Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Michigan State
Men's Basketball Sinks Spartans, 61-49
2/6/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb 6, 2002
EVANSTON, Ill. - After a pair of stellar offensive performances, the Northwestern men's basketball team figured to have its hands full against an aggressive, talented Michigan State team fresh off a win against Illinois Sunday.
Instead, the Wildcats put together an offensive show that was for the ages.
Four NU players hit for double figures Wednesday night as the Wildcats downed the Spartans, 61-49. Perhaps more staggering, the 'Cats committed a mere three turnovers and dished out assists on 20 of its 23 baskets for the game.
Winston Blake led the way in the scoring column with 16 points, while Tavaras Hardy added 14. Jitim Young had 11 and Collier Drayton scored a season-high 10 as Northwestern (13-8, 4-5 Big Ten) closed the game on an 8-0 run to seal its first victory over MSU since Jan. 19, 1997. In addition, the win allowed NU to earn its fourth conference victory, surpassing last year's total for the season.
Northwestern's effort at the other end should be noted, as well. The Wildcats held Michigan State below 50 points for just the second time since 1950 (the other time was a 48-43 win exactly 20 years ago to the day).
Michigan State played without leading scorer Marcus Taylor (15.2 points), who suffered a concussion in the second half of the Spartans' win at Illinois and stayed on the bench Wednesday night. The Spartans (13-9, 4-5 Big Ten) missed his leadership in the second half, going scoreless over the final 2:51 and managing just 20 points while shooting 35 percent. Adam Ballinger scored 15 points and Chris Hill added 10 for the Spartans.
Blake, coming off a career-high 25 points at Ohio State, had a conventional three-point play and a 3-pointer, then Drayton and Vedran Vukusic added 3-pointers as the Wildcats opened up a 53-45 lead with 5:35 left.
Michigan State got within four points, but Drayton drove for another basket, was fouled and converted a three-point play with 2:30 left.
Blake's two free throws a minute later put the Wildcats up nine, and then Young stole the ball and drove for a layup with just over a minute left to play.
Northwestern led 30-29 at halftime as Hardy hit three 3-pointers. He finished the game with a career-high four, giving him nine in his past three games. In his previous 107 games, he had also made nine.
Northwestern is back in action Saturday, traveling to Madison to take on Wisconsin for the second time in 10 days. On January 30, the Wildcats defeated the Badgers in Evanston, 69-60.
Portions of this story were taken from the Associated Press account of the game
