[NU Sports] Basketball

[SjT (Stephen J. Truog)]

>  Just to provoke discussion:
> have to ask, again: if Wisconsin can remake itself
> into a perennial basketball contender from that
> talent pool, why is it Northwestern is not able to
> win?

Now ... as a native Wisconsinite I take offense to
that!:) Having seen high school hoops in Arizona for
the past few years, I can say that although Wisconsin
high schools are not exactly Indiana and Illinois for
talent, there are a lot worse states.

Wisconsin's produced its share of talent ... and more
importantly, has seen its share of quality coaches at
the high school and college level in the past few
decades. Plus ... Wisconsin, Marquette, UW-Milwaukee
and UW-Green Bay have all made notable NCAA runs in
the past two decades and the non division I schools
are strong. Not many states outside of Indiana and
Carolina have multi-school successes on the hardcourt
in recent years. Much like the Packers/Badgers success
of the 1990s trickled down to boost the state's HS
football programs, so did Marquette and Wisconsin's
Final Four runs.

But in any case, it's apples and oranges with UW and
NU. Being the primary state university will help you
"seal the borders" - especially when you get good.
Wisconsin's football and basketball successes both
started with getting good coaches who kept the best
talent in state. NU has no home borders to seal.

>  2. Indiana reportedly keen to make a run at
> Tennessee's Bruce Pearl. To which I have to ask: why
> doesn't Northwestern make a run at Pitt's Jamie
> Dixon?

Two parts there ... first off IU would be wise to get
Pearl. Dunno if he'll leave, but they need a big name
in Bloomington after the Sampson debacle. As for
Dixon, I'm not sure why he'd leave Pitt for NU. Nice
to dream a bit though!:)

GO CATS!!!
-SjT

* * * * * * * * *
STEPHEN J. TRUOG
sjtruog at yahoo.com
GO CATS!!!


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