Northwestern Wildcats men's basketball


The Northwestern Wildcats men's basketball team is an NCAA Division I college basketball team representing Northwestern University in the Big Ten Conference. Men's basketball was introduced at Northwestern in 1901. the team is coached by Chris Collins. The Wildcats received their only invitation to the NCAA Tournament in 2017, after 78 straight years without a bid. The Wildcats have won two Big Ten conference championships.

History

Although Northwestern had great success in the early part of the 20th century, it has spent most of the time since World War II in the bottom half of the Big Ten. The Wildcats were retroactively selected as the 1930–31 national champion by both the Helms Athletic Foundation and the Premo-Porretta Power Poll, and have won only one other conference title, in 1933. It has only finished above fourth place twice since World War II, and did not have a winning record in conference play from 1968 until 2017. During that time, only the 2003–04 team even managed a.500 conference record. On March 1, 2017, the Wildcats won their 10th conference game to clinch their first winning Big Ten record in almost half a century. That season also saw the Wildcats make their first NCAA Tournament in school history, winning their first NCAA tournament game 68–66 against Vanderbilt. The Wildcats have also appeared in the National Invitation Tournament seven times.
The very first NCAA tournament championship was held at Northwestern in March 1939. Until making their first NCAA Tournament in 2017, Northwestern had been one of five original NCAA Division I schools and the only school from a Power Five conference to have never played an NCAA Tournament game. Northwestern won their first Tournament game, defeating Vanderbilt 68–66. The Wildcats lost in the Second Round to No. 1-seeded Gonzaga.

Season-by-season records

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Coaching history

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Postseason

NCAA Division I tournament results

The Wildcats have appeared in the NCAA Tournament once. Their record is 1–1.
2017No. 8First Round
Second Round		No. 9 Vanderbilt
No. 1 Gonzaga		W 68–66
L 73–79

NIT results

The Wildcats have appeared in the National Invitation Tournament seven times. Their combined record is 5–7.
1983First Round
Second Round		Notre Dame
DePaul		W 71–57
L 63–65
1994First Round
Second Round		DePaul
Xavier		W 69–68
L 79–83
1999First RoundDePaulL 64–69
2009First RoundTulsaL 59–68
2010First RoundRhode IslandL 64–76
2011First Round
Second Round
Quarterfinals		Milwaukee
Boston College
Washington State		W 70–61
W 85–67
L 66–69 OT
2012First Round
Second Round		Akron
Washington		W 76–74
L 55–76

Notable players

All-time statistical leaders

Career leaders

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All-Americans

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