Northwestern tests reset vs. Jackson State after week-long break

Northwestern coach Chris Collins described a week-long break between games as an opportunity for his team to reset.

Now, Collins will see how his players respond to the so-called reset.

Northwestern (5-4, 0-2 Big Ten Conference) will return to the court when it tips off against Jackson State (1-8) on Saturday afternoon in Evanston, Ill. It will be the Wildcats' first game since Dec. 6, when they lost to Ohio State, extending their losing streak to 3.

"We've had a tough stretch, and one of the things about this tough stretch, we've played six high majors in a row, five on the road," Collins said. "When you go through that early in the season, you get exposed for your good, and you get exposed for your bad. It's very clear what we need to do.

"We have to stop people. We have to be more disciplined on that end. We have to finish possessions. We've got to keep people out of the paint. Right now, we're just not doing that.

"This is a very important week for our team."

The Wildcats will take on a Jackson State squad that is coming off an 80-38 loss on the road against No. 7 Houston. The Tigers have faced five ranked opponents in their nonconference schedule, including one other Big Ten opponent in Illinois, which beat them 113-55 on Nov. 3.

Collins is looking for Northwestern to re-establish good defensive habits. The Wildcats have allowed at least 85 points in each of their past three games.

Some of Northwestern's regulars played through illness in recent games, and it is not yet certain whether they have fully recovered for this weekend.

"That's part of the season -- injuries, sickness, all that, it's part of it," Collins said. "It's a next-man-up mentality, and you've got to try to figure things out.

"Obviously, we know exactly what we have to figure out. We're really struggling on the defensive end of the floor."

Jackson State also has plenty of room for improvement after losing eight of its first nine.

"We're just trying to figure it out," Tigers coach Mo Williams said. "We've got some young guys stepping up. ... We've got to get better."

--Field Level Media