The Cubs and Wildcats Turn It Around In The Same Year, It’s Such A Treat

Though they fell to Purdue in the season finale, the Northwestern Wildcats made the 2016-2017 season into one for the history books. One which, in fact, marks the first time in the program’s history in the NCAA Tournament where they we’re listed at 150/1 to win. Now you can find more NCAA Basketball lines at Skybook.

Northwestern tipped off the Madness with a bang, sealing its NCAA destiny with a buzzer-beater to defeat Michigan, 67-65, on the first day of March. While the Wildcats were right up there on the tournament bubble before the win, had they lost, their chances of getting a berth would’ve been slim. With the win, Northwestern fans could be a lot more optimistic when Selection Sunday rolled around.

So finally, the Wildcats get to say that they’re not among the only five teams that play Division I basketball to not have competed in the NCAA tournament. And, although they didn’t make a run for the national title, this team had enough talent to win a thriller against Vanderbilt, 68-66.

Northwestern entered the Big Ten Tournament at 21-10, 10-8, the most wins in program history. Seeded sixth, Northwestern is was not expected to win the Big Ten tournament (they were listed at +1600). Instead of earing that automatic NCAA bid, Northwestern had to wait until Selection Sunday and the Committee’s decision to get them into The Big Dance.

Now that the Chicago Cubs winning the World Series is in the books, we can turn our attention to the Wildcats confident that, perhaps, this is the year for Chicagoland teams to end curses. Northwestern has now had a taste of March Madness, and, hopefully, it’ll be just the first of many to come. Finally.

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