The Wildcat men’s basketball team fell to the Minnesota Gophers 66-53 today in the first round of the Big Ten tournament. The loss effectively puts an end to the ‘Cats hopes for an at-large berth for the NCAA tournament.
Senior guard Kevin Coble was the only Wildcat to score in the double digits, finishing with 21 points — including 19 in the first half — and six rebounds. The Wildcats shot 33 percent from the floor, 12 points shy of their season average.
Minnesota held a firm lead throughout most of the first half, leading by as much as 14. Junior Devron Bostick scored 11 points off the bench in the first half to help propel the Gophers early in the game. Aside from three-pointers by senior Craig Moore and freshman John Shurna, Coble was NU’s lone scorer in the first half.
Despite an excellent showing early in the second half, the Wildcats weren’t able to completely overcome the Gophers’ early momentum. A two-point layup by sophomore Michael Thompson in the middle of the second half put Northwestern in the lead -– but only briefly. Minnesota’s Lawrence Westbrook was the top scorer in the second half with 14 points.
Slow starts have been a problem for the ‘Cats all season and it’s a problem that needs to be addressed, especially if Northwestern is invited to the NIT. A trip to the NIT isn’t out of the question for the Wildcats, but Northwestern must now wait until Selection Sunday to learn their fate.