Tag: Northwestern

Look – Northwestern’s Ryan Field Meets Its Maker

Photos from Northwestern’s historic Ryan Field being torn down to make way for a new state-of-the-art football venue.

There used to be a time Notre Dame would make the short trip to Northwestern and take on the Wildcats at Dyche Stadium (before it became Ryan Field) with regularity.

Notre Dame played there 19 times from 1926-1976. However, the last Notre Dame trip to the venue came in 2018 when a battered Ian Book helped guide the Irish to a 31-21 win to move to 9-0.

In the 20 games Notre Dame played there, the Irish won 17. A fun fact: Two of those Northwestern wins were in 1960 and 1962 when a young head coach named Ara Parseghian led the Wildcats to 7-6 and 35-6 victories. The blowout in ’62 clearly made an impact; he was hired to coach Notre Dame following the season.

In all, Notre Dame outscored Northwestern 428-165 in their 20 all-time meetings at Dyche Stadium/Ryan Field. For the mathematically challenged, that’s an average of a roughly 21-8 Notre Dame victory each time.

Over the past month Ryan Field has been being torn down to make room for a modern football venue in the same location. You can see photos of Ryan Field’s demolition below as well as some photos from Notre Dame’s last trip to the nearly century-old venue in 2018.

If you’ve ever seen the movie “The Express” on Syracuse star Ernie Davis, a good amount of that film was shot at the venue as well.

Personally, as nice as the new venue will be the old place will always hold a special place in my heart as it’s the closest Football Bowl Subdivision stadium to where I call home and a place I’ve spent countless Saturday morning and afternoons.

Potential Thunder draft prospect Donovan Clingan dominates in UConn’s win over Northwestern

Potential Thunder draft prospect Donovan Clingan dominates in UConn’s win over Northwestern.

The Oklahoma City Thunder could have two 2024 first-round picks in the lottery range. They own the Houston Rockets’ top-four protected pick and the Utah Jazz’s top-10 protected pick. The former looks more likely to come to OKC than the latter.

As the NCAA Tournament progresses, the top prospects are in the spotlight as they draw national attention for their postseason performances.

Considering the Thunder will likely have at least one lottery pick, plenty of possible additions via the draft give fans a chance to see how they match up in high-stress situations.

One possibility is UConn center Donovan Clingan. He finished with 14 points on 5-of-7 shooting, 14 rebounds and eight blocks in 27 minutes in UConn’s 75-58 win over Northwestern in the round of 32 on Sunday.

In his second season, Clingan has been part of a dominant UConn squad that seeks to repeat as national champions. The 7-foot-2 center averaged 12.5 points on 64% shooting, 7.2 rebounds and 2.3 blocks.

At 280 pounds, he has an NBA-ready frame and can give a team a classic rim-running big who can protect the rim. UConn went 31-3 and is No. 1 in the East Region.

The Thunder could envision Clingan adding serious size at center. He could start alongside Holmgren for jumbo lineups or serve as an efficient backup center for OKC.

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Takeaways from Wisconsin’s stellar Big Ten Tournament win over Northwestern

What are your takeaways from Wisconsin’s big win over Northwestern?

Wisconsin basketball advanced to the Big Ten Tournament semifinal Friday afternoon with a decisive 70-61 win over the Northwestern Wildcats.

The Badgers continued the flash the form that led them to a blowout win over Maryland in the previous round, a form which the team has lacked since February began.

Related: Wisconsin social media all-in after Badgers big win over Northwestern

A.J. Storr led the Badgers with a dominant 30-point output, while center Steven Crowl seems to be finding his stroke at the right time — as he scored 19 points on 8/12 from the field and 3/5 from three-point range.

Wisconsin’s sudden excellence is terrific news as the Badgers enter the NCAA Tournament in search of their first Sweet 16 trip since 2016-17.

The news is obviously all positive after the clean win over Northwestern. Here are specific takeaways from the performance as the Badgers go on to face Purdue on Saturday afternoon:

Wisconsin basketball was ranked No. 6 in the country entering February for a reason. The team boasted one of the nation’s best offenses, a dynamic attack with versatile athletes and a solid complementary defense.

That team vanished in February and the first half of March. It’s safe to say it is now back after the last two performances.

Keep in mind: Wisconsin took care of Northwestern without Chucky Hepburn playing a minute. That’s an all-around performance, led by Storr’s dominance, without one of the team’s most important players touching the court.

Again, look out if the Badgers are truly back to their January ways.

A.J. Storr’s night ended with 30 points on 10/16 shooting, 3/5 from three-point range and six rebounds. He was the Badgers’ engine all afternoon, and provided a glimpse of shotmaking and offensive dominance that could propel a run in March.

Most Final Four teams have a go-to option when they need a bucket. Storr looks to be that player, it’s a question of the rest of the team rising to the occasion.

I don’t have stats on this, but it feels like Wisconsin wins every game that Steven Crowl shoots well from deep.

The team dominated Maryland Thursday when Crowl shot well, and it got the job done against Northwestern with the big man going 3/5 from deep.

Crowl’s versatility brings a needed dimension to the offense, especially as the team gets set to face opponents with good big men. His red-hot shooting is terrific news entering Saturday, and entering next week.

Adversity comes in the form of a 3-8 skid through six weeks of basketball, which the Badgers seem to now be out of. It also comes in the form of Chucky Hepburn being a late scratch, and the team not missing a beat once the game begins.

Hepburn was ‘ready to play if needed.’ But he wasn’t needed, because the rest of the team all rose to the occasion. This is the adversity that teams must battle through if a Final Four run is possible.

More terrific news: the loud Greg Gard detractors on social media are all quiet after a second straight terrific performance.

Those detractors should stay quiet indefinitely if the Badgers make an Elite Eight or Final Four run, which is even more of a reason to root for it.

After a breakout performance against Maryland, Blackwell shot only 1/8 this afternoon for three points. But he still played terrific defense on Northwestern star Boo Buie, plus added three rebounds, two assists and two steals.

That, and he still had the confidence to pull this deep three despite his struggles on the day:

Look out for Blackwell turning into a star as March Madness begins.

Who knew Kamari McGee was one of the more important players on this Badgers team. It feels like the team has turned a corner since he returned from injury against Rutgers.

McGee finished this contest with four points in 23 minutes, but also three rebounds, an assist and a huge block. He’s the perfect backup point guard to have, and will be a valuable depth piece for whatever run the Badgers can put together.

I’m usually hesitant to buy into teams in the postseason, but these last two games have been direct flashbacks of the dominance we saw in December and January. For that reason, I’m back in on the Badgers being a dark horse Elite Eight or Final Four contender.

Greg Gard has big-game tournament experience, Storr is the go-to scorer the team needs, Hepburn is the perfect floor general and (hopefully) Crowl and Tyler Wahl are both on point for the big matchups.

There have been numerous Wisconsin teams to let fans down in the last decade, lets hope this isn’t also one of them.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, and opinion. Follow Ben Kenney on X.

WATCH: Tom Izzo previews Michigan State basketball vs. Northwestern

WATCH: Tom Izzo previews Michigan State basketball vs. Northwestern

Michigan State basketball will look to snap a 3-game losing streak on Wednesday when they host Northwestern for a late-season rematch and the Spartans will look to avenge their January loss to the Wildcats.

There is a lot at stake in this one, at MSU is still not quite on the NCAA tournament bubble, but they probably would be if they lose that game.

Below, you can watch Izzo’s full press conference previewing the game:

QUOTES: Tom Izzo previews Michigan State basketball vs. Northwestern

Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan state news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Andrew Brewster on Twitter @IAmBrewster.

Quotes: Tom Izzo breaks downs Michigan State basketball’s senior night match-up vs. Northwestern

Tom Izzo breaks downs Michigan State basketball’s senior night match-up vs. Northwestern

For a multitude of reasons, Wednesday night’s match-up for Michigan State basketball vs. Northwestern will be one of great importance for the Spartans.

For one, it’s senior night, and the Breslin Center might be saying goodbye to players like A.J. Hoggard, Tyson Walker and Mady Sissoko.

It’s also of vital importance because recent losses has made this game more of a must-win, and the Spartans will also be looking to avenge their January loss to the Wildcats.

Tom Izzo broke down the match-up along with his thoughts on his program on Monday, and you can see the notable quotes from that session below.

Rutgers women’s basketball opens March with loss to Northwestern

Rutgers women’s basketball closes the Big Ten regular season with a loss.

On Sunday afternoon, Rutgers women’s basketball continued to struggle against Big Ten teams in their latest conference loss. The Scarlet Knights closed out the Big Ten regular season with a 72-61 loss to Northwestern.

With the loss, Rutgers finishes the Big Ten regular season with an 8-23 (2-16 Big Ten) record. Next up for Rutgers is a game against Minnesota in the Big Ten Tournament.

While Rutgers played better in the second half, they were unable to
recover from a slow start. They were outscored 36-28 in the first half as Northwestern thrived close to the basket. The Wildcats scored 28 points in the paint.

Although Sunday did not go as planned for Rutgers, there were a few players who had impressive games. That includes Destiny Adams and Erica Lafayette. Adams added 14 points and six rebounds to her resume. Lafayette scored more than ten points for the second straight game.

 

 

Against the Wildcats, Rutgers was again unable to play a complete game. They only outscored Northwestern in the fourth quarter, but at that point the game was out of reach. From three-point range, Rutgers shot 25 percent.

Last year in the Big Ten Tournament

Rutgers women’s basketball finishes season with matchup against Northwestern

Rutgers women’s basketball is hoping to close out the Big Ten regular season with a win.

On Sunday afternoon, the Big Ten regular season will come to an end for Rutgers women’s basketball with a matchup against Northwestern. Rutgers will be looking to end the regular season with a win after losing three straight. Against a Northwestern team that has struggled on the road, Rutgers is in a good position.

As Rutgers looks to secure their ninth win of the season, they will need a big game from Destiny Adams. The Lakehurst native is averaging 15.2 points per game this season. Against Michigan State on February 24, Adams scored 11 points and recorded nine rebounds.

In this matchup, Rutgers will be tasked with stopping Melannie Daley. The talented junior is averaging a team-high 12.8 points per game. In February, she was a points machine, scoring at least 10 points in four games.

 

 

While limiting Daley will be a priority, playing a complete game will be essential for Rutgers. They have shown a tendency to struggle offensively for long periods, allowing their opponents to build double-digit leads. If that trend continues, it could be fatal against a motivated Northwestern team.

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However, Rutgers does have one advantage. Northwestern has struggled on the road this season with a 2-9 record. At home, Rutgers has gone 7-10 and been much more competitive regardless of the opponent.

Women’s basketball dominates Northwestern in 75-50 win

The Huskers hosted Northwestern Tuesday night for their second to last home game of the season.

The Huskers hosted Northwestern Tuesday night for their second to last home game of the season. Nebraska dominated the Wildcats throughout, resulting in a massive 75-50 win.

The Huskers controlled the game from the start, blowing past the Wildcats and ending the first quarter up 20-6. Nebraska continued its surge until the end.

Freshman Natalie Potts finished the night as Nebraska’s top scorer, dropping 18 points. She also hauled in 10 rebounds to make it her fourth double-double of the season and led the team in steals with three.

Annika Stewart finished second in scoring for the Huskers, tallying up 13 points in the win. Freshman Logan Nissley dropped 12 points and led Nebraska in assists with six.

Alexis Markowski delivered 12 points for Nebraska while also earning ten rebounds for her 15th double-double of the season. Markowski is now second in school history for career double-doubles with 37 and tied her career-high for double-doubles in a season.

Nebraska improves to 18-9 on the season and 10-6 in conference play. They will remain home to play Minnesota on Saturday for Senior Night. Tipoff is set for 4:00 p.m. and can be viewed on B1G+.

No. 8 Notre Dame Women’s Lacrosse Knocks off No. 1 Northwestern

Down goes No. 1!

History was made Friday on Notre Dame’s campus as the eighth ranked Fighting Irish women’s lacrosse team took down traditional powerhouse and No. 1 Northwestern, 14-10.

The win was the first in program history for Notre Dame over a No. 1 ranked women’s lacrosse opponent and moved the Irish to 3-0 on the young season.

Jackie Wolak was outstanding for the Irish leading the way with four goals and a pair of assists.  Madison Ahern and Abby Maichin each had hat tricks themselves to aid in the victory.

Perhaps the most important team stat of the game came from the circle as Notre Dame won 20 of 28 draws on the day.

Notre Dame returns to action Sunday when they play host to Butler at 1 p.m. ET.

Huskers suffer massive road loss to Northwestern 80-68

The road woes continued for Nebraska as it faced off against Northwestern Wednesday night.

The road woes continued for Nebraska as it faced off against Northwestern Wednesday night. The Huskers fell behind early once again and couldn’t dig out their hole, resulting in an 80-68 loss.

Points off turnovers and three-pointers were Nebraska’s main burdens throughout the game. Northwestern finished the night with 26 points off turnovers and landed 11 shots from beyond the arc. The Huskers, meanwhile, only put up seven points off turnovers and delivered just six baskets from three-point range.

Nebraska overall saw four players score double-digit points. Juwan Gary led the charge for the Huskers, tallying up 15 points. Brice Williams led the team in rebounds with 10, accompanying his total of 13 points scored to earn his first double-double of the season. Jamarques Lawrence scored 12 points, and Keisei Tominaga rounded the squad with 11 points.

Nebraska falls to 16-8 on the season and 6-7 in conference play. It will return home Saturday to take on Michigan. Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m. and can be viewed on the Big Ten Network.