It’s been 334 days since the Northwestern men’s basketball team was sticking its head in the sand to hide its woeful 32-game Big Ten losing streak. And while the Wildcats’ current one-game conference losing streak is nothing to be ashamed of, NU is still looking to recreate the magic of a year ago.
The Cats (8-4, 0-1 Big Ten) will try to get back on the winning track tonight as they square off against No. 13 Iowa — the same team they ended their skid against about this time last season. Tipoff is at 7 p.m. at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa.
NU forward Winston Blake was the hero in last year’s contest against the Hawkeyes, tallying a team-high 20 points.
“I remember it like it was yesterday, ” Blake said. He got into early foul trouble, but the junior came back with a strong second-half performance. “You could feel it. Everybody stepped onto the court and was ready to play.”
It didn’t feel like the same team that had lost 32 straight Big Ten games, Blake said.
Although the Cats are a drastically different team this year, the Hawkeyes have also undergone a transformation. Iowa avenged the loss with a 72-55 trouncing of NU in the first round of the 2001 Big Ten tournament, en route to claiming the conference title. And star guard Luke Recker is back from a fractured kneecap that kept him out of both 2001 meetings between NU and Iowa.
The Hawkeyes (12-4, 1-1) are off to a solid start, which includes a win over then-No. 3 Missouri. Recker’s 18.7 points per game and forward Reggie Evans’ 18.1 points per game rank first and second in the Big Ten in scoring.
The Cats are well aware that they’re not facing the same Iowa squad they downed last February.
“It’s for good memories,” Blake said, “but we can’t be complacent.”
NU can’t dwell on last year’s victory over Iowa, Blake added.
The Cats will need staunch play inside if they plan on upsetting the stronger Hawkeyes. Not only will NU have to contend with the 6-foot-8, 245-pound Evans, but it also must face 6-foot-9, 235-pound center Sean Sonderleiter. In addition, Iowa boasts sizeable guards Duez Henderson and Glen Worley.
Hawkeyes freshman point guard Pierre Pierce could also be a threat against the Cats — the former Illinois prep star averages 8.4 points and 3.5 assists per game.
Iowa’s strong presence in the paint will be especially difficult for the Cats to handle. NU forward Davor Duvancic is expected to see significant minutes for the first time this season. Injuries to freshman Vedran Vukusic and junior Jason Burke opened the door for Duvancic to play. Although both Burke and Vukusic are expected to see action, the 6-foot-7, 210-pound Duvancic will be called on to add a low-post presence.
Meanwhile, NU starting point guard Collier Drayton remains questionable for tonight’s game because of a sprained ankle.
The injuries compound the difficulties for an NU squad that is looking to turn things around after a subpar performance in its Big Ten opener against Indiana, a 59-44 loss.
“We came out kind of lackadaisical (against Indiana),” Blake said. “We weren’t aggressive. When we come out aggressive, we put a lot of teams on their heels. I think it’s important you do that in the Big Ten because anybody can beat anybody on a given night.”
And the Cats already know how to beat the Hawkeyes.
“Going against Iowa, we know what to expect,” NU forward Tavaras Hardy said. “We just have to go out there and play them harder.
“On the road we have to not let crowds affect us. I think we can steal games on the road.”
