Northwestern University Athletics
Wildcats Hope to Avoid Being Stung
12/26/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 26, 2004
NU-Delaware State Game Notes in PDF Format
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EVANSTON, Ill. - The Northwestern men's basketball team heads into the final stretch of nonconference action this week, hosting Delaware State Monday night and Texas-Pan American Friday. Following these games, the Wildcats turn the calendar to 2005 by preparing for their Big Ten opener against Indiana.
Northwestern vs. Delaware State
Monday, Dec. 27 * 7 p.m. Central
Welsh-Ryan Arena (Evanston, Ill.)
Radio: WGN 720 AM (Dave Eanet, play-by-play; Bob Hildebrand, analyst)
TV: None
NU's last outing came against Robert Morris on Wednesday, and while the Wildcats escaped with a 14-point win there were still some alarming moments in a game that came on the heels of their 35-point loss at Arizona State a week ago. The 'Cats seemed to have the game in the bag before halftime, opening up a 19-4 run to start the game and leading by as many as 28 points before the teams went into the locker rooms.
The second half proved to be a different story. Robert Morris allowed NU to score the first two points of the stanza, then ripped off a 27-6 run that put them in a position to tie the game with more than 10 minutes still to play, in possession of the ball down just 50-47.
Northwestern's lead was precarious for several minutes after that, before Vedran Vukusic personally bailed the 'Cats out with a personal 7-0 run that turned a five-point game into a 63-51 NU lead. Robert Morris never got within single digits after that.
Still, it was not the emphatic, 40-minute performance that head coach Bill Carmody is hoping to get from his veteran squad. With Big Ten opposition suddenly on the horizon, time is of the essence as the Wildcats attempt to get some momentum going into conference action.
If there is one thing in NU's favor, it is that both games this week are at home. The 'Cats are 4-1 at Welsh-Ryan this season, and under Carmody they are 26-5 at home against nonconference foes.
Did You Know?
Vedran Vukusic had the first double-double of his collegiate career last Wednesday against Robert Morris, scoring 25 points and grabbing 10 rebounds (both totals were one shy of a career high for the junior). It was not just the first double-double for Vukusic--it was the first for ANY current Wildcat player. The only other players to have double-doubles in the Bill Carmody era are Tavaras Hardy (13 career) and Jitim Young (6).
The Series With Delaware State
• This is the first meeting between the Wildcats and the Hornets in men's basketball.
NU vs. the MEAC
The Wildcats enter tonight's game with a 5-0 all-time record against the 11 schools that make up the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), having played only three of them. Three of those five wins have come under Bill Carmody--during his tenure NU has beaten Maryland-Eastern Shore twice (most recently the opener of the 2002-03 season) and Florida A&M.
Bethune Cookman 0-0
Coppin State 0-0
Delaware State 0-0
Florida A&M 1-0
Hampton 0-0
Howard 0-0
Md.-Eastern Shore 3-0
Morgan State 1-0
Norfolk State 0-0
N.C. A&T 0-0
S.C. State 0-0
Home for the Holidays
NU is in the midst of its second straight four-game homestand; the 'Cats hosted Robert Morris last Wednesday, and after tonight they host Texas-Pan American (Dec. 31), then open the Big Ten season with Indiana (Jan. 5). Prior to NU's first four-game homestand, the Wildcats opened the season with four road contests (a first since 1915-16). The two four-game homestands were broken up by a road game last Monday at Arizona State.
