By Adam Fusfeld

After a preseason centered on fitting the newcomers in with the team, it is finally time to see how it will all come together.

On Sunday, Northwestern kicks off the 2008-09 basketball season by welcoming Central Arkansas to Welsh-Ryan Arena. The Wildcats have lost their last two home openers, losing to then-No. 20 Stanford 71-60 last season and Cornell 64-61 the year before.

NU wants a win to get the season started in the right direction.

“We’d like to get off to a good start in non-conference play,” junior forward Kevin Coble said. “If we get some momentum going into the Big Ten that would be really good for us.”

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WOMEN’S HOOPS: MCKEOWN GETS FIRST TRUE TEST

By Danny Daly

Less than one month after the official start of practice, Northwestern faces what could be its most difficult non-conference opponent.

The Wildcats will follow their opener at Chicago State on Friday with a battle against Kansas State in their first home game this Monday. Kansas State returns three of its top four scorers after advancing to the second round of the NCAA tournament as a five-seed last year, knocking off Chattanooga before falling to Louisville.

Anxious to put the disappointment of last season’s injury-ravaged campaign behind them, the Cats are highly anticipating their first chance to see how they match up with a top team from a major conference.

“It’s better to play the harder teams, and it’s more fun too,” said junior forward Kristin Cartwright, who redshirted last year while recovering from an ACL injury. “You look forward to it more. It’s more exciting and you have to play your best.”

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