Northwestern Wildcats Close out Season with Tough Big Ten Schedule

With 10 games remaining of conference play before the Big Ten Tournament, the Wildcats look to make a case for their first ever NCAA Tournament berth.  They are currently 12-8 overall and 2-6 in conference heading into the final stretch of the season.  

Three straight Big Ten losses after a signature win against Michigan State have nearly killed Northwestern's Tournament hopes, and the 'Cats now have 10 regular season games and the Big Ten Tournament to prove themselves ready.

The 'Huskers have a marquee win against Indiana, but the rest of their inaugural Big Ten campaign has been less than stellar.  The 'Cats need a win after three straight losses and will get one at home, welcoming Nebraska to the Big Ten in style in both football and basketball.

Can the 'Cats even the series against in-state rival Illinois, who is beginning to flail in Big Ten play?  It is never an easy task to win in front of the Orange Krush in Assembly Hall, but the 'Cats are not ready to give up their hopes of making the Dance and emerge victorious over Bruce Weber's squad.

Iowa's program seems to be making a resurgence with wins on the road at Wisconsin and Minnesota and at home against Michigan.  However, Northwestern's Wildside is beginning to create a true home court advantage in Evanston, and the 'Cats win three straight.

Northwestern begins a tough two-game road trip through Indiana.  Purdue wants to regain its swagger at home, so they pull out another nail-biter.  Look for this to be a hard-fought game, though.

Northwestern drops its second straight in Indiana.  The Hoosiers are finally remembering why they are at the heart of basketball country.

Before the blowout in Minnesota, the two teams had split the last 22 games they played in the past 10 years.  Northwestern wants to restore the balance and shows that it can compete with a vital home win.

Michigan has had trouble on the road, but Northwestern has had trouble finishing close games this year, even at home.  Michigan steals a tough game.

The whole Penn State community seems to be having a tough year.  The Nittany Lions have not been able to slow down many teams this year, and they will not get in Northwestern's way.

Last year, Northwestern dropped a game at home to the No. 1 ranked team by one point and then lost in the Big Ten Tournament in overtime.  This year, the Buckeyes do not seem to need last second heroics and questionable officiating to get past the Wildcats.

Northwestern wants this game more than Iowa and takes a close one on the road to keep its NCAA Tournament hopes distant, but alive.  In the words of The Daily Iowan after a loss in football in 2010, "The Northwestern Wildcats are the destroyers of dreams and the slayers of hope."

If Northwestern goes 6-4 in these final 10 games, the 'Cats will finish the season 8-10 in conference.  It would take a mighty Big Ten Tournament run to secure a bid to go Dancing.