The Cougs are ranked for the first time since 2008, the last time they made the NCAA Tournament. Here is what the NCAA Tournament might look like if it started today, take a look at the Daily Evergreen’s Bracketology post Thursday games.
Midwest Region
1 Purdue vs. 16 Merrimack/E Kentucky
8 New Mexico vs. 9 Texas
5 Wisconsin vs. 12 S Florida
4 Illinois vs. 13 Akron
6 Kentucky vs. 11 Indiana State
3 Creighton vs. 14 Oakland
7 BYU vs. 10 Nebraska
2 Kansas vs. 15 Colgate
West Region
1 Arizona vs. 16 South Dakota State
8 Oklahoma vs. 9 Boise State
5 Texas Tech vs. 12 McNeese State
4 San Diego State vs. 13 UC Irvine
6 St. Mary’s vs. 11 Grand Canyon
3 Iowa State vs. 14 Louisiana Tech
7 Washington State vs. 10 Northwestern
2 Marquette vs. 15 E Washington
East Region
1 UCONN vs. 16 Southern/Norfolk State
8 Michigan State vs. 9 TCU
5 Colorado State vs. 12 Richmond
4 Auburn vs. 13 Princeton
6 Dayton vs. 11 Wake Forest/Ole Miss
3 Duke vs. 14 Vermont
7 Florida Atlantic vs. 10 Mississippi State
2 N Carolina vs. 15 Quinnipiac
South Region
1 Houston vs. 16 Morehead State
8 Florida vs. 9 Nevada
5 S Carolina vs. 12 Samford
4 Baylor vs. 13 James Madison
6 Clemson vs. 11 Gonzaga/Colorado
3 Alabama vs. 14 College of Charleston
7 Utah State vs. 10 Virginia
2 Tennessee vs. 15 High Point
Bubble Watch
Last 4 in
Gonzaga
Ole Miss
Colorado
Wake Forest
First 4 out
Drake
Cincinnati
Utah
Texas A&M
Washington State is projected to play Northwestern. So, who is Northwestern?
Northwestern (18-9; 10-6 Big Ten)
NET Ranking: 55
Quad one: 4-6
Quad two: 5-1
Quad three: 4-0
Quad four: 6-1
Head Coach: Chris Collins
Starting Five:
Boo Buie: 36.3 minutes per game, 18.9 points per game, 5.2 assists per game, 41.3 three-point percentage, 84.5 free-throw percentage
Brooks Barnhizer: 36 minutes per game, 14.3 points per game, 7.1 rebounds per game
Ryan Langborg: 33.3 minutes per game, 12.5 points per game, 41.7 three-point percentage
Ty Berry: 29.7 minutes per game, 11.6 points per game, 3.9 rebounds per game, 89.5 free-throw percentage, 43.3 three-point percentage
Matthew Nicholson: 7’0”, 280 pounds, 22.4 minutes per game, 5.5 points per game, 4.5 rebounds per game, 65.3 field goal percentage
This would be the Wildcats’ third appearance in program history. Northwestern made its first appearance in March Madness in 2017, where they were an eight-seed and beat nine-seed Vanderbilt, 68-66, before losing to one-seed Gonzaga 79-73. They made their second in 2023, where they were a seven-seed and beat ten-seed Boise State, 75-67, before losing to two-seed UCLA, 68-63.
Buie, Berry, Barnhizer, and Nicholson returned from last year’s team that made a run to the tournament, with the addition of Langborg who transferred from Princeton.
