Notre Dame Recap, Box Score, Photos and Video Highlights
Iowa State Recap, Box Score and Video Highlights
July 22, 2010
EVANSTON, Ill. - Injuries to both Kevin Coble and Jeff Ryan left many fans of the Northwestern men's basketball team wondering "what might have been" when both senior forwards were sidelined for the season one game into the 2009-10 campaign.
Despite a loss to eventual national runner-up Butler in the second game of the season, the Wildcats came together as a team and rattled off nine consecutive victories and start the season 10-1. Along the way, NU earned the title at the Chicago Invitational Challenge, defeating No. 23 Notre Dame before downing also previously undefeated Iowa State in the championship game.
Northwestern followed up the tourney title by going on the road to top its third straight unbeaten team, North Carolina State, in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge. Victories over North Carolina A&T, North Florida, Stanford and Central Connecticut State to close out the preconference portion of the season gave the Wildcats their longest winning streak in 16 years.
The 'Cats were rewarded for their hot start by coming in at No. 25 in the Associated Press national rankings Dec. 28. The recognition marked NU's first appearance in the AP poll since Jan. 14, 1969.
"It's nice recognition for what the guys have done so far," Northwestern head coach Bill Carmody said at the time. "I think they feel good about that, just like any other team and players do.
"I hadn't even thought about it, to tell you the truth," said Carmody when asked if he anticipated his team joining the Top 25. "I think it's good for the guys. You're going along all this time and it's someone saying, 'you guys have done pretty well so far.'"
Northwestern would go on to earn its first 20-win season as well as its second consecutive postseason berth for the first time in program history.
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