Northwestern's season is probably not salvageable, but there's a couple games remaining on the schedule that are still must see TV.
For Northwestern basketball fans, it's been a rough couple of seasons since Boo Buie left.
Last year's team was still fun and competitive, and there's an argument that without injuries and bad refs it could have been a tournament team. This year, with a young roster, the wheels have fallen off a little bit.
The Wildcats sit at 2-10 in the conference right now after getting blown out at Illinois this week. They play Iowa on the road tomorrow, and expectations shouldn't be particularly high.
Young freshmen like Tre Singleton and Jake West are a legitimate reason to continue watching this team, especially for die-hards. Their development is crucial to the future of the program, and both of those players have improved throughout this season.
But for the more casual fan, it's understandable if now is the time to start picking spots and not tune in to every game. Here's a guide to the three most watchable 'Cats games for the remainder of the year:
Northwestern vs. Maryland (Feb. 2)
I'll start out with the only remaining game on the schedule the 'Cats should actually be favored in. The Terps are also having a nightmare year, sitting at 8-14 overall and 1-10 in the conference. Northwestern gets them at home in about two weeks on a Wednesday night at 7 p.m. CT.
This game has the potential to play out similarly to the Penn State game NU won. It's an opportunity for the young guys to shine against a lesser opponent, something that's difficult to find in the midst of the Big Ten schedule.
If you want to watch a game to make you believe in the future of this team, then the Maryland matchup is easily the most likely to yield that feeling.
No. 12 Purdue @ Northwestern (March 4)
This one is mandatory for a multitude of reasons.
First, well, it's Purdue. We all know their recent history at Welsh-Ryan Arena. For seniors, this is an opportunity to potentially storm the court for a third time against the Boilermakers in four seasons. For anyone else, these games have often created fireworks, and don't put it past the 'Cats to hang in there again.
Of course, this could always be a massive blowout given the seasons both teams are having. But even if that's the case, any self-respecting Wildcat fan will be tuned in for Nick Martinelli's senior night.
Martinelli is the last true member of the Buie core, and he bleeds purple. Northwestern's best player deserves a nice send-off, and I'm sure he will get one.
The first round of the Big Ten Tournament
The beauty of college basketball? Nobody is truly out before the conference tournament.
Will the Wildcats make a ridiculous run? Probably not. Is it more fun to watch and cheer for a team when that's a remote possibility? Yes.
It's about pride now for this Northwestern team. If they make some noise in the conference tournament, that matters. Just getting some of these freshmen experience playing in that kind of environment also matters.