Northwestern aiming at NCAA heights
It's no secret that a goal for the Northwestern basketball team this season is to make the first trip in school history to the NCAA tournament.
The Wildcats return four starters and most of their key reserves from a team that finished 17-14 and reached the National Invitation Tournament last season. And the players won't be satisfied with anything less than an NCAA berth.
''That has to be the ultimate goal,'' senior forward Kevin Coble said. ''We can't let it consume us and have to let it take care of itself. ... If we can do it, we'd be the first.
''Getting to the NCAA was the ultimate goal I had as a freshman. There is no reason we can't. And when it happens, I want to be a part of it.''
''Outsiders are always talking about the NCAA,'' junior guard Michael ''Juice'' Thompson said. ''It is one of our goals to get there. We have to pay attention to details.''
Expectations are sky-high as NU coach Bill Carmody starts his 10th season in Evanston.
''Things are looking pretty decent,'' Carmody said. ''Before, there was a big drop-off between our fifth starter and No. 8 or No. 9. We started two freshmen last year in [center] Kyle Rowley, who broke a bone in his foot this summer and is just getting back, and [forward] John Shurna, who made the [under-19] team that went to New Zealand and won the gold medal.
''[Center] Luka Mirkovic added 15 to 18 pounds, and he is playing much more physically than he did last year. And when you throw in guys like Kevin, Mike and [guard] Jeremy Nash, I think we can go a little deeper this year. This is going to be one of the better teams we've had here, top to bottom."
Among the newcomers is former Naperville Central standout Drew Crawford, whose father, Danny, is a longtime NBA official.
''We lost [long-range shooter Craig] Moore [to graduation],'' Carmody said. ''Drew makes shots, but he is not that kind of shooter. But I think I'm going to throw him in there because he's a pretty athletic kid. He can score, gets to the basket a little bit, gets a few rebounds and a couple of blocked shots.''
''We need to get the younger guys going and everyone on the same page,'' Coble said. ''Overall, getting to where we want to be is a slow process.
''Not having Craig will be tough, but [getting to] the NCAA is not a pipe dream. I knew it wouldn't happen before this season. The key is getting off to a good start.''
The Wildcats' difficult nonconference schedule is highlighted by a date Nov. 27 against Notre Dame at the UIC Pavilion and a visit Dec. 19 from Stanford.