Federer Back On Top, Purdue Comes Oh So Close

Watching North Carolina take on Creighton made for an interesting sight. Obviously, the big news was that the Tar Heels lost another key cog in their championship machine. It’s not clear how long Kendall Marshall will be out for, but I think if he’s out, that ends all of their hopes. There is no better facilitator of an attack than Marshall, who entered the year as one of the best passers in the country, and then improved his shot greatly this season to become a true all-around weapon. With his wrist now fractured, and John Henson’s wrist in spotty shape as well, bad luck has befallen North Carolina at exactly the wrong time. This team is talented enough to overcome any loss, including Henson’s, but losing Marshall might be the straw that breaks the camel’s back. Bet Tar Heels fans are wishing they didn’t treat Larry Drew II so badly now. They could really use him at this moment.

Anyway, back to the game. As ridiculous as Creighton junior center Gregory Echenique looks with his pink shoes and sporty glasses, I like his aggression, even if he did get away with a Shaquille O’Neal-like elbow on Tyler Zeller. He moves pretty fast for his size, beating nearly everyone up the court on one Creighton fast break, and has a nice collection of hook shots at his disposal. He also showcased a few nice fakes and some lateral quickness and had an absolutely vicious dunk on a North Carolina defender. Between him and Doug McDermott, who can clean up down low as well as anyone, the Bluejays are impressive down low.

Tar Heels forward John Henson, of course, was wild early, drawing a rather stupid technical foul when he got up in a Creighton player’s face after what appeared to be incidental contact. He then let the off-the-court antics get in his way on-the-court, as he tried to avenge his anger on one quick play, overpowering a layup well beyond the square, for an embarrassing miss. He quickly regained control, however, hitting a nice lay-up, followed by a jump shot and then blocking what would have been an easy lay-up on the defensive end. Meanwhile, Kendall Marshall was his usual stellar self, leading the fast break with his long, quick passes, while also spotting up and hitting everything in sight. He scored 13 points in the game’s first 13 minutes, including a three-pointer and an even prettier play, in which he trailed his pass, and ended up with a finger roll. Marshall continues to prove himself as a rare talent.

As for Henson, who left the game temporarily with an injury toward the end of the first half, he played long enough to place the game in the Tar Heels’ hands, and that was enough for Sunday. As if to reassure anxious North Carolina fans, James McAdoo scored on an easy cut to the basket on the very next play, as if to remind Tar Heels’ fans that they still had an All-American under the hoop. Two if you count Zeller. That’s the luxury of rooting for a basketball factory like North Carolina, of course, where if one star gets injured, you churn out another. Moments later, McAdoo reaffirmed his presence on the court, blocking McDermott as he tried to swing back and forth and maneuver his way toward an open shot. Creighton had cut its deficit from 15 to eight at that point, so McAdoo’s block was crucial. Then, Marshall missed a free throw, and McAdoo tipped the rebound back to a teammate. It was a solid end to the half for McAdoo if not for the Tar Heels, who entered the intermission with a tenuous eight-point lead. Coach Roy Williams, clearly unhappy with the 7-0 Bluejays run to end the half, told the sideline reporter that his team had to stop playing “silly basketball” and when the sideline reporter tried to eek out some praise for Marshall, the veteran coach simply mentioned that it would be nice if Marshall would stop turning the ball over, please. It was one of the more entertaining sideline interviews you will ever see, and gave viewers some idea of how uncomfortable that locker room might be. In retrospect, Williams would probably take Marshall and his turnovers, over walk-on point guard Stilman White. Meanwhile, if Marshall truly is out, Tyler Zeller will have to step it up in the post, and interior weapons James McAdoo and Desmond Hubert might have to help lead a grittier Tar Heels attack, as they transition from Showtime to old-fashioned Motor City basketball. Of course, anytime you have a weapon like Harrison Barnes, who wowed me with consecutive step-back three-pointers from well behind the arc, you have a chance. He’s the ultimate athlete, if not yet the ultimate basketball player. With Marshall out, the open looks for P.J. Hairston and Reggie Bullock might be no longer. Instead, of Marshall creating shots for them, guys like Barnes will have to create their own shots in the half-court offense, because I don’t think Stilman White is going to beat the defense up the court, with his legs or his passes.

Also, one more note, the whole stadium setup of the NCAA Tournament is mind-boggling and patently unfair. I know it’s inevitable that some regional arenas will fall somewhere close to the homes of the 68 teams participating in March Madness, but to have Duke and North Carolina’s games take place in Greensboro, North Carolina is absurd. Why not put Duke and North Carolina in the West bracket to avoid such occurrences? Because otherwise it’s simply unfair to teams like Lehigh and Creighton, to put them in a stadium with 14,000 Tar Heels fans or 10,000 Blue Devils fans. That just doesn’t seem right. Especially when Creighton, instead of playing in the Omaha region, was forced to play in Greensboro. That’s pretty messed up.

Meanwhile, in one of the major stories of this year’s NCAA Tournament, Purdue nearly capped off a dream weekend for the Big Ten. If the Boilermakers had beaten the Jayhawks, they would have become the fifth conference team to make it into the Sweet Sixteen. Ultimately, they fell short. But while Purdue may have lost, Robbie Hummel will never be forgotten. This is one of those games that will be aired over and over again on ESPN Classic, as it was a nail-biter the entire way, from the early moments when you wondered how much longer Kansas would miss easy shots for and wondered how many more three-pointers Purdue could hit, to the late moments when the Boilermakers’ lead was continually whittled down, but never seemed to fade away. The end was magical, as multiple Purdue shots came a smidgen away from falling, including what would have been a game-tying three-pointer at the buzzer. Down three, the Boilermakers got the perfect inbound pass, a beautiful half-court heave to Ryne Smith, who nearly banked it home, but his half-court shot ultimately glanced off of the front rim. And so it ended, one of the most entertaining games of this March Madness, and one of the great stories of this college basketball season, the improbable rebirth of Robbie Hummel.

Purdue seized an early ten-point lead behind incredible three-point shooting, particularly from Robbie Hummel. The senior was confidently taking shots from everywhere, from well behind the arc, and with defenders on him. He hit several tough shots from the baseline, and each time, his shot looked the same, rolling off the bottom of the bucket. He was in the zone. He didn’t hesitate. He simply shot. Purdue, as a whole, took that philosophy, rolling off screens, and stopping in motion to take three-pointers. On the other hand, you had to believe that Kansas would come back once it stopped trying to shoot the ball so much, and started exploiting its natural advantage in the paint. Why the Jayhawks came out shooting three-pointers, I’ll never know. But still they were missing some easy shots, and you had to figure that they wouldn’t shoot at a 2-of-16 rate for the duration of the contest. Momentum first started to swing in my opinion when D.J. Byrd tried to save a loose ball out-of-bounds, only to fling it right into Kansas’ hands, leading to a fast break and an intentional foul call, which was bogus in my opinion, since he was going for the block. Regardless, it got the Jayhawks’ fan base incensed, and then when Conner Teahan made a three-pointer with minutes to go in the first half to draw Kansas within six, it was clear that it was game on. Same when Tyshawn Taylor drained a three-pointer to draw Kansas within four. From there on out, it was a physical contest, and while the Jayhawks were certainly dominant on the boards, you have to give the Boilermakers credit for their impressive physicality. That physicality rewarded them in the post, where they held Thomas Robinson in check for the majority of the evening.

But at the end, as Purdue took a six-point lead into the intermission, it was all about Hummel, particularly on one possession in which all of Purdue’s cuts were blocked off. With five seconds left, Hummel was behind the arc, and was dribbling away from the basket, a hopeless wanderer it seemed, until he suddenly turned around, and chucked up a quick shot. Again, it fell right in. Finishing the half with 22 points, Hummel literally missed just one free-throw attempt and one three-point attempt in the first half. He stepped out-of-bounds on one drive to the basket, but other than that, he was picture-perfect: aggressive on the boards, and sterling on the shot. It was a long time in coming for Hummel, who has endured so much, and is now enjoying the moment. As someone who just suffered a sprained ankle himself, I admire Hummel’s boldness and reckless abandon on the court, flopping about, even after he underwent two ACL surgeries on the same knee.

In the second half, you could see the difference from the opening possession. It’s not as if Hummel was open in the first half, most of his three-pointers came with a defender marking him, but in the second half, Kansas stepped it up a notch, harassing Hummel as he tried to post up, and even cutting Hummel off as he attempted to get rid of the ball, nearly forcing a turnover. But Purdue’s other scorers stepped up in Hummel’s wake, at least at first. More important, the Boilermakers started adding offensive rebounds to their arsenal, taking advantage of the Jayhawks’ zone defense, to find their way to the glass. They had five more shots than the Jayhawks did midway through the second half, a reversal of what happened in the first half, but the shots began to abandon Purdue. Timely shots maintained its lead for a while, but with Lewis Jackson unable to finish his drives to the hoop, and the threes suddenly not falling, the game began to tighten up. Kansas had a big chance, down 47-44, when it got several open shot opportunities, boosted by multiple offensive rebounds, but it couldn’t take advantage, and on the other end, D.J. Byrd again proved that he could do more than hit threes, grabbing the offensive rebound, and drawing a foul to get to the charity stripe. His ensuing free-throws brought the Boilermakers’ lead to five.

But Purdue’s lack of elite scorers killed it at game’s end. While Kansas had Thomas Robinson there to block Lewis Jackson’s final failed swoop to the hoop, Purdue only had Hummel, which was good enough for the majority of the game but not for its entirety. While the Jayhawks had Elijah Johnson heaving it half-court to Tyshawn Taylor for an alley-oop with a little over a minute remaining, the Boilermakers had no such flare. Give credit to Johnson. That was an incredibly risky play, with his team trailing by three, and with an advantage on the fast-break, to go for the alley-oop. If it fails, Purdue probably wins the game, and Johnson finds himself in Bill Self’s doghouse. But instead, the play worked to perfection. Meanwhile, Purdue got a couple of last big plays from Robbie Hummel. He had a beautiful score off of an inbound pass, in which he caught the ball in mid-air, hung in the stratosphere as he flowed toward the hoop and let a little floater go that found its way into the hoop. Later on, he made a gorgeous power move to the hoop, kissing the ball high off of the glass for two points. But 22 of Hummel’s 26 points came in the first half, as did 36 of Purdue’s 60 points, and without him, the Boilermakers simply weren’t the same. Lewis Jackson, as quick and spritely as he is, couldn’t finish a drive to save his life, and as lovely as Purdue’s cast of characters are, they couldn’t step up when they needed to the most. And Jackson, at the end, killed them, trying to dribble out possessions like a man working his way around a minefield. It reminded me of the old computer game, Minesweeper, as Jackson dribbled around, trying to avoid contact, until he dribbled right into a Jayhawks’ defender. His turnover with a minute or so remaining was an absolute cardinal sin, and a deadly bad break to befall Purdue.

Ladies and gentlemen, in spite of tonight’s loss, watch out for the Boilermakers. That’s all I have to say. Not necessarily this year. I don’t think this Purdue team ever had what it took to win a national championship. Not necessarily next year, because Hummel’s loss will be hard to cope with. But in the next couple of years, with a Top 15 recruiting class coming in, and one of the best coaches in the nation at its helm, watch out for Purdue. Seriously, what Matt Painter has done with a bunch of feisty role players and a couple of shooters is astounding. The Boilermakers possess such strong and fundamental defense. This is a team that you can say with certainty is a well-coached squad. Give Painter credit. Purdue has its man.

On the upset side of things, nothing is more depressing than a dandy of an underdog falling flat in the ensuing round. After all the energy, hype and hoopla generated from a thrilling upset, it’s as much of a downer as you can get when said underdog falls by 20 points in the next round. It’s as if, after a joyous moment of anarchy, order is restored. Disbelief turns into belief, before falling back into disbelief. That happened to some extent with Norfolk State. People will not notice, they will only remember the stunning upset, but after beating Missouri, the Spartans were demolished by the Gators. So, they will be thought of forever on as one-hit wonders, a group of men who came together on one special night, before the reality of their inferiority reasserted itself against Florida. Unlike VCU which will long be remembered for one magical season, Norfolk State will be remembered for one magical night. Lehigh, on the other hand, fought valiantly against Xavier, disappointing nobody. Not that there were many people to disappoint. It was sad to see the number of empty seats at the end of the Xavier-Lehigh game. Clearly, a mass exodus of fans followed the conclusion of the North Carolina game, which is a shame, considering how much good basketball remained. Wouldn’t Tar Heels fans want to stick around to see the Mountain Hawks team that downed the mighty Blue Devils?

Meanwhile, on the tennis court, John Isner didn’t seem to be on the attack in the championship match of the BNP Paribas Open as he was in his semifinal match against Novak Djokovic. Roger Federer was able to return his serves to the back-end of the court, often pressing Isner up against the back line. Meanwhile, Federer displayed a dominant serve of his own, compiling three straight aces at one point, and indeed, he never appeared challenged on his own serve. His drop shot was devastating, he hit the lines with no fear and he took advantage of Isner’s lanky build. Far too often, Isner simply gave up on the ball, freezing in the middle of the court, unsure of where to go, absolutely sure of the point’s fate.

The game really turned on the first tiebreaker, as emotion and momentum swayed back and forth throughout. Federer angrily swung his racket, and smacked an extra ball into the net, after falling behind 3-2. He was far happier after breaking consecutive serves from Isner, but Federer was broken himself, and later on in the tiebreak, Isner fought back with a serve so powerful that Federer was left waving his racket like a wimpy wand. Ultimately, in a tiebreaker that remained close until the very end, Federer was able to hold his own, thus securing an impressive and hard-fought victory.

A Big Chip on Northwestern’s Shoulder

Northwestern got jipped. Let there be no doubt about it, the Wildcats were robbed. No, I’m not one of those crazies who still thinks that they should have made the NCAA Tournament. Admittedly, they were handed millions of chances to make it to March Madness and dropped the ball each and every time. Their inability to win a single, close game all year was laughable at best, and no, wins over Penn State and Iowa don’t count, considering the way Northwestern essentially did all it could to give both games away in the final minutes. Yes, I still think the fact that South Florida made it over Northwestern is an embarrassment, considering the Bulls’ inexplicable number of awful losses, including Auburn, Old Dominion and Penn State, but overall, I’m content to admit that we did not deserve a bid into March Madness.

But a No. 4 seed in the NIT? You have to be kidding me. You’re telling me that Northwestern is on a similar level as its first-round opponent, No. 5 seed Akron? You’re telling me that Stanford, with its 10-8 record in the susceptible Pac-12, is better than Northwestern? This is a team that notched its best wins against Oregon and California teams that barely eked their way into the tournament. This No. 4 seed is a joke, a clear indication that the NIT selection committee doesn’t respect the Big Ten, arguably the top conference in college basketball. It’s a clear indication that the committee didn’t watch close losses to Ohio State or Michigan, or better yet, didn’t care. How is it that a Northwestern team that was considered one of the first several teams out of the NCAA Tournament, that was still picked by Jerry Palm as making it to March Madness, that was long considered a No. 1 seed in the NIT somehow fell to a No. 4 seed in the NIT? You’re telling me that a loss to an inspired Minnesota team that was clearly playing its best basketball of the season and nearly downed Michigan in overtime a day later despite its exhaustion, dropped the Wildcats this far. That’s ridiculous. Northwestern should have had multiple home games in store. Now, they face the frightening prospect of traveling to Washington for a second-round match, and having a second straight season end in the Evergreen State. Let it be known that I called bullshit before the NIT even began.

In hockey, overtime losses are rewarded by a single point. Clearly, close losses are not rewarded by the NCAA Tournament and NIT selection committees. While they might have been the least clutch team in the United States of America, the Wildcats showed that they could compete with nearly every single team in the country. They held Ohio State, Michigan and Indiana close, gave Creighton a scare on the road and famously downed Michigan State at home. Few were the times in which Northwestern looked completely outmatched. This is a Wildcats team that could clearly light up your television set every night, if not the victory column. Yet, clearly a cynical committee decided that their 8-10 record in the best basketball conference in the country was not all that impressive. When you think about it, Northwestern beat very few good teams, mainly downing the chaff of the Big Ten, while falling to the wheat. But you would think the Wildcats would get more credit for the way they played in their non-conference schedule, the way they downed Louisiana State and Seton Hall in the Charleston Classic, the ease with which they defeated Nebraska, their road win over a talented Illinois team and their win over Michigan State.

Akron at Northwestern, NIT First Round, 8:00 p.m. ESPN2

But here we are, with an opening contest against Akron at Welsh-Ryan Arena. If Northwestern loses, it will have the interesting and unusual distinction of having both its soccer and basketball seasons end at the hands (and feet) of the Zips. But hopefully, Northwestern asserts itself as playing on a different level, a few stories up on the old glass elevator, than Akron. This is an Akron team that lost five of its first eight, while Northwestern was playing well against a high level of competition in its non-conference schedule. This is a Zips team that lost by 24 to Middle Tennessee State and by five to Duquesne. Their biggest win likely came against Detroit. Give them credit, they did well in conference play, gave several good teams a fight and came back well from an awful start to the season, but I want Northwestern to win this game very, very badly. The Wildcats ought to play this game with a chip on their shoulder.

The main obstacle standing in their way, of course, will be seven-foot center Zeke Marshall, who is Akron’s leading scorer with 10.2 points per game. He also averages 5.3 rebounds per game and 2.8 blocks per game. This is obviously the last thing Northwestern needed, a tall guy that can expose the Wildcats’ weakness down low, literally stepping on their Achilles heel for 40 minutes of action at Welsh-Ryan Arena, and completely disproving all that I said about Northwestern playing at a higher level. This is an Akron team that also plays good defense, although they’ve likely seen few attacks like that which Northwestern boasts. They’ve likely seen few players of John Shurna and Drew Crawford’s ilk as well. But the Zips are solid, boast a couple of guys who hit 44 percent or more of their shots from three-point land, burying into another Northwestern weakness, and tend to hold their own on the boards. They are certainly capable of the upset, but for once, I hope that the Wildcats do what they’ve done all season. No, i don’t mean collapse in the clutch. I mean easily dispatch of an inferior team, and show that we belonged on a higher plane. There’s a big chip on my shoulder. I hope I can say the same of my team.

NOTES

Knowing how much help the Buffalo Bills need, I would say stay away from trying to lure targets like Peyton Manning, and focus on upgrading the wide receiving corps (Pierre Garcon is just 25 years old) since Stevie Johnson is a shaky No. 1 wide receiver. Also, an upgrade in the secondary (tough-minded Cortland Finnegan would add personality to the defense, and help with the run game as well as the Bills’ pass defense) would be nice … Meanwhile, heading back to Evanston for a moment, let’s play a fun game over the next couple of days and try to rank and compare the Northwestern basketball teams from the past four years. Since the Wildcats have made the NIT in four consecutive seasons, let’s figure out which NIT teams were the best, and which were the worst. Did you prefer Jeremy Nash as the defensive, athletic component of the Wildcats’ roster or Jershon Cobb? Would you rather have Michael “Juice” Thompson running the show or Dave Sobolewski? Did you like John Shurna as Kevin Coble’s sniper sidekick or did you like Shurna better as the team’s No. 1 option? I’ll start examining these questions later in the week, but feel free to start commenting now.

On The Eve of Selection Sunday

I’ve spent the entire night reading all sorts of literature on Northwestern’s NCAA Tournament chances, and as they say, the more voices that are in your head, the less likely you are to reach a decision. But on this blog, I will stand by the argument that the Wildcats ought to make the NCAA Tournament.

Note my wording. I didn’t say that they deserved to make the NCAA Tournament. You don’t deserve anything when you finish with a losing record in conference play, blow numerous chances at a program-defining win and get outed in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament by a team missing two of its best players (Ralph Sampson III and Trevor Mbakwe). If they do not get in tomorrow, I will be fine with that. Well, wait, check that. That’s a lie. My heart will be broken, but from a justice perspective, I will have no complaints. They did nothing to punch their own ticket.

But I was particularly moved by one person’s comment that at least Northwestern gives pretty much every team it takes on a fight. Every year in the NCAA Tournament, you see all of these meaningless first-round games, in which Duke beats Southern Georgia Polytechnic Institute by 45 and you wonder why you’re even watching anymore. But Northwestern is almost always worth watching, and just take it from Michigan State athletic director Mark Hollis, the Wildcats are a team that no Tournament team would want to face off against, and isn’t that all you want, a No. 16 seed that can challenge the elites, and make for a good, competitive Tournament. As Hollis said:

Hope to see #Northwestern get consideration. A team I would hate to meet in the 2nd or 3rd round. Mid-season injury & close games all year.

With the Wildcats, you don’t always want to watch. The way they choke in the clutch is deadly to behold. But they’ve held nearly everyone close this year, from a tough loss at Assembly Hall, to tough losses at Welsh-Ryan Arena against Michigan and Ohio State. Their first three losses were by a combined 69 points, while their next 10 losses were by a combined 80 points, so they were able to compete with top teams more effectively toward the end of the season. The Wildcats rarely play scared (at least for the first 35 minutes, that is) and always make for good television. They have a few questionable losses (Minnesota twice, Illinois) but no truly bad losses. I would argue that they are a far more intriguing choice than Colorado State, which barely won on the road, Seton Hall, which Northwestern beat earlier this season and North Carolina State, which lost to the same Georgia Tech team that Northwestern trounced.

Also, one last point, I am convinced that this team would have made the Tournament if Jershon Cobb had played for the entire season. He has proven himself to be one of the team’s most talented defenders and best shot creators over the past couple of weeks, and I guarantee you that his presence would have turned around some of those close results. That’s not meant to generate pity or anything. All sorts of teams struggle with injury problems, and we were fortunate to have Drew Crawford and John Shurna for every game. It’s just a fact, in my opinion, give me a full season with Jershon Cobb and suddenly Shurna isn’t flat-out exhausted at the end of games and toward the tail end of the season. Suddenly, Northwestern’s offense isn’t as flat as a beer left out over night toward the end of games. Suddenly, dead possessions are turned alive by a swoop to the hoop or a pull-up jumper. Suddenly, foul troubles aren’t as much of a concern. And suddenly Alex “Hack Them” Marcotullio isn’t figuring out new and novel ways to generate four fouls in 20 minutes every single game. A full season with Cobb could have taken the Wildcats a long way. Or just a short way, altering a few games, which would be enough to earn them a bid into March Madness.

So, here we are on the eve of Selection Sunday, and I understand that Northwestern will most likely not make it in. And that’s fair, it truly is. But I hope they make it in. I really do. Because this might be the Wildcats’ last shot in a long while, and besides, while they might not deserve it, I’m not so sure that they do not deserve it either. And if there’s one thing we’ve learned about this Wildcats team, it’s that they’re always worth watching, even when you know that they’re going to lose in the end.

Cardiac Collapse Costs Cats Dearly

Michigan 67 – Northwestern 55 (OT)

I wish I could cry.

It’s not like the Wildcats’ wilting performance came as a surprise. With approximately 1:30 remaining in regulation in Northwestern’s overtime loss to Michigan, I texted my closest friend from high school, and guaranteed that the Wolverines would win. Let’s face this, Northwestern Nation, this Wildcats program, when it comes to the revenue-earning sports of football and basketball, is among the least clutch programs ever in sports history. If only someone could inject this bunch with the ice-cold blood that runs through the lacrosse program’s veins, as evidence in its one-goal defeats of both North Carolina and Maryland to win its sixth national title in seven years. Instead, try to think of the last time this basketball program won a game in the closing minutes. Sure, the Wildcats have stunned plenty of teams, but those victories have always come by six or seven points. When was the last time Northwestern hit a buzzer-beater, scored on that crucial final possession, and finished that drive to the hoop? The last time I can recollect is when a much younger, yet still very baby-faced, John Shurna hit a three to defeat Ohio State at Welsh-Ryan Arena. Since then, it has been unmitigated disaster after unmitigated disaster. Whether it’s Meyers Leonard swatting Drew Crawford or a missed Shurna three at the buzzer that rattles off both rims the result is always the same. Northwestern always loses.

It’s not like the Wildcats’ wilting performance came as a surprise.

You’ll have to forgive me for not using more stats in this article. I’m writing this post from the passenger seat of my 2011 Toyota Prius, stealthily stashed away in a Wilmette parking lot. The excitement was so great surrounding tonight’s game that I had to park here. The traffic down Central Street was too tremendous to navigate toward the stadium any further. I had to abandon the car, and walk the rest of the way. That’s how big a game this was. And the student body knew it too. It’s unfortunate that it’s considered a great achievement every time the purple and white-clad fans descend upon Welsh-Ryan Arena and Ryan Field, but that’s what this was. This was one of the few times when every seat was taken, and countless students arriving minutes late to the game found no place for them in the student section. One could wonder when they will expand seating for students at Welsh-Ryan Arena. One could certainly understand why miffed students, finding themselves rebuffed from sitting amongst their colleagues or anyone for that matter, would feel that way. But for now any plans to expand Welsh-Ryan Arena are a joke, particularly when you consider the way the stands are half-filled for most other Big Ten home games. As it was, I was fortunate to snare a seat on this occasion. If I had stayed in the car, I would have arrived at 7:30, too late to sit down, likely to be banished to … well, God knows where. My miraculous decision to park 10 minutes from the stadium saved the day. For me, anyway.

Now, it’s easy to imagine Northwestern fans turning away from Welsh-Ryan Arena after this game. Think about how many times the students have packed the arena, only to see their hometown heroes lose. Sure, there was that win over Michigan State. But more frequently, the fans come, only to see the Wildcats suffer devastating defeats to Ohio State, Michigan, Illinois and Purdue. But that’s no excuse to stay away. I believe that at this point, fans have to subscribe to the “If you build it, they will come” philosophy of sports team building. Fill up this stadium consistently and maybe the Wildcats will have a better shot at drawing top recruits. Fill up this stadium and perhaps the wins will come. Welsh-Ryan Arena has always been known as one of the softest road games in the Big Ten, and it’s up to us to change that. Packing the stadium three times a year doesn’t undo row after row of empty benches against Purdue or Iowa. If the fans want to turn Welsh-Ryan into a consistent locale for Wildcats victories, let’s start by turning this into one of the toughest home gyms in the Big Ten. I couldn’t care less if we have half the seats of Value City Arena. As we have seen over the past two games, when you pack a small gym like Welsh-Ryan Arena, and start screaming, the noise reverberates. The on-court results shouldn’t inspire us, but they shouldn’t turn us away either. And the atmosphere should inspire us, and let us know that Northwestern is capable of bringing the heat.

Heck, he even drained his free throws, which happens about as often as Bill Carmody keeps his suit jacket on for the whole game.

As for the game itself, Northwestern played such an inspired first half of basketball. Davide Curletti was nearly back to Michigan State form, driving aggressively to the hoop, backing down defenders and grabbing rebounds. He even added a few jump shots, including an impressive fadeaway jumper from the elbow that sent Welsh-Ryan Arena into a frenzy. Heck, he even drained his free throws, which happens about as often as Bill Carmody keeps his suit jacket on for the whole game. But, what I didn’t understand is why Curletti turned silent in the second half. Sure, he added another block or two, but when the game ticked down into the final minutes, Curletti played scared, resorting to his usual post at the elbow, and waiting to find open men to pass to, rather than taking it for himself. John Shurna disappeared too. After a fairly pedestrian 10-point performance in the first half, he was even quieter in the closing act. At one point, he hit a couple of clutch, spinning, whirling dervish shots from within the paint, and it looked like once again he would carry the Wildcats through the tough stretch, but then he inexplicably disappeared. Ever since an odd play, where Shurna came up short, and appeared to limp away from contact, he was not to be seen. I heard that he wasn’t injured, that his shoe simply fell off, but whatever the case, Shurna vanished. The rest of his shots were a junky collection of airballs. Drew Crawford disappeared too, presumably because of injury. Either way, he was virtually absent for nearly the entire second half, and then he was literally absent for the entire overtime period. Which meant that JerShon Cobb of all people ended up taking all the clutch shots as regulation ticked to a close. Why an unproven sophomore had the ball in his hands is a mystery to me.

Take his three-point attempt in the final minute of the game. With ten seconds remaining on the shot clock, the ball ends up in Cobb’s hands. You can’t blame him for shooting, not when John Shurna was stationed out by the top of the arc, a spectator rather than an active participant in the game. But, you can wonder if this is really the play the Wildcats called coming out of a timeout. Cobb, for all his accolades out of high school, has yet to prove himself as a legitimate three-point threat, so for him to take that shot, is a mystery. Yes, he was having a good game, and for that matter, I like what Cobb’s return has brought to Northwestern. His rebounding ability and defensive presence are greatly appreciated. Heck, I loved that one play Tuesday night when Cobb used what his mother gave him, as few players did, backed down his defender, and then faded away for an easy swish in the paint. It’s always mystified me why more players don’t use their butts to create shots, and Cobb did it beautifully Tuesday night. But even during his best performance of the season, he couldn’t knock down a three for his life. All of his sorry attempts bounced off the front rim, so it shouldn’t have come as any surprise when his late-game attempt did the very same. Give credit to Reggie Hearn. His presence on the offensive boards offers something new and exciting for the Cats, and when he secured that rebound, off pure hustle in the final minute, I actually thought Northwestern had a chance for a fleeting moment. That’s what the Wildcats have been missing all these years, but they blew the opportunity, giving the Wolverines the ball with the shot clock off. Unbelievably enough, because of Northwestern’s miserable 18-point performance in the second half, Michigan had a chance to win it at the buzzer. Give the Wildcats credit, they played perfect defense. They used their final foul to give with 4.7 seconds remaining. Then, they contested the Wolverines’ buzzer-beating three-point attempt so beautifully that the shot failed to find even the rim. They had a chance. The arena was rocking.

It felt similar to Pullman. Somehow, the Wildcats miraculously force overtime. The momentum should be coursing through their veins. John Shurna pumped his fist exiting the court following the final buzzer of regulation. Welsh-Ryan Arena was ready to witness a miracle. And then they came out as flat as you could possibly come out in overtime. On offense, it was a series of missed shots from Shurna, misses so bad that you wondered if he was injured, and turnovers. On defense, it was surrendering open three-pointers again and again to the Wolverines. Three three-pointers later and Michigan held a nine-point lead. Northwestern did its usual late-game tease, but per usual, it had dug itself a hole far too deep to climb its way out of. Why the Wildcats can’t figure out a way to set the tone in overtime on their home court is more than a bother, it’s a severe problem. Let’s face it, the Wolverines set the tone for the entire second half, as well as the entire overtime period. Whereas the Wildcats, led by Curletti, attacked the hoop early on, and forced Michigan to go over the limit just 13 minutes into the game, the offense looked dead in the latter two periods, allowing Michigan to confine it to the perimeter. On one of those perimeter plays, Reggie Hearn actually stepped up and hit a three-pointer, from well beyond the arc. I thought that might be the difference, as that gave the Wildcats a late lead. But the offense could never manage anything more. The Wolverines’ defense won the game.

Whatever it is, the Northwestern offense, so frequently lauded for its creativity, frequently seems to drift away in the clutch.

One could wonder why it’s always the opponent’s defense winning the game and not Northwestern’s. We saw it happen in Bloomington, when the Hoosiers and Wildcats were neck and neck entering the final minutes, and Indiana’s defense simply refused to allow Northwestern to score. The Wildcats were unable to do the same. I think, part of it, is that when push comes to shove, Northwestern lacks people who can drive to the basket and create their own shots. Part of it is a lack of ability in the clutch. Whatever it is, the Northwestern offense, so frequently lauded for its creativity, frequently seems to drift away in the clutch. Meanwhile, the 1-3-1 defense is fairly simple to understand. The way Northwestern runs it, the Wildcats don’t just sit in the 1-3-1, they try to apply a flurry of pressure on the ball-handler. The goal is to create turnovers, and against the Golden Gophers, it worked. Minnesota turned it over 21 times, and Northwestern won the game. Even when it forces bad passes, that cause the men on the wings to fumble for the ball, it has done its job, since that gives enough time for the defenders to cut back and cut off the open three-pointer. But fluid ball movement can defeat the 1-3-1 defense each and every time, and on Tuesday, the Wolverines managed to push the ball around the arc, and find the open man on the wings, enough times to win the game. Particularly in overtime. The amount of space Timmy Hardaway Jr. had on some of his three-point attempts was ridiculous. The Michigan shooters had all the time in the world to set their feet, and they cashed in. Give Northwestern credit, its interior defense has gotten much better. The Wildcats are blocking more shots than ever and they didn’t allow the Wolverines to control the paint. But they did allow Michigan to hit three-pointers in overtime that changed the course of the game.

But all of this scheming and work on the chalkboard doesn’t change the fact that Northwestern blew a golden chance tonight. And quite frankly, the Wildcats are running out of chances. Fast.

So, what happens now? Well, Northwestern isn’t done, no matter what the press says. Too many times this season, we’ve heard games described as must-win games (remember those home games against Illinois and Purdue) only to see the Wildcats lose and their tournament hopes remain alive. If they take care of business against Iowa and Penn State, which is easier said than done, they will finish with an 8-10 record in Big Ten play. That gives them a chance. With an 8-10 record, I wouldn’t be surprised if one Big Ten Tournament win was enough to make the NCAA Tournament. But all of this scheming and work on the chalkboard doesn’t change the fact that Northwestern blew a golden chance tonight. And quite frankly, the Wildcats are running out of chances. Fast.

Please forgive me if I have been overly dramatic. Please forgive me if I’ve made any mistakes of memory. This entire post has come from my head. I don’t have any access to stat sheets, here in my darkened car, off of Central Street. It’s only my head and I tonight. And tear ducts that are dried after watching far too many Northwestern games. That’s what this post was for, a chance to rant, empathize and mourn. And now it’s time to move on. Start your engines, Wildcats. It’s time to get this car in motion.

Northwestern vs. Iowa: The Need to Maintain Momentum

The thought heading into tonight’s game against the Iowa Hawkeyes is alright, an easy win for Northwestern. Well, as Lee Corso is quick to say, not so fast, my friend! This is an Iowa team that is 5-6 in Big Ten play, and was able to beat Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota, all schools that Northwestern has been unable to beat thus far this season. This Hawkeyes team is rocky, falling to the Boilermakers and Cornhuskers after their big upset of the Wolverines, but they are threatening. And at a half-game in front of the Wildcats in the Big Ten standings, Iowa is a team that Northwestern must pass in order to make the NCAA Tournament. The two teams are on a six-lane highway right now, or however many conference teams will make the NCAA Tournament this season, and the Wildcats could pass the Hawkeyes tonight.

The good news for Northwestern, currently second-to-last in the Big Ten with its -4.8 rebounding margin, is that Iowa has struggled on the boards as well. And the Wildcats should be encouraged by their ability to out-rebound the Fighting Illini at Assembly Hall on Sunday. Shooting 60 percent definitely helped in that effort, and it’s unclear whether Northwestern will be able to pull that off against an Iowa team that has surrendered just 62.5 points per game in its last two appearances. Memories of that 103-point shellacking the Hawkeyes suffered in Bloomington are beginning to fade away, and while this is the Big Ten’s worst team in terms of scoring defense, it appears that Fran McCaffery’s unit is beginning to round into shape. Overall, I believe that statistics aside, Northwestern should be able to score, since Iowa’s last two opponents, Penn State and Nebraska, lack Northwestern’s attacking prowess, and John Shurna and Drew Crawford present a dynamic duo of the likes Iowa has rarely seen before. Iowa’s statistically strong three-point defense raises an interesting question, as to whether Northwestern will be forced to resort to its backdoor passes. But at this point, I’m probably delving too far into the statistics.

The Hawkeyes also have very few people who scare me. They have plenty of people whom I respect, like Matt Gatens, Bryce Cartwright and Aaron White, but none of these guys deserves to be considered among the Big Ten’s elite. Sure, Gatens is averaging 13.9 points per game and shooting 34 percent from behind the arc, but he tends to confine himself to the perimeter, and I don’t consider him an elite driver by any means. I like Cartwright. I think he’s an athletic kid that can clearly do a lot of things, but neither him nor Melsahn Basabe, whose physicality I admire, are the types of players that can take over a game. Also, Iowa is prone to turn the ball over quite a bit, so this is a chance for Northwestern to use its 1-3-1 to force mistakes. Iowa is among the league leaders in steals so there is the potential for both teams to collect plenty of turnovers, and run up and down the court. I think that type of tempo is to Northwestern’s advantage, so the Wildcats should embrace the speed of the game.

Now, it’s time to update the Wildcats’ postseason tournament hopes chart:

Current Record: 4-6

Necessary Record: 8-10

Need to Go (At Least): 4-4

* Below games are ordered by Northwestern’s chance of winning, ranked on a scale of 0 to 10, with 10 being the most likely.

8 Northwestern vs. Iowa, February 9, 2012 at 8:00 p.m. – The Hawkeyes are not bad as evidenced by their comeback victory over the Golden Gophers, but the Wildcats have usually had success keeping Matt Gatens in check. Besides, I’ve never viewed Gatens as a legitimate star. He’s a good shooter, with some ability to drive to the hoop, but he doesn’t fit into the category of Big Ten elite. The Hawkeyes’ defense is too shaky to be trusted, and assuming the Wildcats don’t turn it over twice a minute like the Golden Gophers did, they should be fine in the friendly confines of Welsh-Ryan Arena.

Opponent Profile: Hawkeyes (13-11, 5-6), tied for seventh in the Big Ten, four games back, two-game winning streak (Minnesota, PSU)

7 Northwestern at Penn State, February 25, 2012 at 8:00 p.m. — This is a mediocre Penn State squad, but that hasn’t stopped the Wildcats from falling to the Nittany Lions in the past. Guard Tim Frazier is an absolute beast, averaging 18.0 points, 4.8 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game this season, and while Northwestern has actually kept him in check in the past, he still scares me. Plus, the Wildcats have never had much success in Unhappy Valley, losing every game they’ve played there since February 16, 2002. The Nittany Lions’ +4.1 rebounding margin also scares me, given the Wildcats’ difficulties controlling the boards in the past.

Opponent Profile: Nittany Lions (10-15, 2-10), last in the Big Ten, 7.5 games back, five-game losing streak, last two by 33 points combined

7 Northwestern at Iowa, March 3, 2012 at 1:30 p.m. — Short of Gatens, Melsahn Basabe is a top athlete, but he has yet to put up much production during Big Ten play. While the Hawkeyes have a bunch of talented athletes down low, overachievers in my opinion, none of them are awe-inspiring, and I expect the Wildcats to be able to have some success down low.

Opponent Profile: Hawkeyes (13-11, 5-6), tied for seventh in the Big Ten, four games back, two-game winning streak (Minnesota, PSU)

6 Northwestern at Purdue, February 12, 2012 at 6:00 p.m. — Not to sound like a sore loser, but I wasn’t impressed by the Boilermakers at all when they beat the Wildcats 58-56 at Welsh-Ryan Arena. This is a Purdue team that lacks an elite scorer, since I still refuse to recognize Robbie Hummel as a legitimate star within the Big Ten, and for that matter, this is a Boilermakers team that straight up cannot shoot the rock. They missed more open shots against Northwestern than I care to mention, and the funny thing is, despite how badly the Wildcats played all game, they still only lost by two. I expect Northwestern to come out and win at Purdue, even though Mackey Arena is an undeniably tough gym to play in.

Opponent Profile: Boilermakers (15-9, 5-6), tied for seventh in the Big Ten, four games back, two-game losing streak (Indiana, @OSU), gave the Buckeyes a surprisingly tough fight in Columbus

6 Northwestern vs. Michigan, February 21, 2012 at 7:00 p.m. — The Wolverines may be ranked, but the Wildcats gave them the fight of a lifetime in Ann Arbor not so long ago. In fact, Northwestern easily could have won that game, as Michigan attempted to hand that game over on a silver platter on numerous occasions. The Wildcats simply failed to take advantage, bungling buzzer-beating opportunities and missing critical free throws to spoil a fine shooting day from the field. Undoubtedly, Northwestern has a better offense than Michigan, which isn’t a claim you can make very often about the Wildcats these days, but the question is can they take care of business on the boards against an excellent rebounding team? The Wolverines fired an astounding 18 extra shots when these teams last played, and the Wildcats will have to work to make their shot counts far more even. If the shot counts are even, I’d put money on Northwestern draining more.

Opponent Profile: Wolverines (18-7, 8-4), No. 22 AP, third in the Big Ten, 1.5 games back, haven’t won consecutive games since January 11

6 Northwestern vs. Minnesota, February 18, 2012 at 6:00 p.m. — I cover Golden Gophers basketball for Big Ten or Bust, so I have plenty of experience watching them play, and all I can say is they are a tough, gritty team that can turn any game into a physical, low-scoring contest. Their defense is mean, which could present a challenge for a Wildcats’ attack that struggles against elite defenses, but at the same time, Minnesota doesn’t play all that well away from home and turns the ball over way too much. The Golden Gophers have no elite scorers of Drew Crawford or John Shurna’s caliber, although that being said, Rodney Williams presents numerous matchup problems as an athletic forward who can rebound, dunk and shoot the three. Ralph Sampson III also is flat-out better than Luka Mirkovic and Davide Curletti. He never really dominates a game, but if Minnesota wins, it will be on the legs of Williams, with consistent chip-ins from Sampson III.

Opponent Profile: Golden Gophers (17-7, 5-6), tied for seventh in the Big Ten, four games back, split last four games, won five of seven

3 Northwestern at Indiana, February 15, 2012 at 5:30 p.m. — Northwestern made history last year, breaking a losing streak at Assembly Hall so long that it made my dad’s bald spot look like a recent development. As impressive as that win was, I’m not sure I see it happening again. The Wildcats will have deep difficulties stopping Cody Zeller in the paint. Zeller is so much bigger, more creative and more agile than Northwestern’s interior players that he will cause serious matchup problems. And don’t forget that the Wildcats still aren’t a very good road team. Still, the one thing in their favor is that the Hoosiers rely heavily on the three, and when the outside shots aren’t falling, Indiana is prone to upsets.

Opponent Profile: Hoosiers (18-6, 6-6), fifth in Big Ten, 3.5 games back, lost five of last eight games, perfect non-conference record faded fast

2 Northwestern vs. Ohio State, February 29, 2012 at 7:30 p.m. — Northwestern actually played Ohio State tight on multiple occasions last season, but it’s hard to imagine the Wildcats handing the Buckeyes a stunning defeat in this episode of their new rivalry. Centers Davide Curletti and Luka Mirkovic have struggled all season against centers far lesser than Ohio State big man Jared Sullinger, so I expect Sullinger to absolutely dominate the paint against Northwestern. The Buckeyes also have an able crew of outside shooters, including stud William Buford (who is averaging 15 points per game) and floor general Aaron Kraft, who is a superior version of Dave Sobolewski. In addition to having the offensive weapons necessary to pummel the Wildcats, the Buckeyes also have a stalwart defense that has held opponents to 55 points or less in five of Ohio State’s last seven games. For an offense that has struggled against elite defenses this season, this could be deadly, and I fully expect the Buckeyes to keep the Wildcats in check in this one.

Opponent Profile: Buckeyes (21-3, 9-2), No. 3 AP, first in Big Ten, won six straight, Purdue and Wisconsin challenged them last time out

Hardly a Fluke, Giants Back on Top

Something isn’t right about this moment. I should be in New York right now, basking in the glory of the Giants’ latest Super Bowl victory, revelling in the blue and red lights of the Empire State Building. But even in the stone-cold silence of Evanston, Illinois, something feels very right about this.

It was a remarkable Super Bowl. I think Patriots fans, Colts fans, Giants fans, we can all agree with that statement. There were no easy plays in this Super Bowl. There were no blown coverages and 50-yard bombs down the sideline. Instead, each play was heavily contested, every completed pass had to thread the needle, every ball-carrier had to hold on tight as the defenders smacked away at the ball and the ball-carrier himself.

It was a physical game. And perhaps, as an example of just how much of a premium points came at during Super Bowl XLVI, it turns out that Mario Manningham’s 38-yard reception down the left sideline was the longest play of the game. And it didn’t come easy. He had to work very hard to get both feet in the field of play, and to keep the ball secure as he was hit by two Patriots. Whether or not it was really one of the greatest catches of all time as the announcers were quick to claim, it certainly was a great catch, and was a good example of how difficult everything came during this game. Just think about the turnovers, or the lack thereof. The sole interception, that critical pick by Chase Blackburn, was hardly an easy interception. In fact, that’s the play of the game in my opinion. The Patriots are leading 17-15 and they’re driving down the field, Tom Brady pulls off a play eerily similar to that of Eli Manning back in 2008, somehow escaping a sack, drifting right, and heaving the ball down the field. The toss found a Patriots receiver. Unfortunately, for Brady, it found Blackburn, the Giants’ linebacker, who improbably weaved his way down field. A linebacker isn’t supposed to drift down field like that, and you kept seeing him check back, waiting for someone to help him, but no one did, so he kept drifting back. He was still five yards behind Rob Gronkowski but the ball hung up in the air just long enough for Blackburn to make a remarkable leaping grab. For the substitute teacher-turned-linebacker, it was quite the story. Even the fumbles from this game, all recovered by the offense, were hard-fought. No one dropped the ball; instead, defenders stripped the ball. Honestly, on one of those fumbles, I couldn’t blame him. I don’t know how anyone could have held the ball, when it was ripped away like that. This was a championship game, no doubt about it. It felt like it, looked like it and most importantly, lived up to it.

There was an astronomical amount of hype leading up to this game. Leading up to it, I joked that Hakeem Nicks would have to catch a ball on his elbow for it to match the heroics of the Giants’ previous Super Bowl win. That didn’t happen, but man, this game came close. It was close from kickoff to final whistle, with neither team ever able to seize control. And, as promised, it was a battle of two great quarterbacks. Manning was brilliant. He completed 30-of-40 passes for 296 yards and a touchdown, a pass that was rifled through a tight hole in the Patriots’ defense. After watching that game, I have to conclude that Manning has perhaps the greatest pocket presence of any quarterback I have ever seen. His ability to pick up the blitz is unparalleled in the sport. Meanwhile, Brady, what more can I say about him. He is amazing, one of the greatest quarterbacks to have ever lived. His 27-of-41, two-touchdown performance was tremendous, and those numbers don’t begin to do him justice. I believe he completed 17 of his first 20 passes, something crazy like that. He completed a Super Bowl-record 16 straight passes, and was just electric throughout.

Also, while ESPN will surely gush over Manning and Brady, give credit to some of the hidden forces behind this great game, like that Patriots’ offensive line. For all the talk about the Giants’ defensive line coming in, they got to Brady just twice, and Brady had a lot of time throughout to pick apart New York’s defense. So give that line tons of credit. But when it mattered most, Justin Tuck picked up a huge sack. Also, give credit to the Patriots’ secondary. All week long, the assumption was that Eli Manning and the Giants’ marvelous trio of wide receivers would run roughshod on the Patriots’ secondary, but it was not to be. The New England defensive backfield stepped it up on Sunday night. They made it exceedingly difficult for Manning, forcing him to thread the needle all night. For all the lunacy of a wide receiver playing cornerback, and all the talk of how New York would exploit Justin Edelman, the unit stepped up big time. If you think about it, there were very few instances in which the backfield got burned. They, and particularly S Patrick Chung, put some big hits on the Giants’ wide receivers. As angry as I was that Chung didn’t get called for a pass interference call early in the game, I have to give him credit. He played well and he hit hard.

Speaking of surprises, as startling as New England’s offensive line and secondary were, you could say the same about the Giants’ rushing attack, which looked dreadful two weeks ago against the 49ers. It was alive and well Sunday night. RB Brandon Jacobs looked as good as I’ve seen him in years, bouncing off would-be tacklers, and Ahmad Bradshaw had that hunger that I haven’t seen in a while out of New York’s running backs. They were mean, lean rushing machines, and indeed, it was as if we were in 2007, once again. Wind might be gone, but we had Earth and Fire running ship. Bradshaw finished with 72 rushing yards. Jacobs finished with 37 rushing yards. Both averaged over four yards a carry. That marked a serious improvement from the Giants’ 3.47 yards-per-carry average during the regular season, which ranked dead-last in the NFL. Their 4.1 team average was also a significant improvement from their 3.1 average in San Francisco.

But enough about the statistics, let me speak from the heart for a few seconds. First of all, all of the credit in the world to the New England Patriots. That is one of the greatest dynasties in NFL history, and no one can take away from Bill Belichick as one of the greatest masterminds in football history and Tom Brady as one of the greatest quarterbacks in football history. But they’ve had their moments. This moment belonged to the Giants, who took us on the ride of a lifetime. When the chips are down, the Giants go to work, and they went to work this season. Four straight losses appeared to doom this team, but they were tough losses to teams like Green Bay, San Francisco and New Orleans. Washington, well that’s another story, but at 6-6, they rebounded with a big comeback win over Dallas, and then at 7-7, they rebounded with two huge wins. And then in the playoffs, there were no easy roads for the Giants. They defeated a pretty good Falcons team in dominant style, and then took on two of the best teams in the National Football League. New York was heavy underdogs in both games, but it didn’t matter as the Giants took on and took down the aerial attack of the Packers and the defensive savvy of the 49ers. They took on the greatest teams in football and pulled it off week after week. They took on the best offense and the best defense, and then in the Super Bowl, they took on one of the best teams in football, period, and they won. Words can’t describe this Giants team, the magical run they went on and how incredible this was to witness. Pride doesn’t begin to describe what I feel right now.

Obviously, it was bittersweet to watch Patriots owner Robert Kraft sit all alone in the press box, his wife having passed away, his 2011-2012 Patriots team having passed away as well, but he should take great comfort in his football team. He is steward of one of the great teams in football history. No one can take that away from him. But now no one can take away from Eli Manning and Tom Coughlin as two of the greats in football history as well. Whether or not their wins and completion percentage numbers ever get them to the Hall of Fame, their clutch performances have already enshrined them a spot in football history, and for two men, who New York once wanted to be rid of, well this is absolutely remarkable, and they deserve all the credit in the world.

Meanwhile, the Northwestern Wildcats, how could I forget about them? A huge win for them today against the Fighting Illini. This wasn’t one of the games I expected them to win, particularly given the drubbing they received at the hands of Illinois last season at Assembly Hall, but they came through this time around, for their first win in Champaign since 1999. A really, really impressive win for Northwestern. One that probably seals a NIT bid, assuming no collapses, and one that certainly brings back some of those NCAA Tournament dreams. Don’t worry, folks, I’ll bring back the chart tomorrow, and we’ll discuss that in much greater detail later on. But for tonight, let’s not talk future, let’s just bask in a great win.

Reggie Hearn is a stud. I mean, who is this kid? He handles the ball beautifully, he plays hard, he grabs offensive rebound, and he shoots the three like a professional. Most importantly, he drives to the hoop. Since when did Northwestern kids do that? Hearn has some serious chops, and it was his play that kept the Wildcats in it going into halftime. Then, it was John Shurna who was flat-out ridiculous in the second half, that brought Northwestern into the win column. We’ve seen his three-point shooting all season, but Sunday saw him put forth his best moves to the basket. He was magical, driving all over, twisting and turning his body, contorting himself into the best possible position, and then hitting his shots time and time again. The win was particularly miraculous given how much Meyers Leonard tortured the Wildcats down low, flushing down dunk after dunk. At times, it seemed impossible to stop him, particularly given Northwestern’s lack of interior defenders, but somehow, by double- and triple-teaming him, the Wildcats found a way. They actually stripped him multiple times in the second half, and did a really nice job of getting under his skin. In addition, to being an irritating twerp in my opinion, he’s a little immature, and Northwestern did a nice job exposing that. One thing that did work in the Wildcats’ favor is that Illinois is apparently the one team in the Big Ten that has as little depth as Northwestern does. Just one bench point combined between the two teams, kind of pathetic, but hey, the Wildcats are just biding their time until Luka Mirkovic and JerShon Cobb make their return. Big step tonight, big step.