With each passing game, the Wildcats' opportunities dwindle further, but not all hope is lost.
Barring a miraculous run in the Big Ten Tournament, Northwestern's NCAA Tournament hopes seem to be all but dashed for yet another year. Sure, a stunning six-game winning streak could put NU in the conversation, but... stop. That's not going to happen. We've long since eclipsed the point where the tourney discussion was still a reasonable one.
The NIT (National Invitational Tournament), though, is still very much in play. The NIT is an afterthought for many — merely a consolation bracket — but it could be huge for Northwestern.