Northwestern University Athletics
Drew's Views
12/29/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 29, 2009
Hello Wildcat Fans!
Big Ten season has started and we are ready for the whole new challenge that faces us in conference play. The Big Ten is a very strong conference, but this year it is especially talented. In the preseason polls, six out of the eleven teams in the conference were ranked in the top 25 in the country. There are no easy games in conference play, so each night we must come out prepared and ready for a battle. Our first game is against Illinois on Wednesday in Champaign. It's going to be a tough game because Illinois is a talented team and Assembly Hall is a difficult place to play. We are ready for the challenge, though, and we're excited for the game and the rest of the Big Ten season.
Monday morning the Associated Press ranked us as the 25th best team in the country. It is the first time in 41 years that a Northwestern basketball team was ranked in the top 25. While this is a big accomplishment for us as a team, we will not let this go to our heads. Our team is based on hard work, so this recognition only motivates us to work harder and continue to win games. This is not to say that we aren't proud of our success so far this season. It is always important to celebrate victory, but it's even more important to be ready for the next challenge.
As a freshman it is great to be a part of a Northwestern program that is achieving big things. A large reason why I wanted to come here is because I wanted to be a part of a basketball team on the rise to becoming one of the elite programs in the country, and I am excited about our opportunity to do that. We have a lot of goals this season, most prominently making the NCAA tournament, and if we intend to make history, then we have to continue to win games with our goals in mind. We take it one game at a time, and with the beginning of the Big Ten season, every game is essential to our success.
Considering all the practice and hard work we put in everyday in the gym, it was great for everybody to have a couple days at home to enjoy time with friends and family. Dedication and persistence in basketball is very important, but time away from practice is important to remain fresh, both physically and mentally. The short break we had over the holiday allowed us to rest our legs and clear our minds (as well as eat a lot of good homemade food). Coming back from break, everyone is fresh, ready to practice hard, and excited for our upcoming game.
I hope you all had a great holiday, and I wish everyone a happy new year! Continue to follow and support the Wildcats!
Until Next Time!
