Locally, Northwestern basketball is becoming a bit of a local media sensation. The national media haven’t embraced it yet like the local media have, but remember they’re just .500 (11-11, 5-5 in conference, 4th place in the Big Ten). I personally think some of the fan boy journalists, on the Northwestern focused and Chicago focused websites are over-doing it somewhat.
NU does look likely to have a better than .500 season, and they’re playing really well right now, but if you’re starting the NCAA Tournament at large berth storyline…..just leave now. JUST STOP. If you’re going that route, you’re not intelligent enough to read the rest of this anyway.
Ok, those people are gone?? Good.
Now the rest of us, with fully functioning adult brains, can continue talking. The Northwestern basketball in the NCAA Tournament talk will begin, and only begin if they a.) finish the Big Ten regular season 12-6 or 13-5 (their non-conference record was indeed that poor of a showing. All those future wins are required to even begin the conversation) or b.) they reach the Big Ten Tournament semifinals, something that’s never happened in Northwestern basketball history. If they get to Saturday in Indy come March, I would then, and only then start believing they could win the conference tourney and get an automatic bid to the NCAAs.
And that’s the only way. Period. You need an RPI in the 40s or better to grab an at-large berth and Northwestern basketball is #84 in that department. So let’s move on to their NIT hopes.
The way Chris Collins has this team playing right now, the only game down the stretch I see as not winnable is February 13th at Michigan State. February 19th at Ohio State will be tough too, as they really struggle with the Buckeyes. The home date on February 16th versus Minnesota could be difficult too. So I really see Northwestern basketball finishing 6-2 or 5-3 down the stretch here. That’s enough to get them a NIT bid.
Until 2008-09, NU was one of the few long-standing members of Division I to have never had a 20-win season. Bill Carmody accomplished that. NU has been in the National Invitation Tournament seven times (1983, 1994, 1999, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012). Carmody led Northwestern basketball to more than half of those. He also broke the school record for wins (set by Rich Falk in 1983) in three different seasons and led the Wildcats farther in a postseason tournament than any previous NU team.
Northwestern basketball has consistently finished in the bottom half of the Big Ten, with only two finishes above fourth place since World War II and none since 1968. So I understand why people are excited about NU being in fourth place right now, but let’s remember that they’re in fourth place with Carmody’s recruits. Chris Colins is doing a great job, but let’s keep some historical perspective.
Carmody led Northwestern basketball to a win over #7 Michigan State just two years ago. (see the picture above)
Paul M. Banks is the owner of The Sports Bank.net, an affiliate of Fox Sports. An MBA and Fulbright scholar, he’s also an analyst for multiple news talk radio stations across the country; with regular weekly segments on ESPN, NBC, CBS and Fox Sports Radio. A former writer for NBC Chicago and the Washington Times, he’s also been featured on the History Channel. President Barack Obama follows him on Twitter (@paulmbanks)