There’s really no such thing as a “good loss,” but the ‘Cats got about as close as possible after being defeated by Michigan State 77-72 this Wednesday.

The young team battled back from what could have turned into a blowout behind a breakout performance from Boo Buie, and made the game against the 15th-ranked Spartans competitive. This Saturday, Northwestern takes on another good team — cross-town rival Depaul. Here’s everything you need to know before the big game.

The history between Northwestern and DePaul

A rivalry between the two schools seems natural, both being private universities with power conference men’s basketball programs based in or just outside of Chicago.