Northwestern basketball finally earned a trip to the NCAA Tournament in 2016-17. How will they fare with increased expectations?
Northwestern received substantial national recognition for making the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history last season. Coach Chris Collins has done an amazing job to get Northwestern to the tournament in just his fourth season with the program. The Wildcats won their first-round game over Vanderbilt before losing to eventual runner-up Gonzaga in the Round of 32.
However, this season should drum up even more excitement for Northwestern fans as the Wildcats should be much better than the No. 8 seed they were last year. Northwestern returns their top 5 scorers from last season and adds Aaron Falzon, a former starter who missed last season with an injury.
This is a veteran team that is loaded with talented seniors and juniors. Seniors Bryant McIntosh and Scottie Lindsey earned 2nd and 3rd team All-Big Ten respectively and, with strong seasons, could crack the 1st team. Junior Vic Law is a legitimate NBA draft prospect and gives Northwestern one of the best perimeter trios in the country. All three of them averaged at least 12ppg last season.
Forwards Sanjay Lumpkin and Nate Taphorn have graduated and, while they were both important players, they should be replaceable. Lumpkin was the starting power forward and was an excellent glue guy and defender. He averaged 6 ppg and 5.4 rpg as a senior. Taphorn was a knockdown shooter (47%) and provided a veteran presence off the bench.
With a talented returning core and a veteran-laden roster, Northwestern could make a deep run in March. The Wildcats have all the necessary pieces and experience to have the best season in school history.
This article will analyze Northwestern’s starters, reserves, and schedule. It will conclude with a team overview where I rank the Wildcats both nationally and in their conference.