Will Northwestern make it to March Madness? Breaking down Wildcats' NCAA tournament odds

The Northwestern Wildcats are a wild card team this college basketball season and aren't ranked inside the AP Top 25.

Led by franchise-scoring leader Boo Buie under coach Chris Collins, the team will look to make only its third appearance in the NCAA tournament, having reached the postseason in 2017 and 2023. However, their chances of doing so appear slim, given their performance throughout the season.

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Will Northwestern make the 2024 NCAA Tournament?

The script is up in the air for "Chicago's team" to make the college basketball postseason. They are third in the Big Ten, with a 20-9 record, but the teams above them - Purdue and Illinois - have a substantial lead.

With two games left in the season, Northwestern's chances could come down the wire. Against Michigan State and Minnesota, they are going to face a challenge. The team is coming in with some momentum, having won three of its last four games, but losing their last game to Iowa could be crucial to their playoff aspirations.

Chris Collins and Boo Buie

For them to have any chance in the tournament, they're going to have to rely heavily on Daniel Richard "Boo" Buie. Arguably Northwestern's best player, he's averaging a career-high across the board, in points, rebounds and assists.

With 17.3 points, 3.4 boards and 4.5 assists, he's a steady guiding hand in attack, ready to fill holes in multiple NBA teams at the 2024 NBA Draft.

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Northwestern NCAA Tournament History

The Northwestern Wildcats have made the NCAA tournament twice. Despite the first NCAA tournament championship game being played at Northwestern in 1939, their streak without an appearance until 2017 made it one of five original NCAA Division I schools to not play an NCAA Tournament game.

Further, they were the only school from a power conference to never make the tournament. That streak was broken in 2017 when the team made its first appearance as the eighth seed. After a grueling first-round victory over Vanderbilt, they lost to #9 Gonzaga in the Round of 32.

A return in 2023 as the seventh seed saw a similar result. After dispatching Boise State in the first round, Northwestern were handed their second defeat in the Round of 32 by #2 UCLA,, bringing their overall tournament record to 2-2.

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Northwestern March Madness Odds

The Northwestern Wildcats are essentially guaranteed to go without success in the NCAA Tournament, according to bookmakers. With +12000 odds to make the Final Four, and +30000 odds to win the Championship, they are among the least likely teams to have a shot.

Suffice to say, Northwestern making a deep run looks unlikely and would require a truly memorable Cinderella run.

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Northwestern strengths

The team is highly efficient from the 3-point line, with a cumulative shooting clip of just under 40%. Despite attempting a good number of them, their efficiency hasn't seen a tumble as they continue to generate good looks.

Another key area for them is on-ball defense. As one of the steals leaders in the entire NCAA, the four-guard lineups have worked like a charm for the Wildcats in forcing turnovers.

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Northwestern weaknesses

The team's fouling tendency is too high, with opponents regularly taking more free throws than them.

Furthermore, their assist-to-turnover ratio, under two for the season, is a far cry from an efficient offense. Despite the slow pace Coach Collins favors, the team hasn't been able to keep turnovers in check.

The biggest weakness for Northwestern is its inability to play down to the competition. Despite impressive showings against some top-quality teams, they have also been subject to terrible games against mediocre opponents.

A mixed bag of a season leaves Northwestern in the middle of the pack for the year. Do you think they can rally to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament? Let's know in the comments section below.