VASJ alum Dererk Pardon’s layup lifts Northwestern over Michigan (BTN video)

Right now, we’re just focused on Northwestern, that is our next opponent, so that is the most important game on our schedule.

Northwestern will try once again to set a new program record for most wins in a season when it hosts MI in a key clash for both teams on Wednesday.

The Northwestern women don’t need to break down any NCAA tournament barriers. Both teams missed some chances to take the lead, but Northwestern came out on top thanks to a flawless pass from Taphorn to Pardon on a play drawn up by assistant coach Brian James. And I’ve coached in NBA All-Star Games and won playoff series. Beilein picked up his 500th Division I victory at Rutgers (Feb. 22; 68-64). They’ve made it seven times, most recently in 2015.

But the 2016-17 season has been different.

Following a stunning last-second win over MI on Wednesday night, Northwestern now has 21 wins on the season and ten wins in a competitive Big Ten conference.

IL and Northwestern had wild Wednesday nights.

The loss drops MI to 19-11 on the season and 9-8 in conference play. In the games against Michigan State and IL that followed, the Boilermakers went 1-1, winning at home and losing on the road to end the regular season at 20-11 (12-6 BIG). Well above the realm of “last four in”. The pass, on this play, was arguably even better than Grant Hill’s. Inbounding with 1.7 seconds left, Nathan Taphorn heaved the ball the length of the court, right into Pardon’s hands.

Things will presumably not go as smoothly for the Hawkeyes this go-around, because both teams are fighting for an NCAA Tournament berth. All I’m saying, Northwestern fans, is that anything’s possible. And no one has disagreed. That’ll feel like previous year, which was loaded with pressure. Now I think it really spreads it out and gives Siera (Thompson) more open looks and puts a lot less pressure on her as a point guard, so she’s a great addition to our team.

The Wolverines will wrap up their regular season on Sunday with a road game at Nebraska.

Pardon told Big Ten Network after the game that the play was designed for him to slip a screen and head to the basket. The junior went 69-74 in the first two rounds, putting herself two behind Louisville’s Lauren Hartlage. The game that will be known as the most important win in Northwestern history.

You’ve probably noticed what the men’s team has been up to, closing in on history and its first NCAA Tournament bid. For as long as we have loved the Wildcats, we have merely wanted them to be decent. “Sometimes at home, it’s like in football: get the game into overtime”. “Derrick Walton has a little of that, Mo, Zak Irvin, but it’s never enough and we’re working on it”.

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