The Northwestern Wildcats have been playing basketball since 1904. The NCAA men’s basketball tournament has existed, in some form or another, since 1939. This year was the first year ever that featured Northwestern playing basketball in that tournament.

The run’s over now. No. 8 Northwestern ran into a No. 1 seed in the round of 32 on Saturday, and Gonzaga did to the Wildcats what it does to most teams: It beat them.

Northwestern surged in the second half, but it didn’t ultimately matter because Gonzaga built a 22-point lead during the first. The Cats fought hard, though, and it’s commendable that they closed it to a 79-73 final margin.

That’s OK! This was always likely to happen. Now that Northwestern’s 2016-17 is finished, it’s worth appreciating how far the program’s come.

Here are four points:

1. Northwestern has a good coach now.

Chris Collins is the son of longtime NBA coach Doug Collins. He’s a former Duke guard and Duke assistant who took the helm in Evanston in 2013. In his fourth year, he got Northwestern to the Big Dance for the first time ever and won more games (24) than any other NU team ever. Three others won 20, including one under Collins. He’s now sitting on a .549 career winning percentage. That’s the best ever for a coach who’s spent more than two years at Northwestern, which is an arbitrary cut line, but whatever.

2. Northwestern has a whole handful of good players.

Northwestern will lose seniors Sanjay Lumpkin and Nathan Taphorn, but their biggest stars all have eligibility remaining — several years’ worth, in some cases.

Point guard Bryant McIntosh, wing Scottie Lindsey, and forward Gavin Skelly are all juniors. Wing Vic Law and center Dererk Pardon are sophomores.

Attrition happens, but barring surprises, this roster’s in great shape. The team’s top five scorers could all be back, along with six of its top seven rebounders.

Northwestern will be better next season than it was this season.

3. This season gave Northwestern its literal best moment ever.

I’m not sure which of these it is, but it’s for sure one of them.

First: a full-court heave to set up a buzzer-beating basket to beat Michigan at home, all but formally clinching the team’s first tourney berth ever.

Second: the official clinching of said tourney berth.

4. The Big Ten’s down, so Northwestern could really cook now.

Quick! Name a Big Ten team that Northwestern absolutely could not finish ahead of in the league standings next season. There are none!

The Big Ten has a bunch of programs that are capable of making Final Four runs in the right year. None of them are clearly that good right now, and Northwestern’s in a position to build on what was already its best team in modern history.

This was a good year to be a Northwestern Wildcat. There will be better ones.