Last year, all of NBN except one writer expected the ‘Cats to not make the tournament. Unsurprisingly, our staff is a little more confident this year. Here are our predictions for where NU ends up:
Jono Zarrilli – 23-8, (11-7 B1G), NCAA Tournament: Round of 32
The stock is high on Northwestern Basketball right now, but I’m still bullish. In addition to having more experience than last year and more talent (hello, Aaron Falzon and Rapolas Ivanauskas if they play at … some point), Northwestern benefits from a deep bench and a manageable non-conference schedule. Having the Big Ten’s toughest conference schedule and losing the electric atmosphere of Welsh-Ryan will keep the Wildcats from making as big of a leap as they did last year, but expect the ‘Cats to keep dancing.
Meg Pisarczyk – 24-7 (11-7 B1G), NCAA Tournament: Sweet Sixteen
This season’s team is stacked with almost all of its starters from last year, and that’s going to translate into another NCAA Tournament appearance. In the 2016-17 season, Bryant McIntosh proved himself to be one of the best guards in the conference, but he’s going to want to end his senior season with more of a bang. Scottie Lindsey and Gavin Skelly are in the same boat, and their combination of leadership and scoring ability will help the ‘Cats win tight Big Ten games.
One of the most underrated elements of this season’s team is Coach Collins’ ability to shift around lineups and keep other teams on their toes. Between post players like Dererk Pardon and Barret Benson and shooting threats in Aaron Falzon and Scottie Lindsey, the combination of players on the floor will shift from game to game.
Coach Collins is building a legitimate program, and the puzzle pieces will continue to come together favorably as a result. On top of adding Anthony Gaines to the roster, Collins brought in assistant coach Billy Donlon, who helped Michigan win four games in four days in the Big Ten Championship and advance to the Sweet Sixteen last year. Now that most of the guys on this team know what it’s like to win big games and play in the Tournament, they’re on track to go even further than last year.
Max Lee – 24-7, NCAA Tournament: Sweet Sixteen
The ‘Cats return their top five scorers from a 24-12 team last year, giving them plenty of room for improvement this year, as the chemistry builds and Aaron Falzon and Rapolas Ivanauskas return to fill the spot of departed Sanjay Lumpkin. The team stands to get off to a strong start against a fairly easy early non-conference schedule, though could face a scare against Creighton and Oklahoma. However, the meat of the schedule comes in conference play, where the ‘Cats will struggle to contain Michigan State and Wisconsin, and will be challenged by Minnesota and Purdue late in the season. The strong regular season will take them to the semifinals of the Big Ten tournament and earn them a berth to their second straight March Madness, where they will top last season’s magic by making the Sweet Sixteen.
Duncan Agnew – 25-6 (12-6 B1G), NCAA Tournament: Sweet 16
Northwestern will make a triumphant return to the big dance and play in the tournament’s second weekend for the first time ever. With big men Rapolas Ivanauskas and Aaron Falzon back from injury, the Wildcats will finally have depth in the post behind Dererk Pardon. Expect Pardon to dominate inside against less experienced competition, while the big three of Scottie Lindsey, Bryant McIntosh, and Vic Law facilitate an offense with improved shooting and ball movement. Some key Big Ten matchups include an away game at Purdue on December 3 and a home contest with Minnesota on January 10. While a February 17 showdown with Michigan State will most likely end in a loss, that Saturday at Allstate could feature the biggest regular season game in Northwestern’s history. Ultimately, I see the Wildcats finishing third in the Big Ten behind Michigan State and Minnesota.
Trevor Lystad – 22-9 (11-7 B1G), NCAA Tournament: Round of 32
I think this team struggles a little more than some are predicting. Yes, they’re probably still the best team Northwestern has ever seen, but I think a few different things might hold them back a little bit. First of all, I’m not confident that Aaron Falzon, Scottie Lindsey and Vic Law will stay healthy from start to finish, or that Lindsey will match his production from last year. Moreover, the Big Ten is deeper than we think – unranked teams like Indiana and Maryland have a definite shot at beating the ‘Cats.
To be clear – I think they’ll still make the tournament and have a good year, but I think it’s hard to expect too much improvement from last year’s magic.