Capocci, Northwestern hope to make a run in NIT

During his time at Northwestern, senior forward Mike Capocci has amassed quite an eclectic collection.

Hotel room keys from road trips. T-shirts and other logo-ed gear from tournaments. Staples from his head.

Yes, the 2007 Glenbard East graduate intends to keep the seven staples he needed last Tuesday after fainting in his apartment and cracking his skull.

“It’s been a good four years,” Capocci said. “A lot of positive things to hold on to.”

That’s an impressive viewpoint for a young man who hasn’t enjoyed as much success as everyone envisioned after back-to-back years as the Daily Herald’s DuPage County player of the year.

In 842 career minutes at NU, the 6-foot-6 leaper has produced 192 points, 138 rebounds, 62 assists, 50 steals and 15 blocks.

Capocci has enjoyed several stellar moments during his senior year, such as his 11-point effort in NU’s 1-point home loss on Jan. 29 against top-ranked Ohio State.

Though Capocci missed last week’s Ohio State rematch with a concussion, he has been cleared to play in Wednesday’s NIT opener against Milwaukee.

“Hopefully I’ll get my legs back and my lungs back and I’ll be able to contribute tomorrow,” Capocci said before Tuesday’s practice.

The fourth-seeded Wildcats (18-13) get their first postseason home game since the 1994 NIT, which doubles as the last time Northwestern won a postseason game.

Milwaukee (19-13), the regular-season Horizon League champ, is coached by former Bo Ryan assistant Rob Jeter.

While the Panthers are influenced by Wisconsin’s offensive tastes, NU coach Bill Carmody isn’t worried as much about Xs and Os at this stage of the year as the young men that embody them.

“It’s mostly now about players,” Carmody said. “Individual guys. They shoot the ball very well. They make about eight 3s a game, which is a lot.

“And then they have a really good inside guy (Anthony Hill). Not unlike the Ohio State. (The Buckeyes) sort of ring around Sullinger, (the Panthers) ring around this guy.”

But before the Wildcats can focus on Milwaukee, they have to negotiate their winter quarter final exams.

Senior point guard Michael “Juice” Thompson has a 9 a.m. final Wednesday in his African-American Studies class.

Capocci faces a 9 a.m. final in his History of Economic Theory class. He’ll then need just two spring quarter courses to wrap up his Economics degree.

Coincidentally, Capocci is planning to use a portion of his memorabilia collection to celebrate his academic achievement.

“I’ll put (the staples) in my staple gun,” he said, “and use them for exams in the spring.”