Iowa Basketball: Get To Know Northwestern Wildcats

Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

Iowa basketball travels to Evanston, Illinois, to take on Northwestern on Sunday

Iowa basketball is just a game off the Big Ten leader Michigan State following their 83-78 upset win over Purdue. The Hawkeyes sit at 11-7 on the year and 3-2 in conference play. They will have another test in Northwestern on Sunday night.

Northwestern enters the game 14-4 with no bad loss. This year, the Wildcats have lost to Butler, Notre Dame, Michigan State and Minnesota, all teams that were ranked at some point this year. Plus, Northwestern has a win over ranked Texas and ended Nebraska’s undefeated start to conference play.

Despite their abnormally hot start and ESPN’s bracketology saying Northwestern is a bubble team as of now, the Wildcats and Hawkeyes are in the same boat in Big Ten play. Both are 3-2 and desperately need a win to help their résumé come Selection Sunday.

Both teams also enter the game on two game winning streaks. Although, Iowa won their past two games at home and Northwestern won by eight and nine on the road against Nebraska and Rutgers, respectively.

Iowa will need to crack another strong defensive team on Sunday. Northwestern allows the 38th fewest points per game at 64.7 and holds teams to 39 percent shooting from the field and 31.6 percent shooting from three. The Wildcats will have a challenge in trying to contain Peter Jok and Jordan Bohannon on the perimeter.

Iowa basketball is looking for games to help their résumé, and this is one. The Hawkeyes and Wildcats will tipoff at 6:30 p.m. CT on Sunday, airing on Big Ten Network.

Mandatory Credit: Caylor Arnold-USA TODAY Sports

Chris Collins

Despite coaching a program that has never been to the NCAA Tournament and has only been ranked four times, Chris Collins is one of the best young coaches in the game. Northwestern has improved every season under Collins, who is now in his fourth year, and has gone 62-52 overall.

Collins took over a 13-19 team in 2012-13 and now has Northwestern on the verge of making their first Tournament ever just four years later.

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The Wildcats had a case to end their historic drought a season ago when they went 20-12, however, finishing 8-10 and losing their first game of the Big Ten Tournament ruined their chances.

Maybe this is the year Northwestern finally makes the Tournament, but, if not, they’re still showing huge progress. The Wildcats have been a top 40 scoring defense in two of their first three seasons under Collins and rank 38th this year, but they’ve made significant strides on offense.

In 2013-14, Collins’ first season, Northwestern ranked 349th in the nation in points per game. Northwestern improved to 279th to 204th in the next two seasons to 150th this season. If this pace holds up, it would be the first time since 1975-76 Northwestern ranks in the top 150 in points per game and points allowed per game in the same season.

Northwestern is getting better recruits and is now a legitimate threat in the Big Ten this year. Their biggest fear is that Chris Collins leaves for a more luxurious job. Until then, Northwestern has one of the best young coaches in the nation and are quickly heading towards their first NCAA Tournament.

Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

Players To Watch

Bryant McIntosh: 12.2 PPG, 5.5 APG, 35.7 FG%, 25.7 3P%

Northwestern’s best player is Bryant McIntosh. Despite ranking third on the team in scoring and shooting poorly from the floor, their offense runs through him. He is third in the Big Ten in assists per game. That said, he does turn the ball over 2.8 times per game, which could lead to more chances for Iowa, who ranks fifth in steals in the Big Ten this year.

Iowa can’t let McIntosh set other players up, they have to dare him to shoot. He’s shooting just 35.7 percent from the field and 25.7 percent from three a year after shooting 42.3 percent from the field and a solid 36.6 percent from three. He doesn’t have a lot of confidence in his shot, which has led him to shooting under 50 percent in all but one game this season.

Despite his shooting percentages, Bryant McIntosh is a good player and one of the better players in the Big Ten. Iowa can’t let him create easy looks for his teammates, rather they need to make him prove he can beat them with his shot.

Vic Law: 13.8 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 2.2 APG, 45.5 FG%, 47.3 3P%

Scottie Lindsey leads Northwestern in scoring, but Vic Law shoots better from the field and 8.4 percent better from three than Lindsey. In fact, Law is fourth in three-point percentage in the Big Ten and 12th in threes made, despite only attempting the 21st most in the conference.

Northwestern attempts the most threes in the Big Ten, and it starts with Law. He has attempted at least four three-pointers in 14 of 18 games this season, while making multiple threes in nine games. Although, Law, just like any shooter, is prone to having an off-night.

For instance, he made 5-of-6 threes against Nebraska but followed it up shooting 0-of-4 against Rutgers in their last game. Iowa has to run him off the three-point line because 42 percent of his shots have come from deep this season. In fact, Law only shoots 44.1 percent on two-pointers compared to 47.3 percent of his threes.

It’s easier to slow down Northwestern’s offense if Law is not spacing the floor and knocking down threes. It adds another dynamic to the Wildcats’ offense.