Northwestern Basketball: What to Expect This Season

After a disappointing end to last season, Northwestern Basketball is looking to Bounce Back in a big way this year. Here’s what to expect from the Wildcats this season.

Team outlook

This season, the Northwestern basketball team will look to continue its momentum from last year and build on its successful campaign. The team returns a core group of players from last season, including All-Big Ten honorable mention forward Vic Law. The team will also benefit from the return of center Dererk Pardon, who missed most of last season with an injury. With a deep and experienced roster, the team is poised for another successful season

Key players

This season, the Northwestern Basketball team will once again look to prove the critics wrong. After a disappointing 2017-2018 season that saw the team go 15-17 and miss the NCAA tournament Head Coach Chris Collins has his sights set on a return to the Big Dance. To do so, he’ll need contributions from a Number of players Here are three Key Players for the Wildcats this season:

1. Vic Law

The senior forward is coming off a down year in which he averaged just 10.1 points and 4.9 rebounds per game But he’s still one of the most talented players on the roster and will be counted on to provide a spark on both ends of the floor. If he can return to his 2016-2017 form, when he averaged 16.4 points and 5.4 rebounds per game Northwestern will be in good shape.

2. Dererk Pardon

The junior center was one of the few bright spots for Northwestern last season, averaging 11.3 points and 6.5 rebounds per game while shooting an impressive 61 percent from the field. He’ll need to build on that this season as he’ll be asked to do more with Law expected to see his minutes reduced. Pardon has shown that he’s up to the challenge, and if he can average close to a double-double this season, Northwestern will have a chance to make some noise in the Conference Standings

3. Aiden Johnson

The freshman guard is an intriguing prospect who has already shown that he can score at this level, averaging 11 points per game in exhibition play. Johnson figures to see significant minutes this season as Collins looks to add more scoring punch to his roster. If Johnson can live up to his potential, he could be one of the most dynamic players in the conference as a rookie

Schedule

-The Wildcats will play 22 conference games, of which 18 will be televised on various ESPN channels.
-Biggest games: at Gonzaga (Jan. 16), vs. Butler (Feb. 17), at Xavier (Feb. 24)
-The squad opens the season with a three-game homestand against Loyola Marymount (Nov. 10), Howard (Nov. 12) and Grambling State (Nov. 15).

Expectations

The Northwestern Wildcats are coming off a disappointing 2018-19 campaign in which they went just 15-17 overall and 4-14 in the Big Ten They’ll look to rebound this season with a new head coach at the helm inChris Collins. Here’s what to expect from the Wildcats this season:

• An improved offense: One of the biggest problems for Northwestern last season was their lack of scoring. They averaged just 63.8 points per game which was dead last in the Big Ten and 354th out of 353 teams nationally. With a new Head Coach and several key players returning, the Wildcats should be much better on offense this season.

• A tough defense: Despite their struggles offensively, Northwestern was actually a pretty Good defensive team last season. They gave up just 63.5 points per game which was second in the Big Ten and 18th nationally. With most of their key Defensive Players returning, the Wildcats should once again be one of the best Defensive Teams in the conference.

• A return to the NCAA Tournament After missing out on the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2013 last season, Northwestern will be hungry to get back to March Madness this year. They’ll have a tough road ahead, but with an improved offense and a tough defense, they should have no problem getting back to the big dance.

Rivalry games

Rival games are always a fan favorite, and this season there are some games that you won’t want to miss. Here are some of the most highly anticipated games of the season:

Washington at Oregon: January 6th
This game will be a rematch of last year’s game which resulted in Washington coming out on top. However, with Oregon’s recent win against Washington, it is sure to be a close and exciting game.

Oregon State at Oregon: February 17th
This Civil War game will be one to watch as both teams battle it out for bragging rights. The Beavers have had a strong season so far and will be looking to make a statement against their in-state rivals.

Washington at UCLA: March 3rd
This game will be a rematch of last year’s game which resulted in Washington coming out on top. However, with UCLA’s recent win against Washington, it is sure to be a close and exciting game.

NCAA tournament

The Northwestern Wildcats are gearing up for what looks to be a promising season. After missing the NCAA tournament last year, the team is looking to make a run at it this year. Here’s what to expect from Northwestern Basketball this season.

The Wildcats have a lot of potential this year. They have a solid core of players returning, led by senior guard Scottie Lindsey. They also have some promising young players who should make an impact, including freshman forward Isaiah Cobbins. With all of that talent, the team has high hopes for this season.

One key area that the Wildcats need to improve in is their outside shooting. Last year, they were one of the worst teams in the country at shooting from beyond the arc. If they can improve in that area, they will be a tough team to beat.

Northwestern will also need to find a way to replace the production of center Dererk Pardon, who graduated last year. Pardon was one of the best players in school history and his absence will be felt by the team.

Overall, Northwestern has a lot of potential and should be an exciting team to watch this season. If everything comes together, they could make a run at the NCAA tournament

NBA draft

The NBA draft is just around the corner, and the Northwestern Wildcats are hoping to add a few new pieces to their roster. GMs and scouts will be watching closely to see who the Wildcats choose in the draft, as well as how they perform in Summer League play.

This season, the Wildcats are expected to compete for a spot in the NCAA Tournament They have a talented core of players returning, led by conference Player of the Year Candidate Scottie Lindsey. With a few key additions via the draft, the Wildcats could be in for a special season.

Fan support

The fan support for the Northwestern basketball team has been growing steadily over the past few years. This season, expect to see increased attendance at games and more excitement around the team. The team has a strong core of returning players, and the addition of some new faces is sure to make this a season to remember. So come out and support your Wildcats!

Media coverage

In recent years Northwestern Basketball has struggled to gain traction in the national media landscape. The team has failing to make the NCAA Tournament in over a decade, and when they have appeared in the NIT or CBI tournaments, they have been quickly eliminated. But this season, things could be different.

The team has a new Head coach in Chris Collins, and he has brought in some top recruits including Scottie Lindsey, who was named Mr. Basketball in Illinois. With increased media coverage and more talent on the roster, Northwestern could make some noise this season and finally end their NCAA tournament drought.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Northwestern Basketball team is looking very promising this season. They are young, but they have a lot of potential. They have a lot of depth on their roster and they are led by a very Good Coach in Chris Collins. If they can stay consistent and play up to their potential, they could make some noise in the NCAA Tournament