Northwestern’s Blizzard defense nears extinction

These days, the Wildcats’ defense looks much different. Relying on a more conventional man-to-man, Northwestern surrendered 80 points per game last season. Even with modest improvements this year, their foul-prone defense lags behind many mid-major programs (per CBB Analytics).

“We’ve had a journey with our defense,” graduate transfer Taylor Williams told The Next after Northwestern surrendered a 16-point fourth quarter lead to Minnesota on Jan. 19.

In a shifting college basketball climate, the Blizzard is struggling to survive. 

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The Blizzard defense thrived in the pre-transfer portal era

McKeown devised the Blizzard at New Mexico State in the late 1980s as a 1-1-3 junk defense to disrupt more talented teams. But at Northwestern, his creation ran best with elite talent. From 2014 to 2022, the Wildcats were home to a remarkable succession of stars: Nia Coffey, a top-five WNBA draft pick; Ashley Deary, a two-time national steals leader²; and future pros Lindsey Pulliam and Veronica Burton.

The Blizzard’s success relied on high basketball IQ–players who could apply their instincts to a unique set of rules. But its effectiveness may have also required a different era of college basketball, before players could transfer programs without penalty. 

Former Northwestern center Abbie Wolf (2016-2020) exemplified this era, riding the bench for three seasons before earning All-Big Ten honorable mention as a senior. Those days rewarded patience and commitment to the process. They also created a strong learning environment. 

“Our older players taught our younger players [the Blizzard],” McKeown told The Next at practice on Jan. 23. “The Veronica Burton’s and the Nia Coffey’s and the Lindsey Pulliam’s — they were great mentors.”

The current landscape presents a stark contrast. Three of Northwestern’s key veterans are transfers, including two graduate students on one-year stints. 

Though the transfer portal makes the Blizzard less viable — and challenges his player development philosophy — McKeown’s cautious embrace of it has elevated his roster.

Grace Sullivan, a 6’4 Bucknell transfer with a steady baseline jumper, shows All-Big Ten potential according to McKeown. And Michigan transfer Taylor Williams has established herself as one of the conference’s premier rebounders.

In an earlier era, Williams’ length, athleticism and versatility may have made her an ideal Blizzard anchor. But the abbreviated timeline of a graduate transfer season barely allows for learning a complicated defense, let alone becoming its guide.

“It’s an adjustment,” McKeown said, before adding a laugh. “A big adjustment.”

Once Northwestern’s signature, the Blizzard now appears only sparingly as a tactical wrinkle. 

Challenges of McKeown’s “first rebuild” at Northwestern

With only six conference wins in the last three seasons, McKeown calls this the first rebuild in his nearly 20 years at Northwestern. He points to the 2020 Big Ten championship season — cut short by Covid — as the break in the chain.

Instead of building on the momentum of a Final Four run, as McKeown believes was possible, its championship core “slow dripped.”

So did McKeown’s top assistants. Kate Popovec-Goss, who helped orchestrate the Blizzard defense, took over at Bradley in 2022. Other departed assistants include Christie Sides, former Indiana Fever head coach, and Shauna Green, now the coach of Illinois. 

This roster and staff turnover created an uphill battle for Northwestern. 

But momentum is building behind their 0-7 conference record. This week against Iowa, junior Caroline Lau broke her scoring slump with 13 points, including a clutch 3-pointer. Sophomore Casey Harter displayed more confidence from long range.

The Wildcats have pushed four conference opponents to the brink in the fourth quarter, all of them ranked in the Top 40 in NET ranking. An easier stretch in the schedule awaits them in mid-February.

Perhaps patience still has its place in this new chapter of Northwestern basketball.

1. Per CBB Analytics, among players in Power Conferences. ↩︎
2. Per NCAA stats archive, among players in Power Conferences. ↩︎

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