Window of Opportunity

When I began this prediction assortment, cometh straight from my crystal ball, no way-no how I saw coming a Northwestern Wildcat yearning. But if paper sheds any truth for this upcoming season, Big Ten basketball teams look to either ‘have’, or ‘have not’.

When coming up with a spot to slide NW into, I took into account the scoring punch returning for each team.

Northwestern ranks high in the returning scorers category, only Purdue ranks higher. Only Purdue and Northwestern return at least three players who scored in double figures last season. Scoring isn’t exactly the staple of Big Ten basketball, so the returning firepower doesn’t necessarily mean a positive result.

Many Big Ten squads, the successful ones anyway, slow down the games and win them with defense and efficient half court offense. Wisconsin has been annoying college basketball nation with half court grinds and bully sessions for what seems like an eternity, but they win. Iowa had their run. Michigan State used to play mean defense. Back when Ohio State had Shaq, they stuck to the other team like glue with guys like Ron Lewis and Mike Conley. That team could score, but defense was their calling card, their ticket all the way to the championship game.

Sure, sure, now it’s different, Purdue is the team to beat, MSU is still in the discussion, Wisconsin will be there, Ohio State might be contenders, but after that?

After that, put Northwestern into the mix. The correlation of Northwestern’s incoming bigs and competing on the boards and limiting penetration will be essential, because, and I’ve not forgotten, the matchups with the have nots in the Big Ten often can turn into sub 60 point affairs quite easily. The poor teams might have talent issues, but playing hard is a trait that’s always displayed. So rebounding and ball control are vital, and that was precisely what Northwestern lacked. Princeton O depends on patience, opportunistic control and decison making. More possessions will, in turn, tire the defense, thus a positive rebound ratio is needed. Big guys will help.

If they can shore up the 10.8 rebounds/gm advantage held by their opponents last year, the added opportunities for top scorers Coble, Moore and Thompson in the Princeton O could mean a lot more celebrating in Welsh-Ryan Arena.

I see a top 6 finish for this team. The NIT could call for the first time since 1999.

Evan Eschmeyer was manning the middle then.