[NU Sports] NU prognosis

[Dennis W. Brandt]

This may be the best basketball team in NU history.  Crawford has come to 
play, Shurna is Shurna, Hearn has been a surprise, and Sobolewski came out 
of the chute playing solid basketball.  Cobb and Marotullio, though, need to 
get their court legs back to lengthen the bench.

Unfortunately, the talent still isn't good enough for us to feel sanguine 
about making the Big Dance.  I believe the best we can realistically hope 
for is another NIT with a shot at going deep into the tournament.  We'll 
likely pull some upsets during the regular season and lose some we should 
win.  We probably prevail if the threes are dropping and likely lose if 
they're not.  In other words, expect pretty much the same ol' same ol' with 
an extra win or two.  The principle problem is an old one:  put-backs and 
ones-and-done will remain events the opposition enjoys.  Mirkovic has 
obviously worked hard on his game and is playing the best ball of his life, 
but he cannot hold up against the league's better front lines.

While we have the best opportunity of making the NCAAs since I matriculated 
218.5 years ago, I'm afraid it still isn't enough this year.