Into the home stretch - Today's game a plus for our Tourney chances?

[Alaskawildkat]

Coach Collins on the WGN postgame:

"We did a lot of positive things and put ourselves in a position to win it on the road. It is a tough loss, but we are going to keep fighting. Says losing Lumpkin [fouling out] hurt. Says he feels for the guys as they put in an effort worth winning."

"Just didn't finish the game in the last minute - was disappointing."

"Until they tell us we don't have any more games we are going to continue to fight."


Per WGN, McIntosh was the best player on the court for either team and they noted his 1/2 court shot almost went in and would have won it.

The Wildcats certainly looked more like a Tournament Team than we did after our last loss, and it was reassuring to see Lindsey playing with improved energy and stamina and capable of contributing significantly more points.

(While one would expect The Committee to look at how a team finishes in their final games as a factor in how competitive they will be in The Tournament, the fact that our highest scoring player has returned and upon his return has shown progressive improvement has to be a positive as they project forward.)

 

[Alan Smithee]

Hmm... today's game a plus for our tourney chances?

I'll say yes, and do you the charity of assuming you refer to the NIT tournament.

 

[Gladeskat]

THEY LOST! You are NOT a tournament team if you LOSE to two of the bottom teams in the Big Ten!

Now we have to have a HUGE win against two of the BEST teams in the Big Ten.

 

[WildcatfanChris17]

THEY LOST! You are NOT a tournament team if you LOSE to two of the bottom teams in the Big Ten!

Now we have to have a HUGE win against two of the BEST teams in the Big Ten.

The Big ten is crazy this year. Every team in this league can beat a Big ten opponent on a given night. I think Northwestern uses this as motivation and comes back playing energized and angry on Wednseday.

 

[Gladeskat]

It'll either be a great glorious finish or it will be "the same old Northwestern", this time with our hearts being ripped out worse than ever over the final four games and the Big Ten tournament.

 

[Alaskawildkat]

It'll either be a great glorious finish or it will be "the same old Northwestern", this time with our hearts being ripped out worse than ever over the final four games and the Big Ten tournament.

I will go with the "great glorious finish." Right now I am into alternative facts.

At least the way we played for all but five minutes of the first half and one minute of the last half gives credence to the hope of a "great glorious finish."

The heart and fight that seemed absent in our last loss was fully evident today.

 

[Alan Smithee]

I could easily see this happening: we lose out, and due to the weakness of the field, we "make" the tournament - and get assigned a play-in game, and lose that too.

We're capable of much more, but will they actually grind out a victory? Two more (this time, tough) chances.

 

[Catreporter]

I could easily see this happening: we lose out, and due to the weakness of the field, we "make" the tournament - and get assigned a play-in game, and lose that too.

We're capable of much more, but will they actually grind out a victory? Two more (this time, tough) chances.

I don't care how we make it. We've got to get this gorilla off our back. Reminds me of the bowl woes. At least we're past that (thanks, Fitz)

 

[Alan Smithee]

That gorilla is not only on our back; he's tightened his grip and becoming amorous.

 

[Alaskawildkat]

"We've got to get this gorilla off our back."

Or even Godzilla?

 

[D_C_B]

It'll either be a great glorious finish or it will be "the same old Northwestern", this time with our hearts being ripped out worse than ever over the final four games and the Big Ten tournament.

I am a mess over this. I thought I was going to be reading about how NU was the first major college team to ever overcome a 22-0 run to win a basketball game. Instead, devastation.

 

[NURoseBowl]

Not saying I necessarily expect it'll happen, but let's not lose sight of the fact that in this, the 20th Big Ten tournament, we go in with multiple reasons to believe we have the best chance to make a run to the Final - and even win the damn thing - that we've ever had. First, the case can reasonably made that with all our flaws, this is still the strongest Northwestern team we've seen since the BTT began; second, there are no virtually unbeatable Goliaths in the conference this year. Any of the top teams are certainly beatable with a strong showing in any given game; and third, we're likely to have (or be close to) the most favorable seeding we've ever had in one of these. That said, I'd hate to live on the difference between the #5 seed and the #12 - absolutely anything can happen in DC. That, coupled with our sorta uncertain Dance status, should make this the most fascinating BTT yet.

 

[D_C_B]

Of course it's going to be the most fascinating BTT yet for us. Honestly, it's the first time we've been relevant in any discussion about it.

 

[Alaskawildkat]

Not saying I necessarily expect it'll happen, but let's not lose sight of the fact that in this, the 20th Big Ten tournament, we go in with multiple reasons to believe we have the best chance to make a run to the Final - and even win the damn thing - that we've ever had. First, the case can reasonably made that with all our flaws, this is still the strongest Northwestern team we've seen since the BTT began; second, there are no virtually unbeatable Goliaths in the conference this year. Any of the top teams are certainly beatable with a strong showing in any given game; and third, we're likely to have (or be close to) the most favorable seeding we've ever had in one of these. That said, I'd hate to live on the difference between the #5 seed and the #12 - absolutely anything can happen in DC. That, coupled with our sorta uncertain Dance status, should make this the most fascinating BTT yet.

Of course it's going to be the most fascinating BTT yet for us. Honestly, it's the first time we've been relevant in any discussion about it.

If I recall correctly we were among the last four out in at least one of our two other 20 win seasons - so at least to a certain extent we were relevant even in the NCAA Tournament discussion.

 

[Palindrome]

I am a mess over this. I thought I was going to be reading about how NU was the first major college team to ever overcome a 22-0 run to win a basketball game. Instead, devastation.

I am exactly with you on this one but will go a bit further, even. One could argue that our guys DESERVED to lose by virtue of allowing a 22 point run. But they redeemed themselves mightily, as they overcome that and also an insanely lucky 3 point shot from the backcourt. By late in the game, they had already been heroic and gotten over the hump that stops most desperate comebacks. So they had the game won; they were already virtually in the winners' circle. Nothing “positive” was required of them beyond what they had been doing routinely and effectively since halftime. They merely had to participate moderately effectively, thus allowing the “normal” sequence of things to play out while leaving the door closed on the Hoosiers.

The news reports will read that Indiana took over in the final few minutes to win. True, they had to take advantage of their opportunities AND have a bit of good fortune (again). Yet, I contend that we conspired with them. Somehow the idea crept in or was dictated that our approach to the game should change from what had become essentially an inspired no-doubt-about-it butt-kicking by the Wildcats. Like a psychological toggle switch that was pushed to “off”, the other side of that toggle, the IU side, automatically went to “on”. The message to the Hoosiers from their subconscious was probably, “these are not the same guys that took over the game from us; their style and personality and confidence level has changed --- so maybe we have a punchers’ chance to land a few blows as the Wildcats adjust to being their ‘new' and more tentative selves.”

We had the win. Then we aborted and abandoned it. The Hoosiers were there to pick it up and take it home. They became, for just a few minutes, whom the Cats had been throughout the second half, just dressed in different uniforms.

 

[D_C_B]

Has any major program ever overcome a 22 point run against them to win a game? Does anybody know? Did we blow a shot at history?

 

[Wrestlerneverdiesasacatfan]

It's hard to win on the road we played in the end of pretty tough

 

[Deeringfish]

It'll either be a great glorious finish or it will be "the same old Northwestern", this time with our hearts being ripped out worse than ever over the final four games and the Big Ten tournament.

Not really the same old NU because we will at least be in the NIT which is kind of the best of NU and if we win, not that unlikely given Scotty's continued recovery, it will be the best of the NU.