of when M told James Bond in Casino Royale, “you expended all that energy for what? So you can kill a nobody?”
NU has killed their nobodies- Sacred Heart by 36, Mississippi Valley St by 30, Chicago State by 42, SIU Edwardsville by 25, New Orleans by 27, and UMass-Lowell by 22.
Ned Flanders once said “it looks like Heaven is easier to get into than Arizona State.”
You can say the same about the NU pre conference schedule, but do credit them for taking care of business. They’ve soundly beaten everybody they’re supposed to beat. North Carolina, RPI of 2, is their lone loss on the season, and they played a very good Tar Heels team very tough. The Wildcats are now ranked 46 in KenPom, 74 in RPI. Strength of schedule is expectedly weak however- 246.
Of course, 11-1 is still 11-1, and that marks the best 12 game start for Northwestern basketball since 1983.
“I’m really proud of what our guys have done,” said Northwestern basketball coach Chris Collins.
“We’ve handled every test that’s been in our way, we’ve shown out and found a way, except for the North Carolina game, but I felt we did a lot of great things in that one.”
“When the dust settles at the end, we’ll get what we deserve when it comes to the time for post-season type things.”
So what does this Wildcats team need to do to make the postseason special?
“We need to continue to shore up our defense, we’re doing a little too much grabbing, too much fouling,” said Collins.
NU will almost certainly enter the Big Ten season 12-1. Which means .500 or better in league play likely gets you into the dance. They might need 10-8 or better though because they lack signature wins thus far. Mizzou is the highest RPI (128) win and you know what a hot mess the Missouri program is right now. After that, it’s Virginia Tech at 171.
In conference play, the fun starts almost immediately- #4 Maryland comes to town for the second league game January 2nd. Northwestern travels to Maryland January 19th and hosts #1 Michigan State January 28th. So in about a month from now we’ll see how “for real” Northwestern basketball really is.
If they can go 9-9 or better in the league, they should get those signature wins that they need for the postseason resume.
“You guys know that when you get to the Big Ten you got to be at your best, because everybody’s going to be well prepared,” said Collins. “Everybody’s going to be so locked in.”
Paul M. Banks owns, operates and sometimes writes The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. The website is also featured on News Now.
Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, currently contributes to the Chicago Tribune RedEye. He also appears regularly on numerous television and radio talk shows all across the country. Catch him Tuesdays on KOZN 1620 The Zone.
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