Northwestern University Athletics
Wildcats Set to Square Off With Michigan
3/8/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
March 8, 2005
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EVANSTON, Ill. - The Northwestern men's basketball team enters this weekend's Big Ten Tournament in exactly the same situation of a year ago -- the Wildcats are one game below .500 (14-15 this year, 13-14 last year), needing two wins to be eligible for a postseason NIT invitation.
Northwestern vs. Michigan
Big Ten Tournament First Round
Thursday, March 10 • 11 a.m. CST
United Center (Chicago)
TV: ESPN (Brent Musburger, PBP; Steve Lavin, analyst)
Radio: WGN 720 AM (Dave Eanet, PBP; David Kaplan, analyst)
The task will be far from easy. NU opens the tournament Thursday with Michigan, a team the Wildcats beat 69-53 less than two weeks ago but had struggled with in five previous meeting before that. The reward if the 'Cats can best the Wolverines? No. 1 Illinois, which is eager to erase the memories of a season-closing loss that ended their hopes for an undefeated campaign.
"Michigan has beaten us on their home court this season, we have beaten them on our home court, and now we are playing each other on a neutral court," said NU head coach Bill Carmody. "And the prize for winning this game is that you get to play the No. 1 team in the country, coming off a loss. So there you go.
"The biggest factor will be Michigan size and depth up front -- we are lacking depth up front these days, and that has been a factor. You look at Indiana last Saturday; Davor gets in foul trouble, and Vince is having a rough day, and there is no one you can go to. We are hamstrung a little bit.
Last year, Northwestern saw its season finish just shy of a postseason bid, but the mood around the program was upbeat. The 'Cats were losing just one player from a team that went .500 in the conference -- granted, it was a consensus first-team All-Big Ten selection (Jitim Young) -- and the young players mixed with a pair of transfers were suddenly going to give NU one of the most experienced rosters in the Big Ten. To say that preseason pollsters were on the bandwagon would be an understatement: several publications picked the 'Cats to make their first NCAA Tournament appearance.
Fast-forward to this weekend, and NU head coach Bill Carmody would be the first one to admit disappointment that his team is still on the outside looking in at the postseason. A quick look at this season's results reveals a number of lost opportunities, both in and out of the conference; and while an NCAA berth was maybe a bit lofty to expect, certainly an NIT bid was realistic and considered an important step by the coaching staff.
However, Carmody is typically frank when asked about a certain scenario this weekend: "If we are able to beat Michigan and then beat Illinois -- the No. 1 team in the country -- you have to think the NIT would be able to find a spot for us, right?"
Did You Know?
• Third-team All-Big Ten selection Vedran Vukusic has scored 48 points in the two meetings with Michigan this season, shooting 19-of-26 (.731) from the field.
• Vince Scott had 12 points (on 4-of-6 three-point shooting), six rebounds and five assists in the last outing with Michigan (2/26).
• Davor Duvancic has the best Big Ten Tournament scoring game among current NU players; he scored 20 vs. Illinois in a 2003 quarterfinal.
The Series with Michigan
• Thursday marks the 149th meeting between the Wildcats and the Wolverines in men's basketball; Michigan leads the series, 97-51.
• Michigan won the first meeting this season between the teams, 71-61, in Ann Arbor; Northwestern returned the favor with a 69-53 decision in Evanston less than two weeks ago (Feb. 26).
Northwestern in the Big Ten Tournament
• NU is the eighth seed at this year's Tournament, the second time in the event's eight-year history they have been the No. 8 seed (also 1999).
• NU is 3-7 all-time at the Big Ten Tournament, including a win each of the last two years.
• NU is 2-5 at the Big Ten Tournament in Chicago.
• NU is 2-4 at the Big Ten Tournament under head coach Bill Carmody.
1998
#8 Minnesota def. #9 NU, 64-56
1999
#8 NU def. #9 Penn State, 54-44
#1 Michigan State def. #8 NU, 61-59
2000
#6 Wisconsin def. #11 NU, 51-41
2001
#6 Iowa def. #11 NU, 72-55
2002 (Indianapolis)
#10 Michigan def. #7 NU, 72-51
2003
#10 NU def. #7 Minnesota, 76-64
#2 Illinois def. #10 NU, 94-65
2004 (Indianapolis)
#6 NU def. #11 Penn State, 57-52
#3 Michigan State def. #6 NU, 55-68
The No. 8 Seed in the Big Ten Tournament
• The No. 8 seed has a combined 8-7 record in the Big Ten Tournament, including a 5-2 mark against the No. 9 seed.
• Two No. 8 seeds have advanced beyond Friday action: Minnesota (1998) and Ohio State (2003).
1998
#8 Minnesota def. #9 NU, 64-56
#8 Minnesota def. #1 Michigan St., 76-73
#4 Michigan def. #8 Minnesota, 85-69
1999
#8 NU def. #9 Penn State, 54-44
#1 Michigan State def. #8 NU, 61-59
2000
#9 Penn State def. #8 Michigan, 76-66
2001
#8 Purdue def. #9 Minnesota, 91-77
#1 Illinois def. #8 Purdue, 83-66
2002 (Indianapolis)
#9 Iowa def. #8 Purdue, 87-72
2003
#8 Ohio State def. #9 Iowa, 66-64
#8 Ohio State def. #1 Wisconsin, 67-56
#8 Ohio State def. #5 Michigan St., 55-54
#2 Illinois def. #8 Ohio State, 72-59
2004 (Indianapolis)
#8 Indiana def. #9 Ohio State, 83-69
#1 Illinois def. #8 Indiana, 71-59
