John Shurna already had committed to play for Northwestern when a friend's father stumped him with the following trivia question: What college basketball program has never reached the NCAA tournament?
That's how Shurna, a 6-foot-8 forward from the Chicago suburb of Glen Ellyn, learned of Northwestern's dubious distinction as the only school from one of the six major conferences that never has earned an NCAA bid.
"He was probably just teasing me," said Shurna, a former all-state player at Glenbard West High. "I'm from Illinois, and there are a lot of U of I fans."
Shurna's friends might not be able to make that wisecrack much longer. Northwestern (16-7 overall, 5-6 in the Big Ten) heads into its final eight games of the regular season with a legitimate shot to earn that elusive NCAA invitation.
In a year when the New Orleans Saints finally won the Super Bowl, why shouldn't Northwestern end its own tortured history? While they're careful to avoid looking ahead, the Wildcats can't help but imagine the possibilities.
"There'd be a lot of chaos around campus," junior point guard Michael Thompson said. "It would be a great thing to be around."
Northwestern wouldn't have a good enough resume to crack the 65-team field if the tournament brackets were announced today, but the Wildcats seem poised for a late-season surge.
