Northwestern’s consistent grit feels oddly at home in a Big Ten full of inconsistencies

Indianapolis-Z hot-room rooms, bubbles, unpredictable teams for all conferences and Rutgers Enigma jumped.

The Big Ten is now in the session.

This is a conference where Michigan State won the title of regular season with three games, but no one was named to the All-Big team Ten or Second. Then again four newcomers from the West Coast-Oregon, UCLA, USC and Washington-No one on the first, second or even third teams of all leagues in media votes.

This is a conference where Ohio State crushed Kentucky by 20 points and ended Purdue’s 26-game lane, but lost five games by three or less points or overtime and fought for his NCAA tournament life on Wednesday. Then Iowa defeated her by seven points in the game with 13 lead changes.

Read more: Duke moves to the first place in the Basketball Power 37 andy Katz

This is a conference where Purdue, which won the last two players with a 7-3 center, won this 6-Naha guard. Where Indiana took the first five losses on average 22.2 points and the last seven by a diameter of 6.1. Where Rutgers had two Freshman phenomena in the line -up, which is expected to be in the first three NBA proposal, but ended in 11th place. Where Nebraska went from 12-2 the beginning to loss 12 out of 17 and did not even make a 15-day conference tournament. Where Michigan won 14 of his first 17 big Big games a year after 3-17, he dropped from the last three.

And this is a conference that has northwest coach Chris Collins, who sees Red, not because another opponent is Wisconsin.

His Wildcats, who played without the two of his top three shooters due to injury, opened the tournament on Wednesday with a victory of 72-64 over Minnesota, which carried 28 points by Nick Martinelli, who leads Big that in scoring. By the way, he didn’t even make the first team of the first league.

That could make Collins worse, but what really fried his eggs was … well, let him and his players explain.

“Our guys are just a heavy group of people.” They had a lot of thrown on them. Even last night they put us in the hotel … and the rooms of our boys were 85 degrees, and there the league gives you. In any case, they turn around, try to get us and our boys are just a durable group. ”

Watch: 2025 BIG TEN TOURNAMENT: BRACKET, Plan, Score for Men’s Basketball

Spring appeared here, with temperatures approaching 70 outside, how hot it was?

Guardian Berry: “I just slept on the envelopes. Could not get under the covers. It was hot all night. I threw and turned. At the end of the day you just have to play through things. ”

Martinelli: “We were like joking around, Oh, that’s bold. We had a bucket of ice and we just grabbed the ice and wiped it all night to try to stay cool. Frankly, I won’t say I’m happy that it happened, but we came here and we showed them. ”

Collins: “We are used to the fact that this league is handled.”

Martinelli again: “This morning it was very hot. I don’t think they changed anything, but yeah, we’ll just go back there and sleep again in 80 degrees. ”

Collins again: “They’ll get us into what is warmer if we leave it on the league.”

Hmmm. There seems to be a topic, so Collins has been asked to work out.

“I don’t have to get into anything,” he said, “you (media) are the ones who come out of how official we are and how they are treated.” I don’t have to say anything. You watch the same games I do. ”

But later he had more.

“They said they had this problem in the last 10 days at this hotel.” So that frustrated me. You just hate it for people. I have seniors playing in their lives, and they descend and said, “Coach, I have to have a bucket of ice next to bed, it’s hot.” Even this morning after we did our passage, our boys had to sit in the hall or sit in our team room.

“It’s just me to be a coach and I want the best for my people.” I have the Berry. The next time he lost, his career ended. ”

Martinelli’s average is now 20.4 and it is on the verge that in 66 years there will be only a second wild cat to lead the league in scoring. This must mean something for a guy who played his basketball in high school 10 miles from the campus. Now he achieved twice the characters in 25 consecutive games and no northwest player did it in 25 years, so the place in the first All-Big team would be nice. Not that it seemed to him a lot.

“Obviously I’m not great in comparison.” I am more in the competition and things of this nature. I’m not motivated at all. I am definitely grateful for coming here and showing people that we are a serious team. I think we showed that every game. We competed with IS boys who descend down. I don’t think it necessarily drives me today. ”

And Big management that scoring?

“Obviously, it means a lot, but it’s a tribute to them and coaches,” he said, nodding toward his dressing room and teammate. “I had sections where I did not shoot it well, but my coaches and teammates are still coming back to me.”

Collins mentioned a low point in February, when Northwestern threw a 20-point lead at home and lost to Nebrask to drop to 4-11 at the conference. Until then, shooters No. 2 Brooks Barnhizer and shooter No. 3 Jalen Leach for the season with injury.

“Nick Martinelli just said we would have the winning season,” Collins said. Wildcats won four out of six after Nebraska and are now 17-15. “You look there, Nick plays with unproven players, some boys who didn’t play the first 20 games of the season, young players, the boys are trying to find themselves.” Every time he touches the ball, he sees double and triple teams. His competitive will was simply amazing and playing great. ”

Martinelli said, “Apparently it happened. It’s unhappy, but we play for those people who can’t be there. ”

Northwestern Wildcats then headed back to their hotel in the city center and hoped that the maintenance had repaired heating. They will need more rest to face wisconsin. Any other BIG TEN teams in the same hotel that deal with the same problem?

“No other team, just cats,” Collins said. “Go the character.”

Heat is at Big Ten.