NCAA Tournament March Madness

#33 Northwestern

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Projected seed: 9

Northwestern's season can be summed up as a roller coaster with high peaks and perplexing valleys. Among their notable accomplishments, they can hang their hats on a massive upset over Purdue and a swift takedown of Michigan State. Statement wins like these showcase their capability to go toe-to-toe with the big dogs when they’re cooking, but baffling missteps against teams like Chicago State which they had no business losing to, temper some of that enthusiasm. That said, consistency has been a thorn in their paw, especially on the road, demonstrated in less-than-ideal performances against the likes of Nebraska and Rutgers. Positively, a strong defensive identity emerges when analyzing how they've managed to hold their ground against high-caliber teams like Ohio State and Michigan. Their Big Ten journey is a double-edged sword; it’s been a battlefield that's honed them but also left some scars. Ultimately, their body of work puts them firmly in the mix come tournament time, where their fate will hinge on which version of the Wildcats shows up - the giant-slayers or the sometimes lackadaisical enigma.

Date Opponent Ranking Outcome
11/6Binghamton271W72-61
11/10Dayton26W71-66
11/14W Michigan297W63-59
11/18(N)Rhode Island197W72-61
11/19(N)Mississippi St21L66-57
11/27N Illinois295W89-67
12/1Purdue2W92-88
12/10Detroit360W91-59
12/13Chicago St310L75-73
12/16@DePaul308W56-46
12/20(N)Arizona St122W65-46
12/29Jackson St306W74-63
1/2@Illinois8L96-66
1/7Michigan St28W88-74
1/10@Penn St85W76-72
1/13@Wisconsin19L71-63
1/17Maryland66W72-69
1/20@Nebraska25L75-69
1/24Illinois8W96-91
1/27Ohio St48W83-58
1/31@Purdue2L105-96
2/3@Minnesota91L75-66
2/7Nebraska25W80-68
2/11Penn St85W68-63
2/15@Rutgers102L63-60
2/18@Indiana83W76-72
2/22Michigan132W76-62
2/28@Maryland66W68-61
3/2Iowa58L87-80
3/6@Michigan St28L53-49
3/9Minnesota91W90-66
3/15(N)Wisconsin19L70-61