Men's Basketball: Cats Prepare for Homestand

Northwestern has struggled to an 0-10 record in the conference this season. It is the team's first 0-10 record since 2000.

But the Wildcats have a good opportunity to try and grab a few wins. They will be playing two consecutive home games for the first time since Jan. 2--and even then they had to wait 13 days between their first home game against Howard on Dec. 20 and their Big Ten opener against Penn State on Jan. 2.

NU (7-14, 0-10 Big Ten) begins the week at home Wednesday against Ohio State (16-8, 7-4) and concludes the two-game set at home against Big Ten-leading No. 19 Purdue (19-5, 10-1) on Saturday.

"You've got to be able to win your home games, regardless of who the opponent is," junior guard Sterling Williams said. "If we can get a win on Wednesday, it would be a big lift to our team morale and overall confidence. It's a game we think we should win. If we play the way we are capable of, it's something we can do."

When playing at least two consecutive games at home, the Cats have gone winless only once since 2000 (when coach Bill Carmody became head coach). They dropped two consecutive games to Ohio State and Minnesota last season.

The home games will be a nice break for NU. The team has played a road game each week since conference season began. The travel--whether it is as close as Chicago State or as far as East Lansing, Mich.--can wear on players.

Senior guard Jason Okrzesik said the advantage of playing at home can be as simple as allowing a team or a player to keep to his routine. It is also nice not to have to get on a bus or plane to go to a game.

Carmody said this team is not playing particularly well at home recently. While the break from the road gives a much-needed rest, the Cats cannot let their guard down just because they are playing in the friendly confines of Welsh-Ryan Arena.

But the two home games will still be a nice break on some road-weary players.

"It's always good to play when you're at home," Carmody said. "The travel certainly has to wear on you eventually, especially when you get later on in the season in February when you are playing some guys a lot of minutes. ... Sometimes that can show up at the end of the year."

NU gets one more set of consecutive home games this season, closing the schedule with Iowa and Wisconsin in the first week of March.