Northwestern’s Evan Eschmeyer talks about the current Wildcat squad, the burden of being the only BCS school to never reach the tournament and why Northwestern’s hot start has been chilled by the Big Ten (run time is 4:18; transcript below the jump).
Lost Lettermen: This is Jose Bosch from LostLettermen.com and I’m joined by Northwestern’s Evan Eschmeyer. Even thanks for joining us.
I’m sure you enjoy watching Northwestern basketball. You said earlier that you watch it. What have you thought of this year’s team?
Evan Eschmeyer: Surprisingly good. I think when the initial injuries to the starters in the first week everyone was kind of writing things off.
But I think that it shows that they’ve been able to recruit some depth, especially some younger players and that they have done a great job of bringing them into the fold offensively. Quicker than they thought they were going to have to.
So I think that this year … who know where this year will finish. Wherever it does finish they’re going to be able to pick up on a really good plays for next year when they can come back healthy.
And it’s exciting times. Northwestern has just been like a ball at the edge of a hill. It’s just waiting to tip over and pick up some momentum the other way and it will happen. We could spend two hours talking about the various trials and tribulations of the program since I’ve been there that have kind of held the floodgates back so to speak but the pieces are in place and it’s just a matter of catching a couple breaks to really drive the program forward.
I’m confident it will happen sooner rather than later.
LL: Well I certainly don’t have to tell you that Northwestern is the only school in a major BCS conference that hasn’t been to the Tournament.
Being a Northwestern basketball player, is that something you realize at any time the team starts out well? Do you think that pressure gets to them?
EE: Gosh, I don’t think so. I think that there’s a great amount of pressure to go to the Tournament. But every school feels that. And is there an additional marginal amount that Northwestern’s never done it? Maybe a little. But I don’t think that’s the driving force, I think there are other factors.
LL: From what you’ve seen of this team, why do you think they started off so well and then have struggled in the Big Ten?
EE: I wouldn’t say they struggled. They haven’t excelled. They’ve won a few games and they’re definitely going to win some more games.
I think that when you bring that many freshman and younger players through their first Big Ten conference season it’s challenging because the level of play is just elevated from the non conference schedule.
And you get to the point we’re at now and all through it your body starts to feel it too because these players have never been through a long season like this that continually demands them to go out there and take shots and perform.
So I think that most programs have a deeper bench historically and I think that’s changing now. Most teams have the ability to shelter freshman from that, so you bring a veteran off the bench to give the freshman or sophomore a blow and that just doesn’t happen at Northwestern because you don’t have that depth.
And the game just gets elevated when you get to the Big Ten. It’s just quicker and faster and stronger.
When I played I think it was definitely the best conference in the country, there’s no doubt about it. I think it’s going back there now. There was a lull. And if it’s not back there this year then it’ll be there the next couple of years again.
So it’s just tough when you move up and everyone is just a half-step quicker, it’s a little more challenging.
LL: Now you certainly don’t want to jinx anything but should Northwestern make the tournament this year, are you pretty much going to drop everything you’re doing the day they play and watch that game?
EE: Oh absolutely, yeah. For sure. That’s an easy one.
LL: Well Evan I really appreciate you taking time out of your day to talk with me today and good luck with the rest of the season and watching Northwestern basketball and seeing if they can finally reach the tournament.
EE: Absolutely. Thank you Jose.
Got a question or comment? E-mail him here
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