Northwestern University Athletics
Wildcats Host Wolverines at Welsh-Ryan
1/17/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 17, 2003
Michigan Game Notes in PDF Format
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EVANSTON, Ill. - In a Big Ten season that is laying waste to most preseason expectations, could Northwestern be a victim of circumstance?
The Wildcats have begun the Big Ten portion of the season with Iowa, Purdue and Indiana. Heading into the weekend, those three teams are a combined 7-1 in the conference-and it is the nationally-ranked Hoosiers who have the loss.
The Hawkeyes escaped NU with a five-point win on Jan. 8, and since then they have knocked off two of the preseason favorites, Michigan State and Illinois. Purdue had a week to prepare for the Wildcats, and beat them in a 14-point game that was closer than that score would appear in West Lafayette. The Boilermakers followed up that win with a victory against Michigan State.
On Wednesday, Indiana put forth its best effort in more than a month, according to Hoosier head coach Mike Davis, and rolled to a 14-point win over the Wildcats in Bloomington.
So again we ask the question: is Northwestern catching teams at the wrong time in the early part of the Big Ten season? The evidence is certainly compelling.
With that in mind, NU hosts arguably the hottest team in the Big Ten Saturday afternoon; Michigan has won 10 in a row since starting the season 0-6.
One other point to remember: NU was 0-3 in Big Ten play at this time last year, too, but finished 7-9. Can history be repeated in 2003?
GAME 15 -- Northwestern (8-6, 0-3) vs. Michigan (10-6, 3-0)
Date/Time: Saturday, Jan. 18, 2003/1 p.m. CST
Site: Welsh-Ryan Arena (Evanston)
Capacity: 8,117
Television: ESPN Plus (Jim Barbar, PBP; Shon Morris, analyst)
(will be broadcast on WCIU in Chicago)
Radio: WGN 720 AM (Dave Eanet, PBP; Bob Hildebrand, analyst)
(also on wgnradio.com)
