Northwestern Basketball

Northwestern’s upset of No. 7 Michigan State was still fresh in the minds of the Northwestern community as Wednesday’s game began.  Even at halftime, it seemed as if Northwestern’s season might be turning around with a potential win over the Wisconsin Badgers, a team barely out of the Top 25.

The second half of play in Madison erased all that hope.  The Wildcats were outscored by 18 points and Jordan Taylor of Wisconsin led the hailstorm of threes that devastated Northwestern’s defense.

Only days after the season seemed to be turning around, the ‘Cats may still be on the path away from the Dance.

How it happened

After Wisconsin immediately jumped out to a small lead, Northwestern reeled the game back in and controlled the pace for much of the first half.  Heading into the locker room at halftime, it was a competitive two-point game in favor of the Badgers.

The second half was all Wisconsin—the Badgers hit three three-pointers in a row, two coming from Taylor.  Wisconsin extended its lead to 23 points behind 12 three-pointers.

Outscored by 18 points in the second half, the ‘Cats looked devoid of life, hitting only seven shots in 20 minutes.

Carmody called only one timeout and was called for an uninspiring technical foul.  John Shurna and Drew Crawford both tried to spark the offense in the second half, but each went two-for-six from the floor.

A Wisconsin alley-oop with three minutes left on the clock sealed the game, and the Wildcats limped out of the second half with a 20-point loss, 77-57. 

Obvious problems

This game was a tale of two teams, and the second-half Wildcats encountered problems that will have serious ramifications if they persist down the stretch in Big Ten play.

One game after a breakout performance from Davide Curletti, Northwestern’s big men are back to mediocre play.

Curletti got the start, a move many fans have been calling for from coach Bill Carmody.  However, Curletti missed the front end of two 1-and-1 free-throw opportunities, scored only two points and snagged an only slightly better six rebounds.

When Luka Mirkovic came in for Curletti, Mirkovic quickly missed two free throws and was then scored on the next two possessions down the court.  He took zero shots, pulled in one rebound and played just nine minutes.

Rebounding was also an issue for the team.  Although Wisconsin grabbed only eight more rebounds than the ‘Cats, nine total Wisconsin rebounds were offensive and allowed the Badgers to restart offensive possessions after running deep into the shot clock.

During the crushing second half, Carmody could not find something that worked for his team.  If he cannot find success by changing his team’s strategy mid-game, Northwestern will not fare well in the rest of its tough Big Ten schedule.

The positives

This game does not mean the season is over.  The team was able to perform as well as it did without the help of junior guard Alex Marcotullio and sophomore guard JerShon Cobb, who were both out with injuries. 

It is questionable, though, when the two will be 100 percent again.  Marcotullio suffered a head injury in the game against Michigan State, and Cobb has reoccurring hip problems.

Carmody also showed the foresight to test the team with neither Mirkovic nor Curletti in for minutes at a time.  This is important for next year when the team will lose the two players and Shurna—three of the team’s four tallest athletes.

Undersized and undermanned, the defense was superb throughout almost all of the game.

On most possessions, Wisconsin would be forced to play deep into the shot clock without getting off a clean shot.  Unfortunately for Northwestern, last second shots were able to find their way into the basket.

However, with a few more seconds of lock-down defense or with a harder rim, Northwestern’s tight defense shows potential to shut down any shooter in the Big Ten.

Even without an amazing performance, Shurna was able to contribute 19 points and Crawford's 17 showed off his superb athleticism.

Finally, freshman guard Dave Sobolewski has big shoes to fill as Michael “Juice” Thompson’s replacement, but he is doing a surprisingly good job so far—running a complex offense and providing energy on defense. 

What this means for the postseason

The win over Michigan State is good for the “marquee win” column of the résumé, but it will not get the ‘Cats into the NCAA Tournament.

Now, it looks like Northwestern needs to go above .500 throughout the remaining 12 games in its Big Ten schedule to keep the chance of a Tournament birth alive.  A run in the Big Ten Tournament would also be a good selling point.

The ‘Cats have not fared well in Big Ten play in the past, so they need to win the games they are expected to win and compete in the rest of the competitions.  Wins over Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska and Penn State are a must.

Next up is Minnesota in Minneapolis.  In past years, Minnesota and Northwestern have been well matched with the ‘Cats gaining the edge last year.

Both teams come into this competition 2-4 in the conference, and both teams need a win to get back on track in Big Ten play.

It was about half an hour to game time, and the old wooden bleachers were beginning to fill. This was a good sign, as a full student section is a precious rarity in Northwestern’s Welsh-Ryan Arena. 

However, as a Big Ten Network cameraman attempted to film the necessary b-roll footage of screaming fans, it was nearly impossible for him to get a group of students on its feet and cheering, even for television cameras.

Fast forward to midway through the second half. Senior forward John Shurna makes a play on the ball to force a turnover and, after a feed from junior guard Reggie Hearn, slams home a mighty jam.

Welsh-Ryan has never been louder.

After disappointing and disheartening losses to Illinois and Michigan, Northwestern basketball took a huge step toward becoming a legitimate basketball community with its 81-74 home win against the seventh-ranked Michigan State Spartans, and it was only in part due to the on-court performance.

The fans, the atmosphere, the visuals and the decibel level in Welsh-Ryan were the game’s true victors. The praise goes to the Wildside, the Northwestern athletic department and the core of dedicated fans.

The Wildside is a student group that was started last year to organize the fan section. Since its inception, it has promoted games, organized pep-rally type events and coordinated incentives and giveaways to fill the student section.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQ1ZBfgJWzE

The arena is always rocking when Illinois, Michigan State or highly ranked opponents such as Ohio State come to town, so with Michigan State on the docket, the Wildside and the athletic department went all out to fill the crowd.

The Wildside gave out 1500 black Northwestern T-shirts to achieve a “blackout” in conjunction with the team wearing special black home jerseys. The student group also ran a competition in which the Greek organization with the best fan representation won $500.

Its latest initiative is to find a core group of students who will lead the fan section in cheers and general enthusiasm. This comes as a response to a fan who posted a video of Duke’s Cameron Crazies on the Wildside’s Facebook page and asked why Northwestern fans were not as dedicated.

From the university’s side, the athletic department has been investing heavily in marketing in an attempt to build excitement. Since Morton “Morty” Schapiro took over as university president in 2009, the athletic department has had the ability to be more aggressive in certain areas of spending, including public relations.

The “Chicago’s Big Ten Team” campaign is still young, but has gone past Evanston to billboards around the Chicagoland area and has featured advertisements in publications such as Sports Illustrated.

Athletic department spending reached out to individual sports with the PersaStrong campaign for football, and the marching band and spirit squad are now funded with athletic department money.  The Michigan State game even featured brand new uniforms for the basketball band.

Positive results are already being seen around the department, with massive increases in attendance at football games and season tickets being sold for the first time for the successful women’s lacrosse program.

There is the possibility of a bright future in Northwestern athletics and especially fan participation. This climate set the stage for the loyal fans to spark a great night in Northwestern basketball history.

The band that never even thinks of sitting during game play, the alumnus who always sits in the first row and jumps onto the court with excitement during intense games, and the hardhat wearing, purple covered student who never misses a home basketball game—men’s or women’s— are the core group that lit up Welsh-Ryan.

The cameraman did not to need fake b-roll from before the game. He needed to keep filming after the final buzzer when the fans stormed the court to celebrate with their team. 

The new court, courtesy of more funding, was covered with a jubilant crowd donning black and purple. Somewhere in the crowd there was even a Serbian flag waving for senior center Luka Mirkovic.

As the court emptied after the playing of the Alma Mater, Welsh-Ryan finished watching one of the greatest performances ever by Northwestern basketball fans. Now, the question is how to grab that momentum and ride it into the fabled NCAA tournament.

The Northwestern Wildcats are now included with Duke and North Carolina in rather exclusive company. 

After a surprising 81-74 win over No. 7 Michigan State in Evanston on Saturday afternoon, Northwestern joins Duke and UNC as the only teams to have beaten the Spartans this year. 

The Wildcats dealt Michigan State their first loss in Big Ten play, and ended a 15-game winning streak that dated back to November 15.

Going in, it seemed as though Michigan State would be able to maintain its spot at the top of the Big Ten with another win. 

The Spartans won by 15 over Indiana in their Big Ten opener.  They also pulled out a gutsy overtime win at Wisconsin.  Despite the Badgers' recent struggles, that is always an extremely difficult place to win basketball games. 

The matchup against Northwestern would not stack up to those two in terms of the challenge the Spartans would face.

However, as we’ve already seen plenty of times in just the first two weeks of conference play, road games against conference foes are never easy, regardless of record or recent performance. 

More importantly, Northwestern came into this game with a sense of urgency after missing out on a chance for a key win earlier this week.

Northwestern let one get away this past Wednesday at No. 13 Michigan, losing 66-64 in overtime.  The Wildcats had control of the game early in the second half, leading by as many as 10.

However, they began to crumble under the pressure—both of the situation and the Michigan defense—and gave the Wolverines the chance to win a game they probably should not have.

Playing back at home on Saturday was a different story for Northwestern.

After a small early deficit, the Wildcats pulled ahead by two at the half thanks to a late three by John Shurna.  Then, five minutes into the second half—at about the same point in the game where they began to fold against Michigan—the Wildcats made their move. 

Reggie Hearn had back-to-back baskets to spark a 16-6 Northwestern run, capped off by a Shurna dunk that put them ahead by 12 with nine minutes to play. 

At that point, the game was still well in doubt, but the possibility of a Wildcat upset was also very real.

Michigan State did make one brief push, cutting the lead to four with about five minutes to play, but ultimately got no closer.  Unlike the Michigan game, Northwestern did an excellent job of protecting the basketball against the Spartans’ man pressure. 

The Wildcats also continued to attack the basket after getting the Spartan big men away from the interior.  That led to repeated trips to the foul line, which helped preserve the huge win for Northwestern.

The unsung hero for Northwestern in this one was Davide Curletti.  

The senior forward saw a career-high 36 minutes on the floor, mostly in place of starting center Luka Mirkovic.  Curletti made a huge impact on the offensive end, consistently rolling to the basket after bringing Spartan defenders away from the middle.  His 17 points—also a career-high—gave the Wildcats an additional scoring dimension not really seen thus far this season. 

This win did two things for Northwestern.

One, it gave them a signature win over a team who should challenge for the Big Ten title and likely wind up back in the nation’s top 10. 

Two, it puts the Wildcats in a bit less dire situation than they would have faced had they lost.

At just 1-3 in the Big Ten coming into the weekend, a Wildcat loss would have meant being 1-4 with a road trip to Wisconsin and Minnesota coming up this week.  Winning in Madison is always tough, and Minnesota may be poised to turn things around after winning at Indiana on Thursday. 

Losing both of those games—a very real possibility—might have completely erased any hopes of a possible NCAA Tournament bid this season.

While they still have plenty of work to do, the Wildcats have now gained some crucial confidence that comes from beating a top-10 team.  They will need to call on that confidence at least a few more times this season in order to beat teams like Purdue, Illinois and Michigan. 

Northwestern ultimately will need a couple of wins over teams like those in order to make the NCAA Tournament.

Someone led Northwestern in scoring with 28 points on Friday.  And it was not John Shurna.  In fact, Shurna barely scored half that total.

To anyone who follows Northwestern, or the Big Ten in general, you would assume that if Shurna put up only 15 points, the Wildcats would not win. 

That was not the case on Friday in Charleston, as Drew Crawford led Northwestern to a four-point win over Tulsa.  The win puts the Wildcats in the Charleston Classic Final against Seton Hall on Sunday.

Crawford’s 28—his highest scoring game since a 35-point effort against North Carolina A&T in 2009—came a day after Shurna led Northwestern with 37 in a win over LSU.  He took over the game for the Wildcats in the middle of the first half and led the team into the half scoring 20 of the team’s 37 points. 

Crawford scored in numerous ways—he attacked the basket both in the half court and in transition, and then using that attacking ability against Tulsa defenders to create space and knock down three-point shots.  He made 3-of-4 threes in the first half and 5-of-8 for the game. 

He also made some plays around the basket as well, grabbing four rebounds and flying into the paint to grab a deflected pass late in the first half, leading to a Wildcat basket. 

Now a junior, Crawford seems to have nicely filled the role as the team’s second fiddle to Shurna.  After the departure of Michael Thompson, the team’s second leading scorer a year ago, Crawford was expected to step in and give Bill Carmody a consistent second scoring option.  In three games so far, Crawford has gradually increased his offensive production, scoring 11, then 17, then 28.  He also has improved dramatically on his three-point shooting thus far, making 50 percent (8-of-16) of his outside shots after shooting just under 33 percent last season.

At 6’5”, Crawford provides a multidimensional scoring ability that will be a huge asset in Carmody’s motion offense.  Like Shurna, he has the ability to shoot over smaller defenders.  If he hits shots and draws the attention of a forward on D, then Crawford has the quickness and controlled aggressiveness to take the ball to the basket and get points that way.

In an offense where most players rely on motion and passing to get good scoring looks, Crawford’s ability to create his own scoring opportunities is a big plus for Northwestern.  If defenses, especially those in the Big Ten, commit to containing Shurna, having Crawford there to step up and get points could easily make the difference in at least a few games this season. 

One area where Crawford will need to improve is passing, where he is averaging just one assist per game thus far.  He will need to keep an eye out for an open shooter as defenses close on him when he goes to the bucket.  However, given his consistent improvement throughout his time in Evanston, expect him to improve his passing as the season goes on—especially as defenses key in on him more.

On Sunday against Seton Hall, Crawford will look to pick up where he left off Friday.  It is a nice opportunity for Crawford and Northwestern to win an early-season tournament, and rack up three decent nonconference wins. 

For a team that—you know, has never made the dance—these wins could be very valuable come February and March, when the Wildcats try to pitch their case to the NCAA selection committee.

With the circus that has unfolded in Northwestern country over John Shurna declaring for the NBA draft, news over an assistant coach leaving does not make headlines. Fans will realize that the "agent-less" Shurna will not leave school early just to become an undrafted free agent and life will go back to normal.

Shurna would be returning to a team that's only major loss on the court is bulldog point guard Michael "Juice" Thompson. However, it is a coaching loss that no one is talking about that might be a larger blow in the long run.

Last week, assistant coach Mitch Henderson accepted the head coaching job at his alma mater, Princeton University.

Henderson, who spent 11 years on Bill Carmody's bench, was hired for his ability to recruit players to buy into the Princeton style offense. While fellow assistant Tavaris Hardy strived in recruiting the inner city players, Henderson was more of a suburban extraordinaire.

He recruited the Glen Ellyn native Shurna, and was in the process of landing next year's top recruit, John Cannon. Cannon, a 6'11" center from the North Carolina suburb of Burnsville, would be the first reliable big man the school has had in its history.

With the loss of Henderson, Northwestern loses a star recruiter and a brilliant coach, who has been accredited with helping mold Thompson and Drew Crawford into offensive threats. The 'Cats' sudden rise to notoriety can be accredited to Henderson's ability to have suburban players, who would be stars on mid-major programs, to buy in on having a smaller role in a more complex offense.

The big question now for Northwestern is who will fill Henderson's void. Lead candidates include recent graduate and three-point assassin Craig Moore and current Director of Men's Basketball Operations Joe Kennedy.

Northwestern’s John Shurna has entered his name into the NBA draft, but has not signed with an agent.  The 6’6" junior forward will have until May 8th to withdraw his name from the draft if he decides to return for his senior season.  Northwestern Head Coach Bill Carmody commented on Shurna’s decision in a statement released by the school, “It’s a chance for him to pursue his dream and we look forward to helping him gather information throughout the process."

Shurna averaged 23.3 PPG before suffering an ankle injury at the end of the non-conference part of the schedule.  The injury hampered Shurna the rest of the season and his scoring a rebounding were down from his sophomore season as a result.  He finished the season averaging 16.6 PPG and 4.9 RPG after putting up 18.2 and 6.4 in 2010.  The third team All-Big Ten performer improved his shooting to career bests 48.1 percent from the floor and 43.4 percent on three-point attempts.

Shurna requested an evaluation from the NBA advisory panel last week.  The Chicago Tribune reported that ESPN’s Chad Ford ranks Shurna as just the 127^th best prospect in this year’s draft.  Speculation is that Shurna is entering his name to see what he needs to work on to get drafted in 2012.  Shurna scored 1,150 points over the last two seasons and earned the nation’s most improved player from the Sporting News in 2010.

If he returns, the Wildcats will return four starters as they try to make the first NCAA Tournament appearance in school history.

With the NCAA tournament almost over, college basketball will be a footnote in the sports world for the next five months. While attention from the outside world will focus on baseball, along with the hockey and basketball playoffs, teams will start preparing for next season.

On the campus of Northwestern University, the preparation will start in order to send the 'Cats to their first NCAA tournament in program history.

Finding a way to beat in-conference powerhouses without the services of point guard Michael "Juice" Thompson will be a challenge. However, the baby-faced assassin, power forward John Shurna, will look to carry the team on his back.

Drew Crawford and the new-found diamond in the rough, Alex Marcotullio, both will have a larger role in the Princeton offense next season.

There is one man though that could be labeled as the proverbial "X-factor" on the 2011-2012 team.

Over the course of the history of Northwestern University basketball, there is one position that has put the team at a disadvantage.

With the exception of Evan Eschmeyer, Northwestern has never had a center that could handle the physicality that comes with playing down low in the Big Ten. While other teams sent out future lottery picks, the 'Cats had scrawny players that were afraid to use their body. This is seen by the fact that Northwestern has never out-rebounded its opponents this century.

In the Princeton offense that Northwestern features, the center is never seen as a scoring threat, but still must have the ability to rebound. What has to change to finally send this program over the hump is that a dominant center, who can score as well as rebound, must emerge.

Enter Luka Mirkovic.

Mirkovic comes across as a stereotypical Northwestern center. A lightweight postman with an unusual name, who is handicapped by big men who can score and box out such as JaJuan Johnson and Jared Sullinger.

However, Mirkovic brings aspects to the table that separate him from centers of the past. The man plays with a swagger that is not common with a team that has the name of such a distinguished institution on their chest.

Wearing a mask that makes him look like a poor man's Richard Hamilton, Mirkovic is the prime target of opponent's student sections. He embraces the taunts and uses them as motivation.

After draining threes at the conference opener at Purdue, Mirkovic threw three fingers in the air, which prompted the Boilermaker faithful to scream profanities. The center claimed that it was not indicating the points he just put up on the scoreboard, instead a gesture to his country, Serbia.

His 7.6 PPG and 5.2 RPG last season are not outstanding compared to the other centers in the nation, but by Northwestern standards, they are above average. These stats were not seen when the likes of Nikola Baran and Ivan Tolic patrolled the post.

The recent postseason appearances can, in part, be a credit to Mirkovic's increase in play. Still, the Serbian center must continue to get better. His perceived lackluster numbers have not translated to an NCAA tournament appearance yet, making this year important.

Coach Bill Carmody knows what he will get from a healthy John Shurna and what the combo of Crawford and Marcotullio will provide, but Mirkovic is always a mystery. Mirkovic has shown in spurts that he can play with the big boys, but must show it every game, especially in Big Ten play.

It is difficult to imagine a team making the NCAA tournament with a center that gets tossed around every game.

If Northwestern wants to get the monkey off its back and finally go dancing, Mirkovic must continue to crash the boards, especially on offense. Mirkovic must find enough confidence in his shot that he will take the open looks on the key that are given to him when Shurna is double-teamed.

Every time he gets the ball above the free throw line, a collective "No" should not be slipping from NU fans' mouths.

The mentality is there for Mirkovic, but the skill must compensate with that toughness. Trips to the weight-room and hours practicing his jump shots will pay dividends for Mirkovic's game. This will be the difference between the typical ending of another season without dancing and a historic campaign for a program vying to be the next Butler Bulldogs.

If there is one word to describe the Northwestern University men's basketball program, it would be unique.

It is not just unique because the Wildcats are the lone team in all of the major conferences to have never made it to the NCAA tournament. Not just unique because of the time-consuming, clock-crunching offense that they play. The Wildcats are unique becuse of the type of players they send out on the court.

Looking through a media guide showcasing NU's basketball history, names such as Nikola Baran, Jean-Marc Melchoir and Vedran Vukusic appear. These sound more like names on the 1980 Soviet national hockey team, never mind a college basketball team.

Countless years in the program’s history have been spent as being the laughingstock of the Big Ten. How could a team compete with the likes of Michigan State and Ohio State with starters that would be lucky to see the court at mid-major programs?

Northwestern had to find an innovative way to recruit players to an institution as academically rich as Stanford, but had as much basketball success as Chicago State.

Head coach Bill Carmody knew that a fresh style of recruiting needed to be implemented. So he hired former Northwestern standout Tavaras Hardy, who brought a mindset that, over time, Northwestern would have the ability to build a program by recruiting different types of "unique" players.

Hardy's first class featured a young kid from the city of Chicago that was overlooked for his size. He successfully competed in the tough Chicago Public League and carried a high GPA, making him a diamond in the rough. Michael "Juice" Thompson became the first building block put in place by the Carmody-Hardy combo.

Right away Juice was given the keys to run the offense. He learned during a 2007-2008 season in which his team finished 8-22 and had one lone win in conference play. However, Juice led the team in assists and was the vocal leader on the floor.

The next challenge the coaching staff faced was finding pieces to mesh with Juice.

The second piece would come in the form of a baby-faced suburban kid named John Shurna. With a unique-looking shot, Shurna was projected as a bench player for his entire four years in Evanston. Three years later he is considered as one of the top 50 players in the country, finishing in the top 10 in several offense categories in the conference.

Behind the leadership of Thompson and Shurna, the Cats have gone from an 8-22 team to one who has reached the NIT the past three years. The culture is changing in Evanston, but in a way that nobody expected.

Throw in last season's co-Big Ten Freshman of the Year, Drew Crawford, and the Wildcats have their own "Big Three" who average over 45 points per game. Players such as Luka Mirkovic and Mike Capocci, who both bring tremendous energy every game, were both overlooked coming out of high school for being too soft.

Even with the ability to detect the undetectable, the Cats never received national credit for their recruiting. This is because they never seemed to land a "big fish." That all changed when Northwestern landed guard JerShon Cobb.

Cobb, who was recruited by none other than Tavaras Hardy, became the first player in school history projected in several databases as a top-100 recruit.

In his freshman campaign Cobb has been a steady force at the 2-guard position when healthy. This is just the beginning of this new movement of recruiting. Next season guard Tre Demps will join the powerful Cats' lineup.

Demps has been compared to a taller version of Thompson who can handle the ball and play solid defense. Hardy's signing of Demps is just another sign of the change in culture happening in the northern suburb of Chicago.

Even with Thompson graduating after this season, Northwestern is now built as a team that can have success down the road.

Hoping to go dancing for the first time in school history, Northwestern is optimistic that all their pieces will combine to form the perfect puzzle sooner rather than later.

The team is now filled with players whose names announcers can pronounce and who can also compete against the nation's elite. Who would have thought that this four-year turnaround would happen at a small institution in Evanston, Illinois?

Northwestern's 85-67 NIT second-round win at Boston College has earned the Wildcats a trip to Pullman, Washington for a quarterfinal meeting with Washington State.

The victory over BC makes this arguably Northwestern’s most successful season ever.

Five Wildcats scored in double figures in the victory over the Eagles. The Wildcats used a 15-4 run, spanning the halves, in NU's deepest postseason tournament run in school history.

NU’s Balanced Offense the Difference.

NU’s starters played all but 27 minutes.  Michael Thompson and John Shurna led the offense.  Shurna scored 20-points, had nine rebounds and four assists. Center Luka Mirkovic had arguably his best game with 13-points, five rebounds and seven assists.  Drew Crawford scored-13 and Alex Marcotuli finished with a dozen.

Carcotulio Steps Up.

Since being inserted into the starting lineup, Alex Marcotulio has stepped up his game.  Marcotulio is averaging only 5.9-PPG on the season, but 12.4-points over the last five games. Against BC, Marcotulio scored 12-points, shot 3-of-8 on three pointers and grabbed four rebounds.

Cobb Returns.

After missing the previous five games with a hip injury, Jershon Cobb returned and played 10 minutes. Cobb’s minutes are expected to increase against Washington State. Cobb didn’t score but contributed two rebounds and one assist.

Thompson Turning It On.

Michael Thompson has turned it on as the games have become more important.

In the Wildcats' last eight games, Thompson is averaging 21.6-PPG and shooting 47.1 percent from three-point range. He has also made 33 consecutive free throws.

Shurna Continues To Surge.

After struggling in the middle of the season with injuries, John Shurna has returned to his early-season form.  In his last three games, the junior forward is averaging 22.6-PPG and 6.0-RPG.  He is shooting 53.3 percent from the floor, 78.5 percent from the line and has connected on 37.5 percent of his tries beyond the arc.

If he scores at least 12-points against Washington State, Shurna will break Evan Eschmeyer’s two-season Northwestern scoring record with 1,154 points.

Defense and Rebounding.

A problem all season long, NU’s defense and rebounding more than held their own at BC. 

BC shot 52.2 percent from the floor, but made just 5-of-15 on three-point attempts. The Wildcats out-rebounded Boston College 27-18. BC’s leading scorer Reggie Jackson was first-team All-ACC, but the Wildcats were able to hold him to just eight points on 2-of-8 shooting including 0-of-3 from downtown.

Scouting Washington State.

The Cougars have advanced to the NIT quarterfinals with home wins over Long Beach State and Oklahoma State. 

After playing a more deliberate offense in the Tony Bennett era, the Cougars play up-tempo under Ken Bone. They average 73.5 PPG on the season, 51st in Division 1. In the NIT, the Cougars have scored 159-points in two games, and given up just 138. They are also a good shooting team, hitting on 46.1 percent of their field goal attempts, good enough for 56th nationally. The Cougars rank just 201st in rebounding.

Wazzu is led by junior guard Klay Thompson, who finished the season ranked eighth nationally in scoring at 22.1 PPG.  Thompson has 46-points in his first two NIT games. Thompson also led the Cougars in assists and steals. Faisal Aden and DeAngelo Castro are the only other Cougars that score in double figures.

Washington State announced on Tuesday that Castro has been suspended because of a violation of team rules. Casto is the team’s leading rebounder at 6.8 RPG. The next closest Cougar on the boards is Thompson at 5.2 rebounds per game. Brock Motum and Abe Lodwick are likely to get the bulk of Casto’s minutes at forward. They combined for 26-points and 10 boards in the win over the Cowboys.

In the win over Oklahoma State, Washington State got to the line and converted. The Cougars made 22 of 26 free throws, making up for a 41 percent shooting night from the floor against OSU.

Matching Up.

Northwestern has struggled this season with good shooting teams that can rebound.  Washington State ranks 51st in scoring and 54th in field goal percentage. The Cougars are just 201st in rebounding, a factor that should help the Wildcats.

Klay Thompson should be able to get his points, but without Casto, the Cougars are likely to struggle inside. Motum has shown flashes this season, but can break out with the opponent able to game plan for him.  The 6’10" Aussie has proven he can score with eight double-digit scoring outings this season, but he is yet to reach double figures in rebounds.

Casto’s suspension will force Wazzu to lean more on Thompson.  With Shurna and Michael Thompson both playing at a high level, Northwestern matches up well with the Cougars.

If the Wildcats can continue 5to play good defense and rebound, they have a great chance to advance to their first NIT Final Four. 

After winning its first post-season win since 1994, Northwestern will next play at Boston College on Saturday at 10 a.m. CST in the NIT second round.

John Shurna scored 25 points and Michael Thompson had 20 in a 70-61 Northwestern victory over Milwaukee.

Northwestern 70 Milwaukee 61

In a game of runs, Northwestern’s 18-0 first half run was ultimately the difference.Northwestern held Milwaukee scoreless for over nine minutes in the first half, as they turned around a 16-13 deficit into a 32-16 lead.

Northwestern used its 1-3-1 zone to frustrate Milwaukee offensively. They were able to maintain the lead for the entire second half.

The Panthers had a late 9-0 run to cut the deficit from 15 to six. Thompson and Shurna then hit back-to-back three point shots to extend the lead back to 12 and the game wasn’t in doubt from there.  

Getting Shurna going has been important for Northwestern the last two games. The junior forward scored just 41points in the previous five games. He now has 48 in his last two. Asked about the importance of one of his stars, NU coach Bill Carmody was quoted on NUSports.Com about Shurna “We thought we would get some open looks tonight. Maybe it helped his confidence, but he has been playing better”

Boston College Saturday

Northwestern next travels to Boston College for brunch at Chestnut Hill. The Eagles and Wildcats will have an 1 1a.m. EDT (10 a.m. CDT) tip-off Saturday. 

BC advanced to the second round with an 82-64 victory over McNeese State. The Eagles raced out to a 41-19 advantage at halftime and never led by less than 12 in the second half. BC shot 53 percent from the floor, 47.8 percent on three-pointers and out-rebounded the Cowboys 40-26.

Scouting BC

BC's strength has been their balance and experience."It's a veteran team that can score," said Camody to  NUSports.Com "They're well-coached, they have seniors and guys that have played a lot, fifth-year guys."

The Eagles have eight seniors, three juniors and two freshmen on their roster. Four players average in double figures (three seniors and one junior).

Junior Guard Reggie Jackson leads the Eagles—averaging 18.5 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 4.5 APG, while shooting 42.8 percent on threes. Guards Danny Rubin and Biko Paris also shoot well from beyond the arc.  Rubin connects on 43.4 percent and Paris makes 41.7 percent on threes.

As a team, BC connects on 38.2 percent of their three-point attempts, which ranks as 27^th in the country. The Wildcats are just a shade behind BC making 37.5 percent on threes, 42^nd in the country. NU is fourth nationally and BC fifth in three-point shots made per game.

BC is an excellent shooting team. NU’s field goal percentage defense has been a struggle all-season, though. The Wildcats allowed their opponents to shoot 46.8 percent from the floor this season. That ranked 314^th out of 335 teams nationally. 

The Wildcats have also struggled on the boards with a negative 3.7 rebounding margin, as they match up well with BC on the boards. The Eagles’ opponents had 16 more rebounds than them this season. Forward Joe Trapani led BC in rebounding with seven per game this season.

Three-point field-goal percentage defense could be a key. BC ranks 208^th and Northwestern 209^th defensively against the trey. Opponents shoot 35 percent beyond the arc against both Northwestern and Boston College.

BC’s Balance

Jackson, Paris, Trapani and Corey Raji average in double figures for the Eagles. 

Jackson was selected as a first-team All-ACC performer and Trapani was third-team All-ACC.  Due to their balance, BC doesn’t have to rely on one player to carry the team every night.

Marcotulio Steps Up

After freshman starting guard Jershon Cobb went out with a hip injury six games ago, Sophomore guard Alex Marcotulio was inserted into the lineup.

He has stepped it up over the last four games averaging 12.5 PPG, made 10 of 13 from the free throw line and shot 37 percent on three-pointers.

Not Bad Little Brother

Eagle Senior Forward Corey Raji is the brother of Green Bay Packer defense tackle.Despite coming off the bench, Raji is the Eagles' third leading scorer and second leading rebounder. He has started ten games this season including more later in the season. 

Another Run for Coach Donahue?

Boston College Head Coach Steve Donahue is in his first season at Chestnut Hill. Donahue led Cornell to the Sweet 16 last season after upsetting Wisconsin and Temple. The Big Red won the Ivy League in his final three seasons to earn three NCAA Tournament berths.

Outlook for the NIT Sweet 16

The second round match-up between the top seeded Eagles and fourth seeded Wildcats should be an entertaining one. These are two of the top three-point shooting teams in the country, as they have each been through the battles of an BCS conference season.

After NCAA Tournament aspirations earlier this season, both BC and NU want to make a statement: that they belonged in the big dance by making a deep run in the NIT.

ESPN will televise the game Saturday.