Northwestern, Notre Dame head to NIT
It has been a long time since Northwestern had to juggle winter-quarter exams and postseason basketball.
It's a struggle the Wildcats are eager to learn to love.
Northwestern makes its first NIT appearance since 1999 on Wednesday when it travels to Tulsa (8 p.m., ESPNU) for a first-round game in the Auburn quadrant of the 32-team bracket.
By the time the fifth-seeded Wildcats (17-13) hit the court against the fourth-seeded Golden Hurricane (24-10), they'll be more than halfway done with a rugged week littered with tests and papers.
"I turned in a paper today that's due tomorrow," said junior forward Kevin Coble. "I've got a paper due Friday. Some of the younger guys, I know, have tests Tuesday and Wednesday and Friday."
And by the time the Wildcats finish their NIT experience, they hope they'll be that much closer to the school's first NCAA berth.
NU retains everybody next season except all-Big Ten third-team shooting guard Craig Moore and backup swingman Sterling Williams.
"Any time you get into the postseason, it's significant because it tells you you did something," NU coach Bill Carmody said. "We didn't reach our goal (the NCAAs), but I think it's a reward for the guys.
"Remember, we had two freshmen starting every game and our first sub was another freshman center. The more games they play, the better it is. I know it's going to be helpful for our guys."
While Northwestern views this as climbing a staircase, Notre Dame attempts to make the best of a season gone awry.
The Irish, who were a Top 10 team when the calendar flipped to 2009, are the No. 2 seed in the Creighton quadrant.
The Irish (18-14), fittingly enough, host UAB (22-11) on St. Patrick's Day. The Blazers feature former Indiana coach Mike Davis and Hoosiers sharpshooter Robert Vaden.
Illinois State (24-9), the fourth seed in the San Diego State quadrant, hosts Kansas State (21-11) on Wednesday.
Penn State coach Ed DeChellis was "really, really disappointed" his team didn't get an NCAA bid but settled for the No. 2 seed in the Florida quadrant. The Nittany Lions play George Mason on Tuesday.