The Wildcats kicked off the men's basketball season with a bang, cruising past Lehigh in their opener on Monday. Zach overreacts to the game, discussing the identity of this year's team and highlighting the individual performances of Nick Martinelli, KJ Windham and more (1:26). Then, he welcomes on Sports Illustrated's Kevin Sweeney to dive deeper into the biggest questions facing NU this season (16:15). The pair discuss how Brooks Barnhizer will lead the charge to replace Boo Buie and what exactly Leach brings to the table from his days at Fairfield (19:33). They also discuss the parity in the Big Ten and how the 'Cats stack up (28:27). Finally, Kevin gives his thoughts on where NU ranks nationally and where Chris Collins and co. might expect to be when it comes time for Selection Sunday (34:09).

Northwestern is back in the win column! The 'Cats overcame a never-say-die Purdue team and a number of self-inflicted mistakes to get their fourth win of the season and Zach is back to break down it all down. He begins with an overview of the game (1:29) before talking about how the running back pair of Joseph Himon II and Cam Porter revitalized NU's offense (6:45). Next, he discusses how Northwestern was able to get the most out of Jack Lausch (12:07) before critiquing some of the game management decisions made by the coaching staff (17:44). Finally, Zach touches on how the defense bent but didn't break against a surprising Purdue passing attack (22:28) and talks about how the game sets up NU for a difficult three-game stretch to end the year.

Wildcats basketball is finally here! Zach breaks down everything there is to know about this year's Northwestern team, beginning with a brief reflection on what Chris Collins and co. have been able to accomplish the last two seasons (2:30). Then, he goes deep on this year's roster, breaking down each and every player expected to be in the rotation and how they might make an impact after the departures of Boo Buie and Ryan Langborg (8:45). Next, he discusses some of the biggest questions surrounding this group, including whether or not there's enough shooting in the rotation or if the defense can be as competitive as it has been in years past (33:54). Finally, he dives into his predictions, including where the 'Cats will finish in the Big Ten and whether or not this Northwestern team will make a historic third NCAA tournament in a row (50:35).

Contact info—Twitter: @ZachKoons, Email: zach.koons@si.com