Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Utah State (TOWC)
Wildcats Drop Wild One to Utah State, 64-57
11/21/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 21, 2004
Box Score
FAIRBANKS, Alaska - In a game that many before the tournament predicted would be for teh Top of the World Classic title, Northwestern lost to Utah State Sunday afternoon, 64-57, in the consolation. As a result, the Wildcats (1-2) finished fifth in the Top of the World Classic, while the Aggies (2-1) took third.
Utah State came to Fairbanks off a 2003-04 season in which the Aggies went 25-4, but were shut out of an NCAA Tournament bid after losing in the Big West Tournament. NU meanwhile, entered the season with high expectations in the Big Ten and on the national stage.
The game did not lack for intensity, and took a bizarre turn with about 10 minutes left in the second half that lit a fire under Northwestern and nearly carried them to the win.
A spirited game took on a new tone on a Northwestern possession with about 11 minutes left, as every Wildcat cutter was met with a forearm shiver in the lane by a USU defender without a call. As the NU bench complained, the action went the other way. The next time the 'Cats got the ball, it was more of the same, climaxing when Vedran Vukusic was sent to the floor by the Aggie defender as he cut in the lane.
NU head coach Bill Carmody at that point walked on to the court, grabbed Vukusic from the floor, and ordered his team off the court. Carmody was immediately given a technical, then another, and was ejected.
After a few minutes of confusion involving the officials, Carmody, and the tournament director -- punctuated by the Aggie defender himself coming over to the NU bench to apologize to Vukusic for his rough play -- Carmody was dismissed from the floor. Utah State was given four shots, but freshman Jaycee Carroll hit just two of them to make the score 47-40 in USU's favor.
Meanwhile, Northwestern was fired up. The Wildcats immediately went on a 7-0 run that knotted the score -- a far cry from the first half, when they again started slowly and fell behind by as many as 11.
However, Utah State showed why it is a program that has made five consecutive postseason appearances (three NCAA, two NIT). After a missed jumper from Vukusic that would have given NU its first lead of the night, Carroll buried a three-pointer to spark a 6-0 USU run.
Mohamed Hachad had a nice offensive tip-in to start an 8-4 Northwestern run that kept the 'Cats within two points with a minute left (57-55), but USU's Spencer Nelson put back his own miss on the ensuing possession and was fouled by Vukusic on the play to push the Aggies' lead to five. David Pak and Nelson then hit their free throws down the stretch to keep Northwestern at bay.
For the second straight night, NU's opponent was able to jump out quickly and gain command of the game -- this time Utah State scored the first seven points of the contest. That lead went to 20-9 and hovered around double digits for several minutes before a 9-2 NU run at the end of the half sent the teams into the locker room with the Aggies up 36-31.
It looked like Utah State was going to put NU away early in the second stanza, outscoring the 'Cats 9-4 to start and taking a 10-point lead. Northwestern was able to get it back to five (45-40) before Carmody's ejection.
Vukusic -- who ended up as Northwestern's representative on the Top of the World Classic All-Tournament Team -- and Parker each scored 16 points for the Wildcats, who had their best shooting night of the tournament (44.7 percent). Davor Duvancic added 12 points, as Northwestern was more discerning with its shot selection (the 'Cats took just 14 three-point shots Sunday, as opposed to 34 Friday and 31 Saturday). Hachad contributed eight points and a game-high seven rebounds.
For Utah State, Carroll gunned his way to a game-high 17 points, while Nate Harris had 14 and Nelson added 12. All three players also had five rebounds.
NU is off this week, and will travel to Colorado next Sunday for a game with the Buffs. Tip time is slated for 1 p.m. MT (2 p.m. Central), and the game will be broadcast live on Fox Sports Net Rocky Mountain. There has been no official announcement yet on whether or not Fox Sports Net Chicago will pick up the contest.
