Northwestern University Athletics
Drew's Views
3/15/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
March 15, 2010
Hello Wildcat Fans!
Yesterday was Selection Sunday and I must say I am pretty disappointed that we are not in the list of 65. I was watching some of the show in my dorm, but it was difficult to watch knowing that we had the capability of making it this year.
Last night we got together as a team to watch the selections for the NIT in hopes of getting a bid. We want this season to stretch as long as it possibly can, so we continue to practice hard in preparation for Wednesday's game at Rhode Island.
With the injuries that confronted our team at the start of the year, many people counted us out and said, "we'll just have to wait until next year." However, we stayed confident as a team and still had a successful season. I think that we still underachieved greatly, though. We had the talent, the leadership, and team chemistry to be the first Northwestern team to make the tournament, but we fell short. It is sad to know that our seniors, Jeremy Nash and Matt Steger, could not hear our team's name called on Selection Sunday. We are going to finish this season of strong, however, and hopefully make a run in the NIT.
This past week was full of excitement in Indianapolis with the Big Ten tournament in town. We went into the tournament as a seven seed, and we played Indiana in the first round. Having lost to Indiana less than a week prior to the tournament, we came into the game with a chip on our shoulder. It was close at halftime, but in the second half our defensive stops helped us get the win. This being my first Big Ten tournament, I was impressed by the buzz around town. The games were played in Conseco Fieldhouse which was filled with fans from each team. It was an exciting atmosphere to play in and a great overall experience.
In the second round we faced Purdue who was the No. 6 team in the country. We beat Purdue at home earlier in the year, so we went into the game with a lot of confidence. The first half went exactly as planned and we went into intermission with a four-point lead. In the second half we came out flat offensively, and Purdue took the lead behind the scoring of E'Twaun Moore and JaJuan Johnson. We were able to fight back and bring the game within two on a couple occasions, but they pulled it out in the end. It was an extremely hard-fought game filled with physicality, so coming out with a loss was very disappointing. However, we are now looking forward to the rest of postseason play and the NIT.
This past Monday the all-conference selections came out. John Shurna was selected for the second-team all-Big Ten, and I can't say this could have gone to a more deserving person. Johnny is one of the most talented and hard-working teammates I've ever had in my life. His ability on the court is unbelievable, and it seems like he gets better everyday. He is a great teammate and friend, because amongst all of his success and achievements, he is incredibly humble. I am thankful to have the opportunity to play with Johnny, and I am delighted to know we have two more years to play together!
Also on Monday, I was excited to find out that I was selected as Freshman of the Year in the Big Ten. I shared the award with D.J. Richardson of Illinois, who happens to be my good friend and former teammate. I was very happy to receive this recognition. I am thankful that my coaches had the confidence in me to put me in the position to contribute to this team as a freshman. Entering the start of this season I never saw myself as Big Ten Freshman of the Year, but my teammates and coaches continued to help me become comfortable as a college basketball player.
I am so blessed to be in this position, with the opportunities that I have in life. I hope that I am able to make the best of my opportunities, and that starts with finishing this season off strong! I hope you all continue to support us this week!
