BTNs Jon Crispin: Northwestern has something special brewing

[BleedGopher]

per Crispin:

Walking into Welsh-Ryan Arena, you can feel the energy in the building. It felt more like what I observed at Shaka Smart’s VCU practices last season than what you’d expect from an Ivy League-like Big Ten school. The energy was high. Communication was constant and contagious. This is important because this is how you build a culture that plays and practices to win. I got the sense that this team has a belief in itself. They have a coach that played with confidence and swagger and that mindset has been transferred to his team. If you look back at last season, there were numerous close games that were lost down the stretch. If last year’s team had the swagger and belief that this team seems to have, a lot of those games could have gone the other way. There’s clearly a new culture and new attitude in Evanston. This team no longer expects to compete, they expect to win.

http://btn.com/2015/10/21/jon-crispin-northwestern-has-something-special-brewing/

Go Gophers!!

 

[scher215]

Will believe it when I see it. I think every year an article like this comes out and every year Northwestern misses the tourney. Not saying they won't, but I'm always skeptical with them.

 

[cjbfbp]

Will believe it when I see it. I think every year an article like this comes out and every year Northwestern misses the tourney. Not saying they won't, but I'm always skeptical with them.

They could miss the NCAA tourney while still having a much better season. Iowa missed the tourney with 21 wins three years ago but finished with 25 wins by placing second in the NIT. At the time, that was a pretty good season for Iowa, and that would be a pretty good season by Northwestern standards. I would be positively ecstatic if Minnesota could come close to that this year. Unfortunately for NW, they do lose one of the best centers in the Big Ten and a tough senior guard after this season.

 

[SelectionSunday]

Northwestern a year away

I think 2016-17 is the season Northwestern finally breaks through to the NCAA. This season, with one of the gosh-awfullest non-conference schedules in the history of mankind, it's pretty apparent Collins is eyeing the "other postseason", a NIT berth. If he had true designs on a NCAA bid this season he would have toughened up the schedule quite a bit. If the Wildcats make the NCAA tourney this season it's a year ahead of schedule.

 

[cjbfbp]

I think 2016-17 is the season Northwestern finally breaks through to the NCAA. This season, with one of the gosh-awfullest non-conference schedules in the history of mankind, it's pretty apparent Collins is eyeing the "other postseason", a NIT berth. If he had true designs on a NCAA bid this season he would have toughened up the schedule quite a bit. If the Wildcats make the NCAA tourney this season it's a year ahead of schedule.

The same thing happened with McCaffrey and Iowa three years ago. Iowa finished the season 18-17 the year before and that was the first winning season in five years. McCaffrey had a mostly frosh/soph team and scheduled a really easy nonconference. Turns out they were better than expected and probably a year ahead of schedule but that nonconference didn't get them any respect.

 

[GopherPop]

At least we don't have to face their 1-3-1 ever again!