2017 NCAA Tournament Bracket
EVANSTON, Ill. – Northwestern will play Utah State in the first round of the 2017 NCAA Tournament in the Cal regional on Friday, May 12, the NCAA announced Tuesday during its selection show.
The Wildcats are making their sixth consecutive NCAA tournament appearance after winning 21 matches; the fifth straight year the team has posted a 20-win season. Northwestern has advanced to the Round of 32 in each of the past two years.
Utah State (23-8) enters the tournament having won 15 of its last 16 matches, including three straight to claim the Mountain West Tournament championship.
No. 8 overall seed Cal (18-7) will play Tennessee Tech (13-6) in the other match in Berkeley, California, with the first round winners meeting for a trip to the Round of 16 at the final site in Athens, Georgia.
Northwestern enters the NCAA Tournament with a 21-10 record. The 'Cats have played eight top-25 teams and boast a signature win over then-No. 7 TCU on Jan. 20.
The Wildcats are led by First Team All-Big Ten selections Strong Kirchheimer and Konrad Zieba and Second Team honorees Sam Shropshire and Dominik Starý. Kirchheimer is ranked No. 37 nationally with a 26-11 record, while Zieba is No. 71 at 21-10. Chicago's Big Ten Team claims four 20-match winners overall.