As if wavering postseason hopes weren’t enough motivation, Northwestern will play its first nationally televised game of the season against Wisconsin tonight at Welsh-Ryan Arena. The matchup is scheduled for a late 8 p.m. start and will be broadcast on ESPN2.
NU has not hosted a nationally televised game since Dec. 15, 2004, when DePaul rolled into town. Big Ten teams usually are assigned at least one nationally televised game during the conference season, according to Beth Cunningham, director of marketing for NU men’s basketball.
“Obviously, the more exposure we can get, the better,” Cunningham said. “(Tonight’s game) is a great opportunity.”
It also will be a chance for the Wildcats (12-12, 4-8 Big Ten) to finally make a breakthrough against a quality opponent. The Cats have lost four of their last five conference games, all against ranked teams. Aside from upsetting Big Ten-leading Iowa at home on Feb. 8, NU played well but fell short in losses to Indiana, Michigan State, Illinois and Ohio State.
“Sometimes you get the tendency to feel good about yourself,” senior guard Mohamed Hachad said. “We were in the games, we were playing hard, but the fact of the matter is we lost those games.”
Hachad led the Cats in scoring both games last week, averaging 18 points per contest. His 15 straight points in the second half against Ohio State put NU in position to steal the victory. But Buckeyes center Terence Dials dominated the final minutes of the game to secure a 61-52 win.
The Cats will have to deal with another formidable post threat in Wisconsin’s junior forward Alando Tucker, the reigning Big Ten Player of the Week. The Badgers beat NU on Jan. 14, 68-52, behind Tucker’s game-high 20 points on 9-of-15 shooting.
“He’s so tough around the basket,” NU coach Bill Carmody said. “He’s persistent. He doesn’t get discouraged. He’s a big jumper, goes to the basket, and he’s a good shooter. I think he’s the best low post player in our league.”
While Tucker and the Badgers (18-7, 8-4) have won three straight, NU needs a strong showing in its final four regular season games to make a push for the postseason. Add to the mix a regional rival like Wisconsin and national television camera crews, and the Cats are feeling the urgency of stopping their recent slide.
“There’s a lot of talk in the locker room,” Hachad said. “A lot of the guys are frustrated-. People are not happy with the situation because they know we can win games. We’re just not doing it. If it takes playing harder, being more vocal, diving for every single ball, we have to do that.”
Reach Gerald Tang at [email protected]
