MSN Home | Mail | My MSN
Regardless of whether Northwestern goes 2-0, 1-1 or 0-2 this week, besides a possible NIT bid, the only thing that will change is someone else's chances at the NCAA Tournament, and that someone is Indiana. The Hoosiers are streaking - they've won 4 of their last 5, including a big overtime upset of Michigan State. With Bracey Wright back and healthy [he's averaged 29.5 points last week and won the Big 10 Player of the Week award], the 9-5 Hoosiers may be on the bubble, and have Wisconsin in Madison and our Wildcats at home. All they need to make the post season is one win. Sound familiar? Its the same thing facing our Wildcats - we have to win one of the two remaining Big 10 games to finish above .500 and stay eligible for at least the NIT. You know that a couple of the Cats are looking for redemption - Mohamed Hachad was talking about playing his game after the Michigan win, Davor Duvancic had hoped to go out with a post season appearance, T.J. Parker has worked too hard this year to not get some recognition, not to diminish Vedran Vukusic's play this season. All of these guys expected to make the NCAA Tournament this year for the first time ever - but something broke down and the Cats never seemed to be able to put it all together. Maybe it was all the new guys, maybe its the guys who aren't here any more, maybe its the "vibes" in Welsh-Ryan, its hard to say, but some Indiana pundits are already expecting wins this week, comparing the prospect of two losses by the Hoosiers in this final week to the Chernobyl meltdown. The 10 men who will probably have the most to say about Indiana's chances at getting to the dance will be working out all week in Evanston. It won't be some apocalyptic event if the Cats don't win one this week, but it sure would shake up the Big 10's "elite" if we continued our home and Big 10 streak. And ya know? I really think we can.
