Invade Welsh Ryan Arena
February 20th, 2012 at 4:55 PM ^
Considering Northwestern was pulling in just over 5,000 people a game in 2010 (in a building that seats 8,000), one would assume this wouldn't be too hard.
February 20th, 2012 at 6:14 PM ^
I really want to go but have two mid-terms the next day. I will def go to the B1G tourny
February 20th, 2012 at 4:58 PM ^
Michigan fans in Chicago usually make the trip. I can't this year, but NW ticket office has been emailing me regularly since I have ordered tickets from them in the past... So I would assume people who are interested should be able to get tickets.
February 20th, 2012 at 5:07 PM ^
It appears that they are soldout -- I can't get tickets off the NU website.
February 20th, 2012 at 5:15 PM ^
I heard their Saturday game atmosphere was pretty much on par with ours and some NW fans are calling this the (now) biggest game in NW history - probably going to be tough(er) to get tickets.
A win versus Michigan would go a long way toward their first tourny bid.
February 20th, 2012 at 5:55 PM ^
February 20th, 2012 at 6:13 PM ^
Winning out would leave us 27-7. That seems more like a #2 seed's record. We would be on a 10-game winning streak, though, so that might be enough to bump us up.
February 20th, 2012 at 6:17 PM ^
27-7 with our resume in most years would be enough for a 2 seed. However, you have to look at the teams in front of us. UNC, Duke, Kansas, MSU, Missouri, Kentucky, Syracuse and unfortunately OSU all have better resumes. We would need one of them to slip up (hopefully OSU or MSU seeing as we beat them) in order to obtain a 2 seed. At least that's the way I see it.
February 20th, 2012 at 10:21 PM ^
February 21st, 2012 at 10:01 AM ^
that means OSU and MSU each have another loss in the BTT, plus they play each other, so one of them gets a second loss. Still not sure that's enough to push us up into the top 8 seeds to get a #2, though. May take another embarrassing loss for one or both of them, or someone else above us to really fall flat.
February 20th, 2012 at 6:19 PM ^
February 20th, 2012 at 6:16 PM ^
Not enough road wins, a couple bad losses, and too many losses overall.
February 20th, 2012 at 6:35 PM ^
I think it's pretty unlikely. But every year, there is a conference tourney winning team that gets an incredible upgrade in their seed. Winning the toughest conference in the country and then it's tourney could make us that team. However, if we did that, I wouldn't care if they kept us at a #3. I'd feel pretty confident that we were about to tell a bunch of teams to get the fuck of our court as we march to the FF.
February 20th, 2012 at 5:22 PM ^
I'm probably in the distinct minority, but I really like that building. It's one of the last remaining arenas in the conference that could more accurately be described as gyms. The other two are the Barn at Minnesota and Assembly Hall at Indiana. It's more intimate and less than all the new buildings that have been built (I'm looking at you, Ohio and Wisconsin). It gets loud in there too if there's a decent crowd.
February 20th, 2012 at 5:46 PM ^
I agree - I love arenas that size. It could be the Cameron of the Big Ten if Northwestern becomes stronger. For a small private school like NU, it makes sense to have an arena that size.
I'm very glad that we resisted the temptation to build a big NBA-sized arena and chose to renovate Crisler instead. Crisler is a good size for us.
February 20th, 2012 at 5:54 PM ^
That last bit should read "less sterile than all the new buildings that have been built (I'm looking at you, Ohio and Wisconsin)."
Wisconsin's old fieldhouse was a terrific, crazy place to watch basketball, even when Wisconsin was terrible in the pre-Bennett days. The upper deck was just a series of planks, laid horizontally on top of each other. There were literally foot wide gaps beneath the seats with open space to the main stands below. Going into that building felt like walking into the 1940s.
February 20th, 2012 at 6:23 PM ^
i got tickets for this game the day they went on sale !!!
I'll be their tomorrow in evanston section 301 row LL which is the first row in that section
got my tickets for 20 each thru the alum association discount
NW is possibly ncaa tourney bubble right now,lunardi has them in, so you had to figure it was gonna sellout with a small arena.
February 20th, 2012 at 6:41 PM ^
This is a huge game for NW, which is bad for us. They play us, OSU and PSU (I think) meaning they have to beat us or OSU to finish .500 in conference, making them a likely tourney bid. I think the OSU game is in Columbus, so they know that this game against us is their shot at the tourney. They'll be pumped. We need to bring it.
February 20th, 2012 at 6:53 PM ^
I know, I really want NW to make the tournament, but I really doubt they beat Ohio. Obviously I want them to lose tomorrow, but I hope they find a way to sneak into the tourny with such a weak bubble this year.
February 20th, 2012 at 6:56 PM ^
The OSU game is in Evanston. They're probably in the tournament as of today, but have a really tough road. Us and OSU at home. At PSU (who's bad but has played tough at home) and Iowa (who is legitimately good at home, as we found out). And they probably have to go 3-1 to be assured of a spot.
I want them to make it, but by losing to us.
February 20th, 2012 at 11:43 PM ^
Michigan is always a "big game" for Northwestern. They are another school which seems to see Michigan as a "rivalry game" and give supreme effort against the Wolverines. It seems like Michigan has about seven schools that see them as their "rivalry game."
February 20th, 2012 at 6:52 PM ^
The osu game for them is at home
February 20th, 2012 at 7:06 PM ^
everyone is indicating this is NW's biggest game in years and could possibly put them in the tourney, whether that's right or not, Northwestern will still probably pack the house for the game
February 20th, 2012 at 7:10 PM ^
The dream scenerio would be for NU to lose to us and then beat Ohio.
February 20th, 2012 at 8:02 PM ^
And then for the Bucks to turn around and beat Sparty.
February 20th, 2012 at 9:55 PM ^
Admiral Ackbar's been saying since 11pm Saturday night that this is a trap game and he's absolutely right. We have to bring our A-game for this, because Northwestern is going to bring theirs. I'm a little scared of this game, because all signs point to a let down after our big win Saturday night. I know that Coach Beilein, Zack and Stu will keep the team focused, but honestly, after beating Ohio, how do you possibly match that intensity next game?
(On the flip side, if nothing else, the fact that we needed OT to beat Northwestern last time should serve notice that this isn't "just" Northwestern)
February 20th, 2012 at 10:11 PM ^
February 20th, 2012 at 10:24 PM ^
They beat us at Welsh-Ryan and we beat them at Crisler. Both games were pretty comfortable wins for the home team.
February 20th, 2012 at 11:01 PM ^
Try Chicago Craigslist under "For Sale", "Tickets", the seach keyword "Michigan"
http://chicago.craigslist.org/search/tia?query=Michigan&srchType=T&minAsk=&maxAsk=
You'll find private owners looking to unload, as well as dealers.
There are also tix available on Stubhub.
Fondly remember standing by the player entrance/exit onto the court back in 92 with my oldest son and watching him "high five" most of the Fab Five as they walked off the court at Welsh-Ryan arena after a Wolverines victory.
February 21st, 2012 at 1:01 AM ^
February 21st, 2012 at 4:17 AM ^
This game. Confidence is starting to peak for this team (& me for saying this?!). A lesser talented NW team won't be enough to knock these boys off right now. I'm not sayin', I'm just sayin'.
February 21st, 2012 at 11:00 AM ^
Heading out to Chicago now. Had to wait for that damn blizzard to subside. A nice Italian dinner in Old Town before the game is going to be great. Highly recommend Topo Gigio on N. Wells.
February 21st, 2012 at 11:45 AM ^
if in Evanston
i reccomend Dixie Kitchen
southern food, and its fat tuesday