Northwestern now gets the big tests
Trying to get a mathematical handle on how much harder Northwestern's Big Ten schedule will be than its nonconference slate?
The Wildcats faced only one team rated better than 84th in Ken Pomeroy's computerized rankings through Tuesday's games — and they lost that one to St. John's by 16 points.
Conversely, every Big Ten team ranks 81st or higher in the Pomeroys. NU checks in at No. 49, which is good for sixth in the league.
“I still think we can compete with every team in the Big Ten and win some of the games,” said Northwestern senior point guard Michael “Juice” Thompson.
The Wildcats (9-1) kick off Big Ten play Friday at No. 12 Purdue (12-1), one of five Big Ten teams ranked in the AP Top 25.
The Wildcats are likely to have junior forward John Shurna available to face the Boilers, though the nation's No. 9 scorer (23.3 ppg) will be less than 100 percent after spraining his left ankle Dec. 23 against Mount St. Mary's.
Shurna has devoted himself to rehab on his ankle since the injury and didn't do anything basketball-related except shooting until Wednesday's practice.
The healthier Shurna gets, the better Northwestern's chances of continuing its solid record against Purdue.
The teams split their regular-season games each of the last two years, including NU's win last year over a sixth-ranked Purdue group that had a healthy Robbie Hummel.
“They pressure the ball full court and they have a lot of defensive intensity,” Thompson said. “Our offense is designed for teams like that, with a lot of backdoor cuts and spacing.”
But Northwestern's offense hasn't been an issue this season. The Wildcats' 1-3-1 half-court trap, on the other hand, needed some rehab after allowing St. John's to shoot 80 percent in the second half Dec. 21.
“We had some technical difficulties,” Northwestern coach Bill Carmody said. “We were doing some things we shouldn't have. Just off on where you should be when the ball's in a certain place.
“We were stretching it out too much. Just real basic stuff.”
Despite the sound loss to St. John's, the Wildcats don't feel as if they're any further away from their NCAA Tournament goal.
Carmody just wants his team to get over the rash of injuries that have compromised practice and threaten to derail their Big Ten hopes.
In addition to Shurna's ankle woes, freshman JerShon Cobb's back remains sore from the big hit he took on a breakaway in the St. John's game.
Senior Ivan Peljusic hasn't been cleared for duty after an appendectomy two weeks ago, while senior swingman Jeff Ryan's surgically repaired knee has been iffy and contributed to his limited minutes.
“I feel good,” Carmody said. “But I'm worried about our health because that's our depth.”