Northwestern Basketball: Uphill battle coming for Wildcats

Northwestern basketball is enjoying their best season in decades, but poor play and a tough schedule threaten to undermine that success.

The Northwestern Wildcats, longtime lovable losers, sit at an important junction in their season. Though the team has improved mightily this year and even shown signs of dominance, Northwestern will have to overcome injury, poor play, and a tough schedule to give their success-starved fans the tournament bid they’ve craved.

2016-2017 has been the most optimistic season in Evanston, Illinois in recent memory. Stars like Scottie Lindsey and Vic Law have elevated the basketball team to new levels of athleticism. Coach Chris Collins has devised a scheme that optimizes players’ shooting abilities and spreads the ball.

Finally, a deep bench and strong role players have contributed to the team’s success. All things considered, there are plenty of signs for optimism among Wildcat fans; although, considering the team’s history, it is likely cautious.

Experts agree as well. Joe Lunardi’s Bracketology currently predicts Northwestern to be a 7-seed, and nearly every bracket prediction has Northwestern in the tournament, ranging from solid 6-seeds to bubble 10-seeds.

However, complications to earning that bid have arisen, most notably in the form of star guard Scottie Lindsey.

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Lindsey, who was the Wildcats’ leading point scorer, with 15.4 points per game, recently contracted mononucleosis. As a result, he sat on the bench for the team’s two recent losses, to No. 16 Purdue and Illinois, respectively, clad in a button-down shirt instead of a jersey. Lindsey often took on the role of team spark plug. The athletic guard got to the basket in important situations and played with intensity and grit.

Without him, Northwestern faltered. Being blown out by a ranked Purdue team is not terribly embarrassing, but losing 68-61, at home, to a bad Illinois team, is concerning.

The game was close until the final minutes. In crunch time, the Wildcats collapsed and committed five turnovers in three minutes, leaving the game to become a free throw fest.

Despite the obvious flaw of late game play, poor shooting deterred the team, particularly
forward Gavin Skelly, all night. Play was sloppy, and players appeared to be exhausted. Execution and conditioning must be emphasized if the team wants to get back on track.

Lindsey is aiming to return on February 15, against Maryland.

Meanwhile, the upcoming schedule is also enough to cause fans to blanch. Northwestern will take on No. 7 Wisconsin in Madison and No. 21 Maryland, ranked one and two in the Big Ten, respectively, in its next two games.