Michael ‘Juice’ Thompson has experienced it all at Northwestern. Well, except for that trip to the NCAA Tournament.
The 5-foot-10 Chicago native has been the most important player during the program’s turnaround the past three seasons, but he has yet to notch an all-important Big Dance bid.
As a freshman, Juice ran the point for a Wildcat team that finished 1-17 in the Big Ten. Not exactly tournament material. During his sophomore year NU’s fortunes took a turn for the better when Juice helped the Cats upset the Spartans in East Lansing and reach the NIT for the first time in a decade.
Last year, the then-junior’s leadership was the main reason that NU achieved its first 20-win season in program history. It was a milestone, just not one that can erase 71 years of Tourney-less seasons.
“Out ultimate goal is to make it to the NCAA Tournament,” Juice said before the start of the season. “And I think if we continue to work hard the way we’ve been working we have a great chance to make that goal a reality.”
Now, time is running out for the Cats – especially for Juice. The senior only has seven regular season conference games left in his career. When asked if Saturday’s win over No. 24 Illinois changes NU’s attitude about reaching the NCAA Tournament, Juice gave the diplomatic response.
“We haven’t been discussing the NCAA Tournament lately as a team,” Juice said. “We’ve just been focused on getting better each and every day in practice and just take it one game at a time. We’re just trying to close out the season strong.”
But Juice’s press conference statement isn’t consistent with his play on the court. The senior leader is doing whatever it takes down the stretch to keep NU in the discussion of possibly earning an NCAA Tournament berth. Juice nearly willed the Cats to the greatest upset in school history against No. 1 Ohio State last weekend.
With John Shurna still not 100 percent because of a concussion and sprained ankle, Juice has a greater responsibility to score. He finished with a game-high 22 points against Illinois.
After the Fighting Illini overcame a 12-point second half deficit to tie the game at 53, it was Juice who responded with one of his four second-half 3-pointers to give the Cats the lead for good.
“‘Juice’ Michael Thompson was very special,” Illinois coach Bruce Weber said. “(He) played like a senior, played determined, wanting to win a game at home.”
The four-year starter will leave Evanston with an Iron Man legacy. He is among the nation’s leaders in minutes played and when the Cats visit Ann Arbor on Wednesday, Juice will make his 118th-straight start and move into sole possession of the most starts in NU program history.
But unless the Cats run the table and advance past the second day of the Big Ten tournament, Juice won’t accomplish what he wants the most.
After missed opportunities to knock off the Big Ten’s best and Shurna’s injury woes, this team will probably not make history in March.
But if anyone will prove skeptics like me wrong, it’s going to be Juice Thompson.
