2008–09 Northwestern Wildcats men's basketball team
{{short description|American college basketball season}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox college sports team season
|year=2008–09
|team=Northwestern Wildcats
|sport=Basketball
|image=Northwestern Wildcats logo.svg
|conference=Big Ten Conference
|division=
|short_conf= Big Ten
|CoachRank=
|APRank=
|record=17–14
|conf_record=8–10
|head_coach=Bill Carmody
|hc_year=9th
|asst_coach1=Tavaras Hardy
|ac1_year=1st
|stadium=Welsh-Ryan Arena
|champion=
|tourney=NIT
|tourney_result=First Round
}}
{{2008–09 Big Ten Conference men's basketball standings}}
The 2008–09 Northwestern Wildcats men's basketball team represented Northwestern University in the 2008–09 college basketball season. This was head coach Bill Carmody's ninth season at Northwestern. The Wildcats are members of the Big Ten Conference and played their home games at Welsh-Ryan Arena. They finished the season 17–14, 8–10 in Big Ten play, lost in the first round of the 2009 Big Ten Conference men's basketball tournament{{Cite web |date=March 12, 2009 |title=Wildcats Edged by Minnesota in Hard-Fought Contest |url=https://nusports.com/news/2009/3/12/Wildcats_Edged_by_Minnesota_in_Hard_Fought_Contest |access-date=January 5, 2025 |website=nusports.com}} and were invited to the 2009 National Invitation Tournament where they lost in the first round to the University of Tulsa.{{Cite web |date=March 18, 2009 |title=Northwestern Falls to Tulsa in NIT, 68-59 |url=https://nusports.com/news/2009/3/18/Northwestern_Falls_to_Tulsa_in_NIT_68_59 |access-date=January 5, 2025 |website=nusports.com}} Northwestern matched their school record for most wins in a season and recorded their first post-season appearance since 1999.{{Cite web |date=April 21, 2009 |title=Season Recap: Wildcats Rise to New Heights in 2008-09 |url=https://nusports.com/news/2009/4/21/Season_Recap_Wildcats_Rise_to_New_Heights_in_2008_09 |access-date=January 5, 2025 |website=nusports.com}}
Schedule and results
Source:{{Cite web |title=2008-09 Men's Basketball Schedule |url=https://nusports.com/sports/mens-basketball/schedule/2008-09 |access-date=January 5, 2025 |website=nusports.com}}{{CBB schedule start}}
|-
!colspan=8| Regular season
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Nov 16, 2008
| time =
| nonconf = yes
| homecoming =
| away =
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = Central Arkansas
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Welsh-Ryan Arena
| site_cityst = Evanston, IL
| gamename =
| tv = BTN.com
| score = 81–39
| overtime =
| record = 1–0
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Nov 19, 2008
| time =
| nonconf = yes
| homecoming =
| away =
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = Texas A&M-CC
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Welsh-Ryan Arena
| site_cityst = Evanston, IL
| gamename =
| tv = BTN.com
| score = 66–48
| overtime =
| record = 2–0
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Nov 22, 2008
| time =
| nonconf = yes
| homecoming =
| away = yes
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = Brown
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Pizzitola Sports Center
| site_cityst = Providence, RI
| gamename =
| tv =
| score = 73–64
| overtime =
| record = 3–0
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Nov 26, 2008
| time =
| nonconf = yes
| homecoming =
| away = yes
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = Butler
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Hinkle Fieldhouse
| site_cityst = Indianapolis, IN
| gamename =
| tv =
| score = 53–57
| overtime =
| record = 3–1
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Dec 1, 2008
| time =
| nonconf = yes
| homecoming =
| away =
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = UC Riverside
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Welsh-Ryan Arena
| site_cityst = Evanston, IL
| gamename =
| tv = BTN.com
| score = 59–43
| overtime =
| record = 4–1
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Dec 3, 2008
| time =
| nonconf = yes
| homecoming =
| away =
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = Florida State
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Welsh-Ryan Arena
| site_cityst = Evanston, IL
| gamename =
| tv = ESPN2
| score = 73–59
| overtime =
| record = 5–1
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Dec 6, 2008
| time =
| nonconf = yes
| homecoming =
| away =
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = DePaul
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Welsh-Ryan Arena
| site_cityst = Evanston, IL
| gamename =
| tv = BTN
| score =63–36
| overtime =
| record = 6–1
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Dec 15, 2008
| time =
| nonconf = yes
| homecoming =
| away =
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = UMKC
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Welsh-Ryan Arena
| site_cityst = Evanston, IL
| gamename =
| tv = BTN
| score =77–62
| overtime =
| record = 7–1
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Dec 20, 2008
| time =
| nonconf = yes
| homecoming =
| away = yes
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = Stanford
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Maples Pavilion
| site_cityst = Stanford, CA
| gamename =
| tv =
| score =59–65
| overtime =
| record = 7–2
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Dec 23, 2008
| time =
| nonconf = yes
| homecoming =
| away =
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = SMU
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Welsh-Ryan Arena
| site_cityst = Evanston, IL
| gamename =
| tv = BTN
| score = 66–55
| overtime =
| record = 8–2
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Dec 31, 2008
| time =
| nonconf =
| homecoming =
| away = yes
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = Penn State
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Bryce Jordan Center
| site_cityst = University Park, PA
| gamename =
| tv = ESPN2
| score = 57–61
| overtime =
| record = 8–3 (0-1)
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Jan 3, 2009
| time =
| nonconf =
| homecoming =
| away =
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = Michigan State
| opprank = 10
| site_stadium = Welsh-Ryan Arena
| site_cityst = Evanston, IL
| gamename =
| tv = BTN
| score = 66–77
| overtime =
| record = 8–4 (0-2)
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Jan 7, 2009
| time =
| nonconf =
| homecoming =
| away = yes
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = Wisconsin
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Kohl Center
| site_cityst = Madison, WI
| gamename =
| tv = BTN
| score = 45–74
| overtime =
| record = 8–5 (0-3)
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Jan 15, 2009
| time =
| nonconf =
| homecoming =
| away =
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = Purdue
| opprank = 19
| site_stadium = Welsh-Ryan Arena
| site_cityst = Evanston, IL
| gamename =
| tv = ESPN2
| score = 61–63
| overtime =
| record = 8–6 (0-4)
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Jan 18, 2009
| time =
| nonconf =
| homecoming =
| away =
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = Minnesota
| opprank = 18
| site_stadium = Welsh-Ryan Arena
| site_cityst = Evanston, IL
| gamename =
| tv = BTN
| score = 74–65
| overtime =
| record = 9–6 (1-4)
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Jan 21, 2009
| time =
| nonconf =
| homecoming =
| away = yes
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = Michigan State
| opprank = 7
|site_stadium=Breslin Center
|site_cityst=East Lansing, MI
| gamename =
| tv = BTN
| score = 70–63
| overtime =
| record = 10–6 (2-4)
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Jan 24, 2009
| time =
| nonconf =
| homecoming =
| away = yes
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = Michigan
| opprank =
|site_stadium=Crisler Arena
|site_cityst=Ann Arbor, MI
| gamename =
| tv = BTN
| score = 59–68
| overtime =
| record = 10–7 (2-5)
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Jan 28, 2009
| time =
| nonconf =
| homecoming =
| away =
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = Indiana
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Welsh-Ryan Arena
| site_cityst = Evanston, IL
| gamename =
| tv = BTN
| score = 77–75
| overtime =
| record = 11–7 (3-5)
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Jan 31, 2009
| time =
| nonconf =
| homecoming =
| away =
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = Wisconsin
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Welsh-Ryan Arena
| site_cityst = Evanston, IL
| gamename =
| tv = BTN
| score = 66–63
| overtime =
| record = 12–7 (4-5)
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Feb 4, 2009
| time =
| nonconf = yes
| homecoming =
| away =
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = Chicago State
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Welsh-Ryan Arena
| site_cityst = Evanston, IL
| gamename =
| tv = BTN.com
| score = 75–63
| overtime =
| record = 13–7
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Feb 7, 2009
| time =
| nonconf =
| homecoming =
| away = yes
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = Iowa
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Carver-Hawkeye Arena
| site_cityst = Iowa City, IA
| gamename =
| tv = BTN
| score = 51–56
| overtime =
| record = 13–8 (4-6)
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Feb 12, 2009
| time =
| nonconf =
| homecoming =
| away =
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = Illinois
| opprank = 22
| site_stadium = Welsh-Ryan Arena
| site_cityst = Evanston, IL
| gamename =
| tv = ESPN2
| score = 59–60
| overtime =
| record = 13–9 (4-7)
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Feb 15, 2009
| time =
| nonconf =
| homecoming =
| away =
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = Michigan
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Welsh-Ryan Arena
| site_cityst = Evanston, IL
| gamename =
| tv = BTN
| score = 67–70
| overtime = OT
| record = 13–10 (4-8)
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Feb 18, 2009
| time =
| nonconf =
| homecoming =
| away =
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = Ohio State
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Welsh-Ryan Arena
| site_cityst = Evanston, IL
| gamename =
| tv = BTN
| score = 72–69
| overtime =
| record = 14–10 (5-8)
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Feb 22, 2009
| time =
| nonconf =
| homecoming =
| away = yes
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = Minnesota
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Williams Arena
| site_cityst = Minneapolis, MN
| gamename =
| tv = BTN
| score = 45–72
| overtime =
| record = 14–11 (5-9)
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Feb 25, 2009
| time =
| nonconf =
| homecoming =
| away = yes
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = Indiana
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Assembly Hall
| site_cityst = Bloomington, IN
| gamename =
| tv = BTN
| score = 75–53
| overtime =
| record = 15–11 (6-9)
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Feb 28, 2009
| time =
| nonconf =
| homecoming =
| away =
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = Iowa
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Welsh-Ryan Arena
| site_cityst = Evanston, IL
| gamename =
| tv = BTN
| score = 55–49
| overtime =
| record = 16–11 (7-9)
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Mar 4, 2009
| time =
| nonconf =
| homecoming =
| away = yes
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = Purdue
| opprank = 19
| site_stadium = Mackey Arena
| site_cityst = West Lafayette, IN
| gamename =
| tv = BTN
| score = 64–61
| overtime =
| record = 17–11 (8-9)
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Mar 8, 2009
| time =
| nonconf =
| homecoming =
| away = yes
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = Ohio State
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Schottenstein Center
| site_cityst = Columbus, OH
| gamename =
| tv = BTN
| score = 47–52
| overtime =
| record = 17–12 (8-10)
}}
|-
!colspan=8| Big Ten tournament
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Mar 12, 2009
| time =
| nonconf =
| homecoming =
| away =
| neutral = yes
| rank =
| opponent = Minnesota
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Conseco Fieldhouse
| site_cityst = Indianapolis, IN
| gamename =
| tv = BTN
| score = 53–66
| overtime =
| record = 17–13 (8-10)
}}
|-
!colspan=8|NIT
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Mar 18, 2009
| time =
| nonconf =
| homecoming =
| away = yes
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = Tulsa
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Reynolds Center
| site_cityst = Tulsa, OK
| gamename =
| tv = ESPNU
| score = 59–68
| overtime =
| record = 17–14 (8-10)
}}
{{CBB schedule end}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Northwestern Wildcats men's basketball navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:2008-09 Northwestern Wildcats Men's Basketball Team}}