Northwestern got to the post-season a year ago -- the NIT, not the NCAA -- with some stirring road wins that were tempered by some gut-wrenching home losses.

Now the question as basketball coach Bill Carmody starts his 10th season is whether the Wildcats can sustain that success.

Northwestern is coming off a 17-14 season that included eight Big Ten victories.

But the Wildcats lost to Tulsa in the first round of the NIT. It was the first time Northwestern made a postseason appearance under Carmody.

The coach says his team had a "decent year" last year. He says his players are "pretty confident that they can play with just about anybody."

Northwestern starts exhibition play against Robert Morris on Nov. 4.