The end of 2021 was not kind to the Northwestern Wildcats.
On December 21 of the year just past, they woke up to the news that, instead of taking on Oregon in a highly-promoted home test as they had planned, they’d instead enter team COVID-19 protocols after several positive tests within the program. The pause that ensued would last 19 days, carrying over into 2022 and postponing an additional two contests in the process.
Hell, even before the COVID outbreak that left numerous ‘Cats sick, 2021 wasn’t coming to the close the team had wished for. After making the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2015, the ‘Cats had started off this year’s campaign 9-3, dropping a winnable contest just a short drive south at DePaul before falling in two of three contests — including one against a Pitt team without some of its top scorers — at the Paradise Jam in the U.