Northwestern faces unfamiliar foe in FAU in first round of NCAA Tournament
CHICAGO (CBS) – The Northwestern men's basketball team headed east to Brooklyn for its first-round matchup on Friday against Florida Atlantic.
The Wildcats will do so without still-injured center Matthew Nicholson. FAU, like Northwestern, is an experienced squad, but they are unfamiliar foes. The two teams have only faced off once before, back in 2005.
Northwestern guard Boo Buie thinks the lack of familiarity can sometimes be an advantage.
"When you're in the league, play just comes down to a lot of just drive and playing off and just having to make a play at the end, and there's still going to be moments like this in the tournament games, but, you know, just not having that familiarness with players individually, that's the advantage," Buie said.
"They have the same challenge of trying to get ready for you in four days," said guard Brooks Barnhizer. "So, it's kinda like, when you get out there, it's almost like who plays the hardest and who wants it more? So that's why March is super fun."
Northwestern will play its opening round game on Friday at 11:15 on CBS.