This closeup of the Northwestern fans piling on to each other is awesome
Northwestern has never made the NCAA Tournament. This isn’t some startup program, they’ve played basketball since 1901. To say basketball success has been a rarity there would be an understatement because before last night they hadn’t won 10 games in the Big Ten since the same day FDR was inaugurated as president. That’s how long they’ve played basketball and it’s also how long they’ve been losing at basketball.
This season there’s an ever-growing feeling that this will be the year Northwestern finally gets to go dancing in March. Everything is falling their way at the perfect time and that trend continued last night. With seconds to go, Northwestern was tied with Michigan and all they could try to do to avoid overtime was throw a full court heave and hope for a miracle.
What was that about a miracle? The throw was perfect. It landed right where it needed to and then the layup fell in allowing Northwestern to continue their dream season with yet another victory. Jubilation was felt all across the arena, as the players piled onto Dererk Pardon the fans stormed to join them.
This is what sports are all about. The pure joy felt by not only the players but their fellow students all surrounding them. Players on top of players. Students on top of those players. Slapping the ground. Jumping up and down.
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It’s the kind of joy that only a last second shot in a miracle season could bring out. If Northwestern hears their name called out on Selection Sunday then this should be the video that’s played in response, because there is no way that the celebration for actually making the tournament will top this one.