Forward Kevin Coble was set to have a stellar sophmore season after leading the team in scoring and rebounding as a freshman and earning a place on the Big Ten’s All-Freshman Team.

But more important things took him away from basketball. Coble took a leave of absence on Oct. 15 to be with his mother, who is undergoing chemotherapy to treat breast cancer in Phoenix.

He began practicing with the Wildcats just after Christmas and played in his first game Jan. 2 in the Big Ten opener against Penn State.

“I think it was mutually beneficial for both of us,” Coble said. “It helped me a lot knowing that she was all right (and) also to know that I was there for her helped her. We’re both confident that things are going well and things are on the right track. This was the time where we were comfortable in getting back in the swing of things, and I think it’s going to continue to improve from here.”

Coach Bill Carmody admitted Coble is still rusty, but he expects Coble to continue to work his way back to full speed tonight when NU (5-6, 0-2 Big Ten) faces Minnesota (10-3, 0-1) in Minneapolis.

When he was in Phoenix, Coble kept himself in shape and updated on the team’s progress. But his return to the team was like adding a new player. His experience from last year and his strong bond with the team has helped make the transition easier.

Junior guard Sterling Williams said the team’s system teaches players to always think about getting teammates shots. Thus the team was ready to adjust when Coble returned.

Coble practiced and watched film at home to prepare for his return, but actually playing and feeling comfortable with new players takes time.

Some things have changed since Coble last played for the Cats. Guard Tim Doyle graduated and freshman guard Michael Thompson stepped up to lead the team in scoring (13.5) and in assists (5.3).

Thompson said he is still adjusting to Coble, learning where Coble likes to be on the court and where to get him the ball to score.

“In practice, we’re trying to get the team chemistry together,” Thompson said. “It’s like it was our first game together, so it was a little shaky at first. But we’re putting it together now. We have two games under our belt together. So the next game and for the rest of the season, we’re going to have a lot of fun, and it is going to look a lot better than it did.”

For Coble, the return to the court signaled a return to normalcy. He has returned full time to school with the knowledge that his mom is recovering. She has joined Coble in Evanston for her final round of treatment.

He said he is getting back into sync with his teammates and was pleased with his stamina after playing 33 minutes at Ohio State on Sunday.

The team kept in touch with Coble while he was away. Williams said he and other teammates contacted Coble to check in on him and his mom.

The support Coble received from his teammates and NU made him realize that he had joined the right team.

“It really helped me confirm that this was the right place for me,” Coble said. “This is what I had known all along before deciding to come to Northwestern. These are the kind of guys I wanted to be around. To see it in action firsthand, outside of just knowing, to experience it was real special for me.”

Reach Philip Rossman-Reich at [email protected].