Column: Win or lose vs. Purdue, Northwestern basketball accomplished its 25-26 mission

There was a moment in the second half where Jake West got on a fast break. 

The skinny freshman from Pennsylvania picked up a head of steam on the same court Michael Jordan used to do the same. In a moment he was channeling basketball ghosts that have thrived at the United Center, West gathered, rose and took a forearm to the face.

He crashed down on the court. Flagrant one, the refs would rule. That kid got up and calmly sank his free throws in a moment that proved it all.

"I just stayed composed," West said. "I knew that team really wanted to fight. I knew it was a big game for them, obviously trying to go to the Tournament."

No matter what happens in the third round of the Big Ten Tournament against Purdue on Thursday, Northwestern has accomplished its goal this season.

Coming off an offseason where Northwestern coach Chris Collins landed his best recruiting class of all time, the goal was simple: Make sure the kids grow into Big Ten players.

Consider this mission accomplished.

Big picture view:

West is one of three freshmen who get considerable playing time for NU.

He joins Tre Singleton as a starter, and fellow freshman Tyler Kropp gets extended minutes off the bench, too.

Those three players are going to headline the next core of players that Collins wants to lead Northwestern basketball. He turned down interest from other jobs to stay in Evanston and coach this group.

These two Big Ten Tournament games went a long way in showing how far these players have come.

West drives to the basket with authority. The rebound numbers aren’t there yet for Kropp, but he’s challenging shots with confidence. Singleton is getting a grasp on how he can use his athleticism on both ends of the court.

This hasn’t been a simple process. Northwestern has lost some heartbreakers and taken bruises. Those lessons came to light at the United Center as the ‘Cats kept their composure. The Big Ten is an older league because of the transfer portal.

For example, Tucker DeVries is a fifth-year player. Lamar Wilkerson and Connor Enright are older guards. Nick Dorn is older, too. Take that and multiply it by 10. That’s the Big Ten on a nightly basis, and Northwestern started multiple underclassmen against these teams.

"We're playing against men out there," Collins said. "For our guys to come of age and play the way they did, I was proud of them."

Dig deeper:

These players did need something to aspire to.

If Merriam-Webster defines a legacy as "something transmitted by or received from an ancestor or predecessor or from the past," then this will be Martinelli’s legacy in Evanston.

The senior showcased his work ethic and grit for an entire basketball season since the freshmen arrived on campus in the fall. They took it all in. They’ve embraced it.

Every player I talked to in the postgame locker rooms after the wins over Penn State and Indiana have mentioned the biggest lesson they’ve taken away from their Big Ten scoring champion senior is his work ethic. A deeper dive on that requires a separate story, but this column focuses on the young players who have grown into their Northwestern purple.

These players have taken it upon themselves to work at their craft like upperclassmen.

They’re working at their craft in the way Chris Collins wants them to work at it.

"We have goals as well, and we just kind of stay grounded," West said. "Nick has been a great leader for us. So just following his way and staying composed."

There also needs to be a love for the game. Collins has found a way to plant his love of basketball into these underclassmen’s hearts.

"When you were shooting in your driveway or you were in the park, you would always dream. I would use my imagination all the time," Collins said. "You would dream of playing in these kind of games, playing Indiana University in the United Center on national TV in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament. If you can't get juiced up and energy, then you should turn your jersey in, really."

The reality is that Northwestern played with excessive juice. Indiana, playing to stay in the NCAA Tournament, didn’t have that same fire.

What's next:

Northwestern played Purdue last week. The game is still fresh in their minds.

The loss came down to the final minute, where a late turnover doomed the ‘Cats. But, it’s not the same as last week. They have a confident Jake West playing, and most likely won’t have Arrinten Page.

"It is a completely different game because the circumstances are different. It’s win or go home now," NU guard Jayden Reid said. "It's going to be a great matchup. We had a chance to win that game. It was a good game, fun environment at Welsh. Now we're in the United Center, an even better environment."

This is a test for Northwestern’s built confidence. How far can that carry the ‘Cats against a top-15 team?

Win or lose, that confidence has been earned. It’s a solid rock on which Collins can build this next core of players that can aspire to play in NCAA Tournaments and win postseason games like Boo Buie did, like Brooks Barnhizer did, like Bryant McIntosh and Vic Law did.

Building that foundation was the goal. Mission accomplished. Let’s see how far NU can go playing with house money.

To watch the young guys come of age, this was a big win," Collins said. "We knew it was going to be an NCAA Tournament type of game. We talked to the guys, and we knew what Indiana was playing for. We knew what their sense of urgency was going to be. We told our guys, let's approach this like it's a first round NCAA game because that's the kind of urgency they're going to have. I thought the game had that kind of intensity and really proud we were able to get a win."

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