Northwestern probably isn’t making the NCAA tournament.
Barring a deep run into the conference tournament, the Wildcats (14-11, 4-8 Big Ten), who have lost their last four contests, have been eliminated from the top level of the postseason. That losing streak will likely be pushed to five as NU goes on the road Thursday to face No. 9 Penn State (20-5, 11-2).
That’s not to say the Cats have given up, but their focus has definitely shifted to the future.
“At this point, we have nothing to lose,” junior guard Karly Roser said. “We’re just trying to go out every game, start the games really strong and just leave it all on the floor every single time.”
Roser, a team co-captain and one of the squad’s most experienced players, has been an exemplar of work ethic for the youthful Cats this season. She missed the first 20 games due to injury but has fought her way back into the rotation for the last five.
Unfortunately for Roser, making a comeback is never easy.
“Getting in basketball shape is pretty hard,” Roser said. “There’s no way to prepare for the speed of the game. Also, just clicking with the team again since I was out for so long.”
A similar comeback is exactly what NU needs at Penn State. The last time they met, the Cats mounted a furious run in the second half but ultimately fell just 4 points short of the Nittany Lions.
Freshman forward Nia Coffey is likely to be the difference-maker. NU’s star player missed the previous Penn State contest with a foot injury but has been hot recently, averaging 26 points over the past two games.
On the other end of the floor, the Cats will have to find a way to contain Nittany Lions’ guard Maggie Lucas. NU was just rolled by another talented back-court scorer, Minnesota’s Rachel Banham, in its latest loss.
Banham leads the Big Ten with 22.5 points per game and lit up the Cats with 32 points Saturday. Lucas is right on her heels, averaging 21.6 points per game for conference-leading Penn State.
NU freshman guard Christen Inman was assigned to guard Banham for most of the last game, and she’ll likely be matched up against Lucas for most of the next game. The young starter isn’t fazed by the challenge.
“I just try to stay really fundamental,” she said. “I’m just focused on staying down low and moving my feet.”
Inman’s numbers weren’t great against Minnesota; she had just 4 points in 36 minutes played. Still, she insists the tough defensive assignments aren’t what’s hurting her offensive game.
“I just focus on (the defensive) side of the floor,” she said, “and then it’s all about me on the other side and our team.”
Given all the challenges facing the Cats, it’s no surprise coach Joe McKeown is starting to look ahead.
“When you get to mid-February … you have to switch gears,” McKeown said. “Freshmen become sophomores now. Everybody is a year older. … It’s a good time to just move forward, and the teams that embrace that are the teams that play well in the postseason.”
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