Northwestern lost their opening Big Ten Tournament game 72-70 (OT) to Michigan in extremely controversial and utterly heart-breaking fashion. The loss ends NU’s NCAA Tournament hopes this season and thus continues their historical drought of never having reached the big dance. This loss occurred just hours after the program’s previous coach, Bill Carmody, clinched a tourney berth in his very first season at his new school, Holy Cross.
Factor in a horribly blown call that had an influence on today’s result, and it’s an extremely emotional day for the Northwestern basketball program; especially the seniors.
This could be the last game that they ever play.
Early grumblings indicate that Northwestern would not be interested in a CBI game, but possibly keen on the Vegas 16.
Unfortunately, the NIT bubble keeps shrinking as more and more one-bid league regular season conference champions keep falling in their respective conference tournaments.
Those teams which won their league in the regular season, but lost the conference tourney are automatically given NIT berths, thus making it that much harder for a Northwestern team with an already questionable resume to get in.
One of the two Northwestern seniors who may have played his final game, Tre Demps, admitted exclusively to The Sports Bank that he “didn’t see eye to eye” with Carmody during the time the two were together in Evanston.
Later, in an interview with just this outlet and one other reporter, Demps railed against the officiating, saying that the establishment “wants the rich to get richer,” “the poor to get poorer,” and that’s just “how the world works.”
Tre Demps did a ton of venting in this interview, as he was still devastated by both the loss, and the manner in which NU lost. You can listen to the entire session below:
https://soundcloud.com/p-m-banks/northwestern-g-tre-demps-lets-it-all-out-after-b1g-tourney
It’s worth mentioning that this interview was conducted after both the cooling off period and the postgame ballroom session.
Said Tre Demps of Bill Carmody:
“He was a very smart coach, I have the utmost respect for him, and I think there’s no question we didn’t see eye to eye, and that happens sometimes in a player-coach relationship but I’m happy for him that he’s going to the NCAA Tournament.”
“Hopefully they can get a big upset win.”
Demps was recruited by Carmody, and played under for him for one season. If NU does not play another game this season, he still leaves the program second all time in games played, sixth in career 3-point field goals, and 11th in scoring.
The blown call that so incensed the Northwestern basketball community (and deservedly so) was the traveling violation committed by Duncan Robinson late in regulation. He took several steps, the officials missed it, and though the play was reviewed, the call stood.
Traveling can only be called in real time.
Said Northwestern point guard Bryant McIntosh: “No question he traveled but it’s part of the human error in the game of basketball … You can also point to plays we didn’t make.”
Said Northwestern Coach Chris Collins:
“Looked like a lot of steps on the end line. You guys watched the game, make your own determination.”
Tre Demps was less diplomatic about it. After the game he aired all his grievances.
“Yeah, there’s this thing called politics. They want the rich to get richer and the poor to get poorer, that’s just reality. You got to stand up and keep fighting. And eventually I know this program and eventually I know this program will get to a place where we will get those benefit calls. That’s just the reality of the world we live in, in all aspects, basketball, economics, race, whatever.”
When pressed to elaborate on his diatribe, Demps said:
“You can’t blame the basketball world that’s just the way the world works period. It’s their job to, you can’t be mad at nobody. The moment you get mad at somebody about that, you’re not focused on your not focused on who to get out of that. I know this program is headed in the right direction.”
Demps said that he really hopes to play again this season. He also extended his gratefulness to Coach Collins and the University.
“They’ve done so much to help me out, both on and off the court and it’s been a pleasure to be a part of this team.”
Tre Demps has had a great career, and his team has worked so hard this season that it would be truly unjust for both this season and his career to end on an unfair note. NU showed some marginal progress this season.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, currently contributes regularly to the Chicago Tribune’s RedEye publication and Bold Global.
He also consistently appears on numerous talk shows all across the country. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram