EVANSTON, IL -- I've been attending live Northwestern games going all the way back to the heyday 1993-'94 season. Ricky Byrdsong was the coach, and the team was led by Partick Baldwin, Kip Kirkpatrick, Kevin Rankin and Todd Leslie. Current Northwestern students may not believe it, but that team even made the post-season. OK it wasn't in the field of 64 for the NCAA tournament, but this is Northwestern I'm talking about here. Keeping that in mind, the NIT is pretty impressive.
 

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My memory has started to slip in my old age, but in my roughly 14-odd years of watching the 'Cats I've never before seen three things I saw Wednesday night at Welsh Ryan Arena.

One: Northwestern within four at the half in a Big Ten game ... OK, I'm just joshing ya, that's only this year where that was a novel sight. I have actually seen the 'Cats win quite a few games at home.

Two: I've still never seen an alley-oop actually executed by the Wildcats, but I finally saw them attempt one in the first half. To make it even saucier, it came in their half court offense, not even on a fast break.

Craig Moore was dribbling around the three point line watching Northwestern's perverted version of the Princeton offense run its course, when he connected eyes with guard Jeremy Nash under the left side of the basket. Moore “alleyed” the ball to the left side of the rim, Nash actually managed to put his hands on the ball above the rim, before losing control, before he could complete the “-oop.”

One of the most over-repeated quotes from Hockey's greatest son Wayne Gretzkys,

"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take.”

And in that spirit, I was quite impressed by the imagination and audacity of Moore and Nash on the play, even if it didn't work. Should the (please God no) the 'Cats once again go winless in the Big Ten, I feel the season and Carmody's tenure as coach will be validated if that same player pair can pull off that feat at some point this winter.

Three: With roughly three and a half minutes left in the opening half, Freshman Buckeye guard Jon Diebler received a pass on the base line. Catching Northwestern's zone in a slow rotation he had an opening to the basket and, the High School Mr. Ohio 2007 took the ball aggressively to the hoop ready to dunk it home and silence the true Northwestern fans who were still cheering. He was attacking from the opposite side of the rim, relative to Northwestern's pom team, the Ladycats.

As he elevated and readied himself for his two-hand power slam, I'm sure if Virginia Woolf could write his mind's stream of consciousness at that moment, it would be something along the lines of,

"I see you girls, and I don't care if your boyfriend is on the other team. After I score here, I'm gonna score all night long with you Ladycat. I am the fu#*ing $hit”

Fortunately for myself and all the Northwestern fans braving the winter for the game, the athletic and exponentially improving Jeremy Nash from local Marist high school was a step quicker than Jon. Racing down from the three-point line at the top of the zone, Nash himself rose through the air, and unlike his earlier alley-oop attempt, this time he got all ball.

Timing it perfectly to the milli-second, he violently swatted the rock flush out of Diebler's hands in easily the most athletic play I have ever witnessed live in my entire life.

It's not as if Diebler is some puny Kirk Hinrich, posing as a two-guard in a point guard's body, either. He is a solid 6-6. If you've never seen Nash play, reading this, you may imagine Nash to be 6-10 big man, or at least a stout small forward.

Nope.

Nash is 6-3 185 combo guard who embarassed Diebler so badly, the freshman may have to quit after the razzing he's sure to get from teammates and coaches at their next film session.

Needless to say, my high-minded, idealistic attempts at journalistic objectivity were instantly forgotten as I completely inappropriately screamed from the media-table like a virgin high-school girl seeing the Beatles when they first hit America at the Ed Sullivan show on February 9th, 1964.

Reading this, you may (though probably not) be impressed by my attempts to re-create with the most simple of human communicative tools: words, that perfect play I saw by Nash Wednesday night. But you're also probably wondering when I'm actually going to comment on the game? And if I'm avoiding it for some reason?

Well, while Nash's basketball-as-art block deserved much more praise than my feeble attempt, yes to be honest, I am not too crazy about describing the 65-47 loss itself.

At least Northwestern wasn't facing an Ohio State team with three NBA first round picks in Greg Oden, Mike Conley and Daequan Cook. Last year in their first meeting, the lost 41-73.

It started out as well as any 'Cat fan could hope. They didn't dig their own grave immediately as they are wont to do. They even scored first on an aggressive three early in the shot clock by Juice Thompson, following a steal by Kevin Coble.

Ohio State senior Jamar Butler answered right back, though, with an impossibly long three, displaying J.J. (at Duke not in the NBA, where he sucks) Reddick-esque range.

The game followed a similar trend for the duration of the first half, as the score remained close and the 'Cats more than held their own. Northwestern was having a lot of trouble, as usual, with the full-court pressure of the Buckeyes, turning it over 11 times in the half.

Maybe Carmody's been reading my columns, as he started using the press himself early in the first half, and not without success. Despite giving up the ball as often as they did, they managed to stay in the game thanks to their defensive pressure forcing Ohio State into ten Buckeye turnovers.

The 'Cats brought the score within one with six minutes left, but OSU scored six straight points as the half slipped away. I felt, even by my wild, self-delusional imagination, a seven point lead was just too much for them to overcome in the second, and that if they could make a three to close the half, they just might have a shot.

For the first time in my life, my prayers were answered as Craig Moore hit a ballsy three with five seconds left in the half.

When he started the second period right where he left off with another three, I even allowed myself to believe the 'Cats could maybe pull this one out. They kept my fragile hope alive for ten more points, until they decided to stop scoring with the game tied 38-38 and just over eight minutes left.

Before the 'Cats scored again they were down by double-digits and it was over in everyone's minds, except the guy doing the clock.

That's what I get for praying. I'll remember this, Mr. “Almighty.” I'll bet Coach Carmody prays a lot too, huh?

Speaking of Bill. There was a fourth “first” I had Wednesday night that I really didn't want to mention, but my devotion and unspoken promise to be 100% truthful with you, reader, has forced my typing fingers.

"Fire Carmody”" was coming from the stands. And it wasn't from the rich North Shore 40 and over, jaded on life NU alums who've complained about their fair share of coaches, it was the students. When idealistic, intoxicated in every way known to man college kids give up on someone ... their time has come.

Northwestern faces Purdue on Saturday, one of the hottest teams in the Big Ten. You got a chance to prove them wrong, Bill, take it.

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More articles by CS Sports Columnist Charlie Danoff

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