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Outback Bowl Preview Northwestern vs. Auburn

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By West Lamy The storyline coming into the 24th annual Outback Bowl is Northwestern’s coming up short in the postseason since 1949. That's right, a 60-year streak without a bowl win. In their first trip to a January bowl since 1997, the 8-4 Cats will try and lay to rest a six-game bowl losing streak on New Year's Day. “ It will be great to get that monkey off our back. It is … [Read more...] about Outback Bowl Preview Northwestern vs. Auburn

What’s Being Said About Emerging College Star John Shurna

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By Paul M. Banks It’s another day and another game, and another career high in points for Northwestern forward John Shurna. Last night, Shurna’s 29 points against Central Connecticut State were a new benchmark. He finished just shy of becoming the fifth player in the Big Ten to score 30 points in a game this season. Two of those four are teammates Michael “Juice” Thompson … [Read more...] about What’s Being Said About Emerging College Star John Shurna

Northwestern Hoops All Decade Team

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By Paul M. Banks Creating an all decade team for Northwestern, the only program from a major power conference never to qualify for a NCAA tournament, was interesting to say the least. A task such as this requires creativity, being unconventional, perhaps even a bit abnormal. But my celebrity crush is Kirsten Dunst, so conventionalism and normality aren’t exactly my strong … [Read more...] about Northwestern Hoops All Decade Team

Northwestern Sets New Conference Record for 3-pointers

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By Paul M. Banks The Wildcats broke Big Ten records for made 3-pointers and 3-point attempts in a game with 20 and 47, respectively. Northwestern extends its winning streak to six games and improves to 7-1 on the season, the first time in school history the team has started 7-1 in back-to-back years. Drew Crawford named conference player of the week. … [Read more...] about Northwestern Sets New Conference Record for 3-pointers

Northwestern’s Top Ten Players of the Decade

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By Paul M. Banks For the first time since the 1930s, Northwestern football will have a winning decade. Indeed the program has taken a major step up to gain respectability and more during the 2000s. From about the 1960s up until 1995, going to Ryan Field and watching the home team lose was like walking into a Starbucks and hearing Norah Jones; 19 times out of 20 (Or … [Read more...] about Northwestern’s Top Ten Players of the Decade

Northwestern Jumps Wisconsin in Bowl Hierarchy

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By Paul M. Banks You could certainly call this year's bowl destination for Northwestern a step up from last season's, and you can say that the selection process gave NU more respect this year than they did last year. In '08 a 8-4 Iowa team jumped a 9-3 NU squad (which beat Iowa) for the Outback Bowl slot. Unless there's a two game gap between teams in the standings … [Read more...] about Northwestern Jumps Wisconsin in Bowl Hierarchy

Northwestern to Face Auburn in Outback Bowl

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By Paul M. Banks The Northwestern Wildcats will play the Auburn Tigers on New Year's Day in Tampa, Florida in a game that will literally be a catfight. Rar Rar Rar! So much for my inside tips at the highest levels of the Northwestern athletic program, who told me during the Chicago Invitational Challenge that NU was 80% certain they were headed to the Champs Sports Bowl. … [Read more...] about Northwestern to Face Auburn in Outback Bowl

From Walk-on to Conference Receptions Leader: the Zeke Markshausen Story

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By Paul M. Banks Northwestern wide receiver Zeke Markshausen has some extraordinary qualities, and they go well beyond his unique name. Entering the 2009 season, the Wildcats had graduated all receivers of significance, forcing them to depend (literally) on a no-name receiving corps. The unquestioned go-to guy who emerged from that group is ESPN the magazine Academic … [Read more...] about From Walk-on to Conference Receptions Leader: the Zeke Markshausen Story