It’s been two years of unfulfilled expectations and a whirlwind offseason for Northwestern. Now high hopes have been replaced by an air of complete uncertainty. No one knows what to expect from a team that could emerge as a surprise contender in the Big Ten – or just as easily, fold under the weight of considerable changes.
T.J. Parker is gone. Sophomore Brandon Lee, who flashed potential in limited playing time last year, was arrested on Aug. 1 for burglary and credit card fraud. Two days later, redshirt freshman Gary Lee was dismissed from the team.
Parker was the Wildcats’ floor general for three years before leaving school in March to pursue a pro career. His departure shifts more responsibility to returning seniors Vedran Vukusic and Mohamed Hachad as offensive catalysts.
“We’re definitely going to miss him,” Hachad said of his former backcourt mate. “He had a big role on this team.”
The 6-foot-4 Hachad will see some time at forward this season to capitalize on more scoring and rebounding opportunities. Former NU star Jitim Young flourished in a similar role throughout his career. Hachad’s versatility will come in handy as the Cats suddenly have some frontcourt depth.
Junior forward Bernard Cote will join the rotation after sitting out last season due to NCAA regulations following his transfer from Kentucky. With a deft shooting touch to go with his 6-foot-8 frame, Cote should be a natural fit for the Cats’ Princeton offense.
“I have the opportunity to shoot from outside, shoot the 3-pointer, post up inside, dribble the ball, do more things than I would do somewhere else,” said Cote, who was a high school teammate of Hachad’s in Quebec. “It’s definitely a good offense for me.”
Redshirt freshman Sterling Williams is another newcomer who hopes to make an impact. Like Hachad, he can play either the guard or forward spots. Coach Bill Carmody called Williams “the team’s best practice player” during the second half of last year.
Carmody said his opening-day starting lineup probably will consist of junior Tim Doyle and four seniors: Vukusic, Hachad, Mike Jenkins and Mike Thompson. Senior Evan Seacat appears to have recovered from hernia surgery, and center Vince Scott is poised to build on his playing time as a sophomore. With the additions of Cote and Williams, managing playing time might be a tricky task.
“I know the guys who are going to play,” Carmody said. “Whether they play 30 minutes or 10 minutes depends on how they play.
“I’m trying to let them tell me what to do. I’m not trying to make decisions. Let them show me who can play.”
Thompson will try to rebound from a disappointing debut season with the Cats. Upon transferring from Duke before his junior year, the former McDonald’s High School All-American was heralded as the player who would carry NU to the postseason.
Instead, Thompson faded after a strong start to the Big Ten season and missed the last 11 games with a foot sprain. He also was suspended for a game for breaking a team rule on class attendance.
“It was unfortunate that [the injury] happened,” Thompson said. “It hurt me and the team. I’m just going to use that as a learning experience to get tougher and stronger from it and move on.”
While Vukusic is undoubtedly the team’s best all-around player, Thompson once again will be the key for the Cats. The 6-foot-10, 250-pound center has the size and athleticism to be a force in the paint – something the team sorely needs to compete in a physical league.
NU was outrebounded by 7.4 in its conference games last year, the worst differential in the Big Ten. Illinois, Michigan State and Wisconsin ranked in the top three in rebounding margin. Not coincidentally, the three teams finished atop the Big Ten, and two of them went to the Final Four.
“Obviously last year, rebounding was a struggle for me,” said Scott, who averaged 2.1 rebounds despite starting 13 games at center. “In this conference, you need to have some weight down there with those big guys.”
Scott said he gained 20-to-25 pounds during the offseason. He is one of four NU players who stand 6-foot-8 or taller. The team’s size and depth will allow Carmody to experiment with different combinations of players on the court.
Carmody used 10 different starting lineups last season – the most during his five years in Evanston. NU struggled to develop consistency from the outset. A 1-4 start came back to haunt the Cats, as they finished one game shy of postseason eligibility (15-16) for the second straight year.
“We have to get going from the start,” Hachad said. “This is my fourth year, and I’m realizing every year that it’s just one or two games we miss at the beginning of the season that comes back to hurt us in the end. We can’t afford that.”
NU opens the season against Lehigh on Nov. 13 at the BCA Invitational.
“We need to do more,” Carmody said. “We haven’t gotten to where we’re breaking through. We’re going to play it down a little bit and start doing something.”
Reach Gerald Tang at [email protected]
