Northwestern’s Disappointments Adding Up
Then, there are Northwestern’s last three teams, which won enough to reach the NIT, but not enough to make the NCAA tournament. The difference between winning and losing has been such a small margin, which has only made things all the more frustrating for the Wildcats.
Northwestern has been a program defined by late-season disappointments, and Tuesday’s 67-55 overtime loss to No. 13 Michigan was the latest one.
Tuesday’s defeat was like so many games at Welsh-Ryan Arena in the past few years. It was as if Northwestern was a marathon runner and was approaching the finish line in first place, but just as the Wildcats were getting ready to celebrate, another runner came in and passed them by.
The Wildcats had the game in their hands and then they didn’t. Their two-point loss to Purdue on Jan. 28 and their one-point loss to Illinois on Jan. 4 had similar feelings. Last year’s narrow home losses to Michigan State and Ohio State can be thrown in that category, too.
