On Sunday night in Madison, Northwestern basketball, both in the context of the 2016-2017 season and the program’s history, faced a moment of reckoning. In the midst of a demoralizing two-game losing streak and without its leading scorer, the Wildcats would have to put on an inspired performance on the road against No. 7 Wisconsin for their NCAA tournament aspirations to get the boost of a big-time win they needed.
To make a long story short, they did just that.
A galvanized Bryant McIntosh and an outstanding team defensive effort drove Northwestern’s success Sunday night, but both of these developments go against trends that have come to fruition since losing Scottie Lindsey.