Holy Smokes! Rollin Out of Raleigh - 'Cats Down NC State 65-53

Are you joking? As you likely just saw Northwestern just won a commanding Big Ten-ACC Challenge game on the road against previously undefeated NC State 65-53 to move to 6-1 on the season. This wasn't just a survival win that we clung to, it was a game in which we were in control from the get-go and dropped previously undefeated NC State to 5-1 making it the 3rd consecutive win over a previously undefeated BCS Conference school (Notre Dame, Iowa State). Again it was an across-the-board team effort with John Shurna and Jeremy Nash busting out of the gates. How much has Nash improved his shooting? Then, in the second half Michael Thompson completely took over to the point where I thought analyst Jay Williams might declare him the greatest point guard since, Jay Williams! Seriously though, Thompson was simply incredible and put us on his back down the stretch. And of course my man, Alex Marcotullio was clutch once again. I was sweating bullets after his technical foul swung momentum and then he stepped up with a huuuuuge three to make amends to Carmody and Wildcat Nation. What ice in his veins the kid has. I'm speechless. Seriously. Let me share the box score with you here at ESPN.com so you can see the fine print.

I'm just downright giddy. Note how we held the Wolfpack to 35% shooting and 11% from 3-pt land while we shot 50% from the floor and 42% from 3. If you claim "they can't shoot" I'd agree if I hadn't seen us play such stellar perimeter D for three straight games. Before you go down the road of schedule surfing, don't (we play December 13 vs NC A&T - win!) as it is too tantalizing to start going "there" just yet (hmmm, then we play North Florida on 12/16 to move to 8-1). The most impressive part of this team is its complete balance. We frustrate teams with good guards and overpowering big men by clogging the offense and Nash-ing them to start the offense 40+ feet from the basket (wow, then Stanford at home on 12/16 - the joint will be jumping as we could move to 9-1!). After 10 years of the most ineffective rebounding in major college basketball, we've finally learned to crash the boards hard despite being outsized (then, could it be 10-1 as we finish our December non-conference slate with Central Connecticut State at which point we'll surely be ranked - check out the opponents schedules on Lindsey Willhite's blog here). On offense, it is no longer "oh man, how are we going to score with this line-up?!!" as Nash is now a threat and with Thompson taking over, Marcotullio on the kick and of course Shurna evolving into a replica of Kevin Coble we've got weapons (wait! We've got Texas Pan-Am on 1/7 AND Chicago State on 3/3 which could mean we're 12-1 in non-conference!). How fun is this team to watch!

You've got to believe the Tavaras Hardy cell phone bill is going to be quadruple digits as he's contacting Pe'Shon and every major recruit on the list as we're getting more love from the World Wide Leader than the entire Bill Carmody era combined right now (hold on, so if we go 12-1, then do we get in at 7-11 in the Big Ten or do we have to go 8-10, get to 20 and we're in?). For those of you who have neglected to attend a game at Welsh-Ryan Arena in the past, oh, 100 years, now is the time. The most intriguing part of this incredible unfolding love story is the fact that next year we'll BE BETTER. Welsh-Ryan has had a few glimpses of Cameron Craziness in its day. If you were there in 1994 you know EXACTLY what I'm talking about (sooo..if we take 5 of 6 from Iowa, Penn State and Indiana....). If you were there for the Hoosier Daddy game in the Kevin O'Neill era you know EXACTLY what I'm talking about (I wonder where we steal our other three wins to get us there....). If you feel guilty for jumping on the bandwagon - don't! Simply pick up the phone and call 847-491-CATS. You'll be amazed at how many big games still have tickets available (the Illini game is sold out, thanks to Illini fans gobbling up the tickets). If you're a student, you should be running down the halls right now rallying everyone you know in driving distance to ensure they come back for the games during break. It is time to start cranking up the madness as Welsh-Ryan when packed with Purple can be an electrifying experience and impact the one or two games we'll need that could make the difference.

Perhaps Coach Fitz will have the entire football team fill up the endzone seats and step up for their fellow athletes. How cool would that be? I'm not talking sitting on the corner looking cool in the varsity jackets, I'm talking the student t-shirts and causing a ruckus. It could be one of the coolest visuals in DI sports. Let's get this party started!

Some ramblings on the game:

• Michael Thompson has stepped up his game incredibly. Coach Carmody's postgame comments about the leadership improvement and it being "his" team were very evident.
• Is it me or does John Shurna not get ANY calls in the post?
• How good is Alex Marcotullio going to be, say by the time he is a junior?
• Kyle Rowley's drop-step is steadily improving, but he has a long way to go on D
• Jeremy Nash is possibly the most underrated player in America. How incredible is he that he can force some of the nation's best guards to completely lose their ability to penetrate and impact the denial to the low post?
• If we can get Mirkovic to stop traveling and Curletti to start hitting some outside shots we are going to be very difficult to defend.
• John Shurna is incredible out of the gates, yet we continue to almost forget about him in the second half as teams tend to cheat out on him and thus it seems to free up Juice to penetrate.
• Our free throw shooting has improved dramatically. Normally a Carmody-era achillees heel, I feel confident with our guys at the line.
• Can you believe, 7 blocks?!!!
• That game was one of the more inconsistently called games - both ways- that I've seen. NC State's #24 should've had a tech for pushing Thompson in the first half and there were several missed plays on both ends that were obvious.
• How likable is this team?
• Carmody's brave decision to not call a TO after the Marcotullio tech and subsequent basket proved to be the right call.
• If Drew Crawford gains his confidence and becomes the force on the glass I think he can be this team could be downright scary.

What a great time to be a part of Wildcat Nation!!!! Go 'Cats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!