Northwestern University Athletics
Wildcats Will Try To Douse Flames Tonight
12/19/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 19, 2002
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EVANSTON, Ill. - There is definitely a buzz surrounding tonight's game at Welsh-Ryan Arena. Press row is a little more full than it is for most nonconference games. The stands are seating more than the usual number of people.
Interest has been generated, thanks in part to the success of the two Chicago-area teams on the floor tonight. Northwestern came off its 11-day layoff with a nice win last night against Elon, while Illinois-Chicago-fresh off an eye-opening NCAA Tournament appearance last year-has momentum after beating Southern Illinois and Samford in its two most recent games.
"Tonight is a big game for us," said NU head coach Bill Carmody. "Illinois-Chicago is a very good team; Jimmy (Collins) has done a great job down there. They made the NCAA Tournament and gave Oklahoma a scare last year, and all of those guys are back so they are experienced."
Being a New Jersey guy who coached at Princeton, Carmody grew up in the shadow of Philadelphia's "Big Five," which defines the college basketball landscape in the Mid-Atlantic region. So he appreciates games like this one, which give Chicago that type of atmosphere-at least for a night.
"I like the fact that we are making this game happen," he said. "We have a good team and they have a good team, and putting two Chicago teams on the floor together is the right thing to do-we should be playing them. It is good for college basketball in the Chicagoland area."
After tonight's contest, the 'Cats host Fordham Sunday at 1 p.m. in the first of three games against New York schools to close out nonconference play.
GAME 8 -- Northwestern (5-2) vs. Illinois-Chicago (4-2)
Date/Time: Thursday, Dec. 19, 2002/7 p.m. CST
Site: Welsh-Ryan Arena (Evanston)
Capacity: 8,117
Television: none
Radio: WGN 720 AM (Dave Eanet, PBP; David Kaplan, analyst)
(also on wgnradio.com)
