I was looking at some of our early matchups and our opponents' schedules. Things ramp up quickly, but the timing and matchups might work out a little bit in our favor.
Northwestern's first big test will be in our third game of the season, which is against Butler (kenpom no. 19). We get two tuneup games before this game (no. 336 MVSU and no. 250 E. Washington). Butler, on the other hand, will only have one tuneup game before facing us (vs. no. 319 N. Colorado). The Bulldogs will be heavy favorites, but Northwestern might have a chance to come in a little more prepared and ready to steal one on the road with one extra game under its belt.
The next test will be on a neutral floor against Texas (45) in our fourth game. Texas has three tuneup games to start the season (kenpom nos. 303, 218 and 250). Northwestern will be the first real challenge the Longhorns will have to face. Perhaps it will be an advantage for the 'Cats to have already faced and adjusted to a top opponent in Butler.
The next test will be the following night on a neutral floor against the winner/loser of the Notre Dame (50)/Colorado (56) game. In either case, the Notre Dame-Colorado matchup is the first top 200 opponent either of those teams will face. It might not be that easy for either of these teams to turn around with almost no preparation and get a 'Cats team that is a little more accustomed to a higher level of play.
The next test is at home in our seventh game against Wake Forest (76) in the B1G/ACC Challenge. Again, before facing the 'Cats, Wake Forest only plays weaker opponents--the best one being Bucknell (189). Again, it should be advantageous that Northwestern will have already played three strong opponents and hopefully raised its level of play to more mid-season form.
Our eighth game is at home against DePaul (177). (Perhaps we are in trouble if this game is a big challenge for us.) Nevertheless, once again, the 'Cats will be the first top 150 opponent of the season that DePaul faces. If healthy, we should definitely be performing at a higher level than DePaul--not only due to our talent, but also because of the teams and tests we will have already faced.
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I realize that I am digging deep and over-analyzing... Still, it's kinda interesting that for each of our "good" opponents for the first five weeks of the season, Northwestern will be their first real challenge--second in the case of ND/Colorado. It's not until the Dayton (37) game at the United Center on December 17 that the 'Cats will play a good team that already has a few top 100 opponents under its belt.
These are the 6 games that will make or break the non-conference part of the schedule. I'll take any advantage we can get in these games. Win 3 or 4, and we set ourselves up for the possibility of a special season going into conference play. Manage only 1 or 2 wins out of these 6 and we are probably looking at a repeat of least season--a team that racks up wins with cupcakes and middling opponents, but just can't beat teams equal to or above them in the rankings.
Northwestern's first big test will be in our third game of the season, which is against Butler (kenpom no. 19). We get two tuneup games before this game (no. 336 MVSU and no. 250 E. Washington). Butler, on the other hand, will only have one tuneup game before facing us (vs. no. 319 N. Colorado). The Bulldogs will be heavy favorites, but Northwestern might have a chance to come in a little more prepared and ready to steal one on the road with one extra game under its belt.
The next test will be on a neutral floor against Texas (45) in our fourth game. Texas has three tuneup games to start the season (kenpom nos. 303, 218 and 250). Northwestern will be the first real challenge the Longhorns will have to face. Perhaps it will be an advantage for the 'Cats to have already faced and adjusted to a top opponent in Butler.
The next test will be the following night on a neutral floor against the winner/loser of the Notre Dame (50)/Colorado (56) game. In either case, the Notre Dame-Colorado matchup is the first top 200 opponent either of those teams will face. It might not be that easy for either of these teams to turn around with almost no preparation and get a 'Cats team that is a little more accustomed to a higher level of play.
The next test is at home in our seventh game against Wake Forest (76) in the B1G/ACC Challenge. Again, before facing the 'Cats, Wake Forest only plays weaker opponents--the best one being Bucknell (189). Again, it should be advantageous that Northwestern will have already played three strong opponents and hopefully raised its level of play to more mid-season form.
Our eighth game is at home against DePaul (177). (Perhaps we are in trouble if this game is a big challenge for us.) Nevertheless, once again, the 'Cats will be the first top 150 opponent of the season that DePaul faces. If healthy, we should definitely be performing at a higher level than DePaul--not only due to our talent, but also because of the teams and tests we will have already faced.
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I realize that I am digging deep and over-analyzing... Still, it's kinda interesting that for each of our "good" opponents for the first five weeks of the season, Northwestern will be their first real challenge--second in the case of ND/Colorado. It's not until the Dayton (37) game at the United Center on December 17 that the 'Cats will play a good team that already has a few top 100 opponents under its belt.
These are the 6 games that will make or break the non-conference part of the schedule. I'll take any advantage we can get in these games. Win 3 or 4, and we set ourselves up for the possibility of a special season going into conference play. Manage only 1 or 2 wins out of these 6 and we are probably looking at a repeat of least season--a team that racks up wins with cupcakes and middling opponents, but just can't beat teams equal to or above them in the rankings.
