Northwestern Wildcats Can Keep Dreaming

I won’t get into the futility of Northwestern Wildcats basketball.

Actually, maybe I will—105 seasons of basketball, two Big Ten championships, no 20-win seasons, and, more importantly, no NCAA Tournament appearances.

Moving on from the past, the Wildcats played by far the most important regular-season game in their basketball history today.

A win against the Minnesota Golden Gophers means the Wildcats may still have a shot at making the big dance, along with a chance to tie the school record for wins in a season (17). Lose, and it would be another year of waiting for Northwestern and their fans.

It took an overtime period Sunday, but the Northwestern Wildcats tied the record for most wins in a season with their 17th by beating Minnesota at Welsh-Ryan Arena, 77-74.

Here’s their remaining schedule:

Feb. 17 vs. Penn State

Feb. 21 @ Wisconsin

Feb. 25 vs. Iowa

Feb. 28 @ Penn State

March 3 vs. Chicago State

March 6 @ Indiana

Outside of Wisconsin, the rest of the schedule should produce easy wins. However, with the way Iowa played against the Wildcats in Iowa City earlier this year, along with the snake-bitten ways of this program, the Wildcats have to get the ball rolling now if they want to obtain their first 20-win season in school history.

Sunday’s win against Minnesota was that first step.