Northwestern University Athletics
Big Ten Announces 2005 Schedule
8/25/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Aug. 25, 2004
Big Ten Composite Schedule in PDF Format
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EVANSTON, Ill. - The Big Ten Conference has announced the league schedule for the 2005 men's basketball season.
Northwestern will begin conference play with the rest of the conference on Wednesday, Jan. 5, hosting Indiana at 6 p.m. CST. Following that, the 'Cats are on the road to meet Michigan State and Michigan -- the only teams to defeat NU twice last season -- before coming home to host defending regular-season champion Illinois.
For the second year in a row, Northwestern will begin the season with six separate Big Ten opponents, and end the season against those same six in reverse order (as an example, NU plays Indiana in both its first and last regular-season games). In between, the Wildcats will play the four teams that are on the schedule just once this year -- Ohio State (at home on Jan. 29), Wisconsin (in Madison on Feb. 2), Purdue (at home on Feb. 5) and Minnesota (in Minneapolis on Feb. 9). This is the second year in a row those four teams are on the schedule just once.
NU is slated to make one national TV appearance during the conference season, when the 'Cats play at Penn State on Jan. 22 (3 p.m. CST on ESPN2). There is also a possibility that NU's home game with Michigan State could be on ESPN on March 1. Every other game will be broadcast on ESPN Plus Local or ESPN Plus Regional.
Both of Northwestern's byes in the Big Ten schedule occur midweek, the weeks of Jan. 17 and Feb. 14.
The Big Ten Tournament returns to Chicago's United Center this year, as well, and takes place March 10-13.
Northwestern put together an 8-8 record in the Big Ten last year, finishing at .500 for the first time since 1968, and tied for fifth place which was its best standing since 1969.
Northwestern Men's Basketball
2005 Big Ten Schedule (all times CENTRAL)
Wednesday, Jan. 5 - INDIANA, 6 p.m. (ESPN+ Local)
Saturday, Jan. 8 - at Michigan State, 1 p.m. (ESPN+ Regional)
Wednesday, Jan. 12 - at Michigan, 6 p.m. (ESPN+ Local)
Saturday, Jan. 15 - ILLINOIS, 3:30 p.m. (ESPN+ Regional)
Saturday, Jan. 22 - at Penn State, 3 p.m. (ESPN2)
Wednesday, Jan. 26 - IOWA, 7 p.m. (ESPN+ Local)
Saturday, Jan. 29 - OHIO STATE, 11:15 a.m. (ESPN+ Regional)
Wednesday, Feb. 2 - at Wisconsin, 7 p.m. (ESPN+ Local)
Saturday, Feb. 5 - PURDUE, 3:30 p.m. (ESPN+ Regional)
Wednesday, Feb. 9 - at Minnesota, 7 p.m. (ESPN+ Local)
Saturday, Feb. 12 - at Iowa, 7 p.m. (ESPN+ Local)
Saturday, Feb. 19 - PENN STATE, 1:30 p.m. (ESPN+ Regional)
Wednesday, Feb. 23 - at Illinois, 7 p.m. (ESPN+ Local)
Saturday, Feb. 26 - MICHIGAN, 7 p.m. (ESPN+ Local)
Wednesday, March 2 - MICHIGAN STATE, 7 p.m. (ESPN+ Local)*
Saturday, March 5 - at Indiana, 7 p.m. (ESPN+ Local)
*The March 2 home game with Michigan State could be moved to Tuesday, March 1 or Thursday, March 3 at 8 p.m. to be televised on ESPN2
2005 Big Ten Tournament Schedule
Thursday, March 10
#9 seed vs. #8 seed, 11 a.m. (ESPN)
#10 seed vs. #7 seed, 1:30 p.m. (ESPN)
#11 seed vs. #6 seed, 4:05 p.m. (ESPN2)
Friday, March 11
#5 seed vs. #4 seed, 11 a.m. (ESPN)
#8/9 winner vs. #1 seed, 1:30 p.m. (ESPN)
#7/10 winner vs. #2 seed, 5:40 p.m. (ESPN+ Regional)
#6/11 winner vs. #3 seed, 8;10 p.m. (ESPN+ Regional)
Saturday, March 12
Semifinal #1, 12:40 p.m. (CBS)
Semifinal #2, 3:05 p.m. (CBS)
Sunday, March 13
Tournament Final, 2:30 p.m. (CBS)
