The NCAA men’s basketball tournament officially tips off tomorrow morning, so you’ve still got about 24 hours to get your brackets ready.

And for the first time since the tournament began in 1939, you’ll have the chance to pick Northwestern University to win or lose, because Northwestern had never been in the brackets before — the only major conference school that fit that description.

So how significant is this? To answer that, I turn to Andy Bagnato, Northwestern alum, former Chicago sportswriter and currently partner with Bagnato Pflipsen here in the Valley.

Northwestern’s maiden voyage in the NCAA men’s tournament begins tomorrow afternoon in Salt Lake City.