It was November 13, 2013, when the perennially woeful Northwestern basketball program and its up-and-coming coach, Chris Collins, inked the best class in the school’s history — a group that ESPN ranked 21st nationally. Vic Law was the crown jewel. The south Chicago suburb native was a 6’7″ wing with length, versatility, and high-major athleticism — the type of player who typically doesn’t find his way to Evanston. In fact, Law’s surprising commitment to the Wildcats — he had offers to more notable programs such as Colorado, Providence, and VCU — was seen by many as a leap of faith in Collins. Now, over two years later, Law is out for his sophomore season after undergoing surgery for shoulder injury following a so-so freshman season in which he averaged 7.0 PPG and 4.8 RPG. But while Law awaits his return to the floor next season, the 15-3 (3-2 Big Ten) Wildcats are being led by another commitment from that November day two years ago, a little-known point guard from Greensburg, Indiana, by the name of Bryant McIntosh.
Bryant McIntosh has emerged as one of the best guards in the Big Ten. (Getty)
McIntosh had been off the radar of most major recruiting services and had committed to Indiana State before picking up interest from several high-major programs during the July recruiting period prior to his senior year. He then quickly rescinded his pledge to the Sycamores and chose Northwestern over Purdue. Like Law, McIntosh was swayed by the charisma of Collins as well as a promise of being the four-year point guard of a squad evolving into a legitimate Big Ten program. Unlike Law, McIntosh has outperformed all expectations in turning into the breakout star of the Wildcats’ 2014 recruiting class. In fact, he has been so good that in just his second season he has become a first team All-Big Ten caliber player. Take a look at his season numbers below.
McIntosh has perhaps more impressively led the Wildcats through the injuries to Law as well as center Alex Olah, out since the beginning of conference play. The pass-first point guard needed to step up his scoring production since the injury, and he has. Before Olah’s injury, McIntosh averaged 14.8 PPG; in the six games without Olah, that average has increased to 18.5 PPG. The young guard does not rely solely on the three-point shot for scoring, either; McIntosh has a capable mid-range game that keeps opposing defenses honest. In Northwestern’s victory against Wisconsin on Tuesday night, the sophomore scored 22 of his 28 points on two-point field goals and free throws. The expansion of his game to potential all-league status has correspondingly given the Wildcats a fighting chance to make the NCAA Tournament this season, but even if they fall short, it seems inevitable that Northwestern’s first at-large bid will come before he leaves campus. With Law set to return next season along with another excellent recruiting class (headlined by Rapolas Ivanauskas) coming in, Collins will finally have a full roster of high-major talent. Thanks to its unlikely sophomore star, it feels like the sight of Northwestern in a bracket on Selection Sunday is now a matter of when rather than if.