Northwestern
Wed. @chicagotribune sports cover, w/ @TeddyGreenstein @ChrisKuc @KCJHoop. Read at https://t.co/vZGPgFBCn2. pic.twitter.com/mdMj3rJlJM
— Joel Boyd (@JJoelBoyd) December 28, 2016
The Wildcats faithful are riding high after the Pinstripe Bowl win and the belief coming into 2017 that this is the year.
Incredibly, Northwestern has never made the NCAA Tournament, the only longtime Power 5 conference school to hold that “distinction.”
The Wildcats have nice wins against Texas, Wake Forest and Dayton, and will have plenty of chances for more in Big Ten play.
Sophomore Vic Law and junior guards Scottie Lindsey and Bryant McIntosh are a strong core for coach Chris Collins, who have a string of winnable games to open the 2017 before the schedule kicks up later on.
Joe Lunardi’s Bracketology currently has Northwestern in the field, and not in a play-in game, slotting the Wildcats as one of the “Last Four Byes.” The Wildcats are No. 43 in the KenPom ratings, ahead of Minnesota and Michigan State.
You have to wonder if they psychological effects of the drought will be too much for this team to handle as the schedule gets tougher.
